Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Chan.
Hi Christina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Jewelry and art are an integral part of my life. Ever since I was a toddler, I traveled with my family to markets and art shows across the states. I come from a family of makers. My father is a jeweler and metalsmither for more than 35 years. In his own way, he continued his family’s legacy of entrepreneurship and creative expression. Back in Guangzhou, China, where my family is from, they were creating and selling abacus. Now we evolved into creating beautiful jewelry across the world. Eight years ago, I created Dyme Designs to creatively express myself. As a child, I would make small bracelets for fun, and the hobby grew into a business. Over time, I started to create Chinese inspired jewelry that reminds me of my heritage. My family are immigrants and because I was not born in China, as an Asian American, I felt some disconnection to my own culture. Creating and designing jewelry became an outlet for me to learn and express my pride in my Chinese culture. My father now supports me in my entrepreneurial journey and makes many of our jewelry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I love being a small business owner. Although there are challenges in forming my own business, it’s part of the journey that I love. I grew up with modest means, and being an artist did not always pay the bills. As a small business owner, I juggle many roles including marketing, administrative, bookkeeper, handmaking jewelry, and more. For it to be sustainable, I am intentional in carving out time for me to take care of myself and rest.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Dyme Designs specializes in jade jewelry, wire-wrapped creations, and crystal art for space decor. Our pieces are inspired by Chinese culture, philosophy, and nature. We create, curate, and source beautiful authentic jade jewelry. In Chinese and many Asian cultures, jade is highly revered. Jade is believed to bring abundance and prosperity and to protect the wearer from negative energy. I enjoy designing and incorporating modern designs with beautiful high-quality jade. We also carry more traditional styles such as bangles, a jewelry piece that is often gifted by elders to younger generations. Furthermore, we recently launched our first fine jewelry design that combines jade with solid gold. Within the next two years, we will complete a series of jade and gold fine jewelry designs that center on the theme of Eternal Jade, cultural timeless jewelry that is made to last.
Aside from jade, we create a variety of jewelry including necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets with precious and semi-precious gems. Our crystal art ranges from wall hangings and crystal display holders that are used for space decor. They are welded to customize each crystal we display, wire wrapped with stones, and we add silicone as needed to help protect the crystal points. Crystals are intuitively chosen and the displays are created with love and intention.
I am most proud of continuing my family legacy of being a small business owner that creates cultural jewelry that community can connect to. It’s a joy to be able to work with my family and share our love of jade to the community.
What makes you happy?
Being in space with community and art makes me the happiest. I am grateful to meet many artists and community-oriented folks in Seattle. Through community markets, I connect with community members and support their journey in choosing their jade. In many ways, me connecting to jade reminds me of my ancestors. Many of my customers would share similar stories of sentimental value, showing how powerful jewelry can be. It’s an honor to listen to these generational stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: dymedesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dymedesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simpledymedesigns
- Other: https://dynasticollection.com/
Image Credits
Taken by Christina Chan & Sun Chan
