Meet Our Designer, Michelle

Michelle's artistry is rooted within her unique mix of educational backgrounds, notably her decades of training in classical piano, flute, and fine art drawing, in addition to two technical bachelor degrees in finance and supply chain management. A completely self-taught designer, Michelle is grateful for the unconventional life experiences that led to her fearlessly authentic approach to fine jewelry design.

An Analyst by Day, An Artist by Night

After graduating from the renowned Foster School of Business at University of Washington, Michelle took on a steady career in the finance industry, but in her free time she found natural happiness in creating delicate crafts using silver, brass, and colorful gemstones. Alongside her full-time job at a well-known Fortune 500 company, she casually set up a small Etsy shop filled with handmade crafts to fuel her self-indulgent hobby. Over time, her distinctive design styles caught the eyes of thousands of buyers looking for unique jewelry. The unexpected popularity of her hobby shop resulted in Michelle staying up well past midnight every day to fulfill each individual order by hand, barely leaving her with any rest time before the start of her daytime job. It didn’t take long before she was forced into choosing between a promising career in corporate finance, and an uncertain path in an extremely saturated market that she had nothing else but passion for.

An Unwavering Dream

Growing up with a conservative family who always stressed on the importance of a reliable 9-to-5 profession, Michelle was put under enormous pressure for her career-changing proposal. Her doctor mother lost countless nights of sleep over what she considered an irrational gambling behavior, while Michelle’s scientist father insisted that climbing the corporate ladder would lead to a much more comfortable lifestyle for a woman. Despite all the well-intentioned resistance, Michelle aspired to anything but “comfort” at her young age. She was unwavering in her belief that life is too short to be living anyone’s dream but her own, and the cost of giving up a true passion far outweighs any ordinary paycheck when one is still young. In the winter of 2015, after politely declining a promotion at work, Michelle took a leap of faith and poured all she had into the pursuit of her creative dream.

Quest for Timeless Perfection

Introverted, sentimental, and soft-at-heart, Michelle is anything but a typical business woman. She was never motivated by the idea of building a business, but rather her unshaken desire to show the world her passion for all things elegant and beautiful. As her designs continue to receive remarkable validation, Michelle felt the urge to make an even greater impact with her work - Deep inside, she knew that an art piece only becomes timeless if it is crafted with lasting materials, and if it proves to be something that people will love, admire, and treasure for generations to come. Michelle subsequently spent months traveling around the US and the world to learn about fine metalsmithing, connecting with some of the best craftsmen and expert gemologists in the fine jewelry industry. She tirelessly refined prototypes with renowned artisan goldsmiths to ensure world-class craftsmanship, all the while attending dozens of influential gemstone conventions to seek the highest quality source for every non-traditional gemstone used in her work. After a long quest for perfection, Michelle launched her very first precious metal jewelry line, which led to more joyful tears and sentiments than she could have ever imagined.

Authentically, Michellia

“I have searched so many years for a dream ring”, an ecstatic bride-to-be wrote to Michelle, “And I have yet to come across anything that is such a perfect blend of modern and vintage aesthetics until I stumbled upon your work.” Many women came from a small town where everyone owns a similar solitaire from a chain jewelry store, whereas others were not particularly fond of the idea of splurging 5-figures into a monopolized market with questionable ethics. The combination of free-spirited designs and artful gemstone choices in Michelle’s work truly spoke to those who dreamed of wearing a lifelong symbol of love that is as authentic as it is original, without compromising on aesthetics, quality, or price point. Inspired by this heartwarming trend towards individuality, Michelle formally founded what is known as Michellia Fine Jewelry today, making it her lifelong mission to support modern women like herself who fearlessly make their own traditions.

For Modern Women, by Modern Women

Michelle is now happily married to her husband Terry, who has been generously supporting her dream ever since she was handcrafting and fulfilling every single order from their old apartment’s spare bedroom. Thankfully, Michelle now has a team of dedicated master jewelers and operational specialists who stand firmly by her side to help Michellia grow. Thousands of successful deliveries and heartfelt reviews later, every design still starts with an original hand sketch by Michelle, and Michellia is still as faithful as it can be to Michelle’s original mission:



To celebrate the enduring beauty of love in its most authentic form -

For modern women, by modern women.

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