Our Story

I've been asked, "What's a nice middle-aged straight woman doing running a queer jewelry site?"

The answer is love.

During Covid, one of my daughter's friends came out as trans. He comes from a conservative family and wasn't able to be fully himself at his home. I gave him a key to our house and told him he was always welcome. As the years went by, he became a part of my family and I love him like a son.

A couple of years ago he had a milestone that was important to him and I wanted to mark it with a piece of jewelry, specifically fine jewelry that celebrated his identity.

I thought it would be easy to find.

It wasn't.

I scoured the internet and found plenty of rainbows, flags, rhinestones and inexpensive jewelry, but very little fine jewelry created specifically for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. I wanted something beautifully made, meaningful and lasting. Something worthy of the person and the milestone.

At the time my partner Scott and I were already tossing around the idea of creating an online jewelry store. I have decades of experience working in the jewelry industry, and we had originally imagined doing something pet-focused.

Then I told Scott what I discovered.

Could this be what we were supposed to create instead?

We went to a major jewelry trade show and walked past roughly a hundred exhibitors. Among all of them, we found one piece of Pride jewelry: a 10K gold rainbow charm set with imitation stones.

That was it.

We had thought there might be a gap in the market. We had no idea how large it was.

By then, I was like a dog with a bone. I knew I wanted to create beautiful, meaningful fine jewelry for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

What surprised me most was what happened next.

We contacted goldsmiths and jewelry manufacturers. Many were enthusiastic at first. Then phone calls stopped being returned. Emails went unanswered. Conversations simply disappeared.

We were floored.

Until then, we had not fully understood how much prejudice still existed. It opened our eyes, and instead of discouraging us, it made Scott and me even more determined.

Eventually, we found our people: a Canadian manufacturer and goldsmith who believed in what we were trying to build.

Crystal Queer Jewelry was born.

It has always been a labour of love.

Love, inclusion and ethics guide every decision we make.

Our jewelry is made in Canada. We use ethically sourced gemstones. A portion of every sale supports organizations serving the 2SLGBTQ+ community. And we are committed to making fine jewelry as inclusive as we possibly can.

That means rings available across an extensive size range, with complimentary sizing when you need something outside it.

It means complimentary engraving whenever the design allows.

It means free shipping to countries where same-sex marriage is legal, with plans to expand as circumstances and demand allow.

And it means creating jewelry that celebrates identity without assuming Pride jewelry has to look a certain way.

Sometimes it will be unmistakably queer.

Sometimes only the person wearing it will know what it means.

Both matter.

Crystal Queer Jewelry exists because someone I love deserved something beautiful, permanent and meaningful that celebrated exactly who he is.

I couldn't find it.

So we decided to make it.

(PS, he's getting it for his birthday this year. Shhh)