Meet Abby Meadows | One of a Kind Jeweler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abby Meadows and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abby, what do you attribute your success to?
I listen to my collectors and fans. Without them, there is no Mettle by Abby. Since ever piece is one of a kind and hand forged by myself with hand picked gemstones, I have great flexibility to create what people are craving! People’s stories and lives are so fascinating and inspiring, and I want to honor their experiences with wildly one of kind wearable art. We all want to be heard and known, and my collectors and fans are why I go to my studio with a heart full of gratitude and a mind full of inspiration! Mettle by Abby is celebrating 10 strong years the Autumn and I owe it to communicating and making a connection with my people. Jewelry is so personal and significant, it deserves to be strong and well made, but also something unique and unlike anything else!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Every single piece of Mettle by Abby is one of a kind, strong, and attainable. No matter the price point, $50 or $5,000, you will have something no one else has and it is made strong and comfortable. There’s always new pieces coming out and I’m always on the hunt for exotic and striking gemstones. While creating pieces, I interact with my collectors and fans and see what they’re interested in seeing or having. I’m making this for you, so I want this to be what your heart is after. Any success I have today is because I listened to people yesterday. Interacting with my collectors and fans is vital. I see a lot of businesses that are hard to reach or even just get someone on the phone. I want to be reachable and involved. I’m on this path to work with you and to create jewelry for you. I think it’s vital for a business to have good communication and involvement with their people. Without the human element, it’s all just rocks and metal. I often send out emails to my list and let them vote on the next gemstone pieces I make. I’ll make videos of my process and share it with other jewelers and fans. I know that the process of jewelry making was a big part of what lured me into this world, and I want to share that with people. It’s an incredible process and each jeweler has a special technique. For me, I am very hands on and hand fabricate each piece. This isn’t a very common method, so it’s very exciting and fun to see behind the scenes. When I was working in the jewelry store, I would invite people back to see what I’m working on, now I have a private studio and share my work on social media. It’s very exciting to see a piece come to life!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some of my favorite spots in the city depend on the time of year, I love being outside! If I had a friend visiting around the holidays, I would definitely fit in some lights and the lantern display. I also love the multiple small live music venues like The Earl, so I would check to see who’s playing. There’s just something about live music that can make you fall in love with an artist! You’ve got to fit in a stroll through LFP and look at all the amazing and historic houses with blaring personality! One of the things I love so much about Atlanta are the trails and walks, so we’d have to fit in a stroll or two. There have been so many new local artists and maker shops opening up over the past few years, so I’m sure I’d try to discover a few new places with my friend, too. I think it’s important to keep exploring new places in your city and of course it’s more fun with a friend!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want give Doug Meadows of David Douglas Diamonds and Jewelry a shout out. 10 years ago when I graduated from Winthrop University with a BFA in Jewelry and Metals, he took a chance on me. I had apprenticed with his repair jeweler (James Grable-thank you, James for the wealth of knowledge and skills you bestowed on me) and when I came back in the fall of 2010, Doug asked me “would you like to make a line of jewelry for my store?” “YES!” As Mettle by Abby grew, sometimes even quadrupling in a year, I began to feel the push to leave the store and take more into my own hands. Doug always said he wanted to launch me in my career, and he was true to his word. In 2017, I nervously told him it was time, and I began building out my own private studio and started constructing my website. You might notice that Doug and I have the same last name. I married his nephew, Malachi, in 2018, so Doug is now my uncle. David Douglas Diamonds and Jewelry is still my busiest store and I continue to be involved there with events and fresh, new pieces.

Website: MettleByAbby.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mettlebyabby/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MettleByAbby
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUT8ITbMOroEq9UGHha0jfQ/featured?disable_polymer=true