Walking up to an unassuming room on the second floor of a building on Fifth Avenue, I didn’t know what to expect. However, as soon as I entered the room it was exactly as my professor likes to describe as “a kid in a candy store.” All around is filled with semiprecious stones, sterling silver, pearls, and so much beautiful jewelry.
We were met by the owner Sophia So who had recently come back from winning The Charm of Asia, a conference that celebrates a plethora of Asian cultures. We learned from her about her journey from a computer science major to a jewelry designer, and how she is always looking to give back to the community. In addition to describing the different aspects and significance of jade, pearls, and other gems, she also took the time to share about the major stores like Macy’s, Saks Fifth, JCPenney, and Bergdorfs that she supplies and creates jewelry with.
It was amazing to hear her talk about how she sourced and produces her jewelry in both Thailand and the US and her outlook on life!