Meet Grace Wong (she/her), the mastermind behind Jewels & Aces. Her journey started in Vancouver, where her mom ran an accessories shop that got her totally hooked on the art of jewelry. Grace surprised everyone by going the business versus artist route, scoring a degree in Commerce from Queens University and taking finance roles at big shots like PwC and the Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust. Fast forward to 2014, when her first kiddo arrived, and bam—that’s when the idea for Jewels & Aces hit her. We talked to her about her career, honing in on one jewelry category, sustainability, and more.

You’re a self-taught designer. How did you first dive into designing and making jewelry?
I have always been passionate about jewelry and after I had my first son in 2014, I started leaning into a capsule wardrobe. I thought, “If I could do this with clothes, why can’t I do the same with jewelry?” That was my lightbulb moment for the Earring Capsule. Just like a capsule wardrobe, each of our four-piece sets creates over 10 different looks. I started with eight designs inspired by some of my favorite pieces from my mom’s collection, like the Emerald Studs. I knew I was onto something special when I started playing around with just these core pieces and could create endless earring combinations. They’re all the designs in our Complete Essentials Earring Capsule set which are still some of our best sellers today.

Jewels & Aces focuses on one category—why earrings?
I love earrings because you can get so creative with them. Your lobes are a blank canvas. You can create mismatching looks on each ear and the more piercings you have, the more looks you can create. I see The Earring Capsule as a tool for creative expression. Our designs may look simple but they’re original and custom pieces where exact proportions and details are meticulously considered so every stud and jacket fit together seamlessly, no matter which combination you choose. This allows you to mix and match your earring looks with confidence and express your individuality, depending on how you feel that day. They have the power to truly transform your mood.

The brand is focused on sustainability, can you tell us more about that?
Sustainability has been a focus since the inception of our brand. I believe that responsibly made products should be the norm rather than a selling point. Our collection combines premium recycled 14K gold and sterling silver, freshwater pearls, and lab-created gemstones—a reflection of our commitment to responsible design and creating less waste.

I think that maximizing wear and loving your pieces for years to come is one of the main tenets of sustainable design in addition to our responsible production. Our collection is intentionally designed to be cohesive, versatile, and multifunctional.

Do you have any plans to expand into other categories of jewelry?
Jewelry is such an exciting space, but I feel we’ve barely even scratched the surface on earrings. There is so much more to be done and we have tons of ideas to expand and further perfect, so for now, our focus is solely on earrings.

Any jewelry trends that you’re particularly excited about?
I love mixing metals in my earring looks with gold and silver. It feels so fresh and adds another layer of individuality/creativity.