Dorsey: timeless and ethical jewelry that doesn't break the bank

I'm always on the lookout for jewelry that's timeless and reasonably priced. So when I recently discovered Dorsey, an ethical fine jewelry brand offering a range of affordable Art Deco-inspired designs made with lab-grown gemstones, I was thrilled.

Launched in late 2019, Dorsey was founded by Meg Strachan, who is also CEO of the brand. “We craft all of our pieces with lab-grown gemstones and create everyday styles. There is a misconception that people want to carry thousands of dollars worth of mined diamonds out the door to dinner. Dorsey focuses on the meticulous craftsmanship of heritage-style jewelry, typically crafted only with mined diamonds and sold for thousands of dollars, for a fraction of the price,” Strachan says of how she would describe her brand to those who don't. don't know her.

As for the name of the brand, Strachan named it after his grandmother, Dorsey, who taught him everything she knows about jewelry.

"She was a collector, and although she had a few mined diamonds, she wore more CZ costume jewelry that she bought and kept from all eras. She cared deeply about craftsmanship and clasps. More Late in life, she could really wear and buy anything she wanted, but mostly wore costume pieces. The feel of a piece was important to her. The price was not," Strachan shares. She was well aware of the marketing tactics of the mined diamond industry, she was not wearing a typical mined diamond stone wedding band, she was wearing a custom piece she had made with my grandfather, a large ring gold cocktail, to which she added diamonds when she and my grandfather could finally afford to add some, a few years after their marriage.

Meg Strachan, Founder and CEO of Dorsey

Photo of Ashley Barrett

Although Strachan shares that she is not a trained jewelry designer, she began her career as a buyer and merchandiser. She tells me, “I know what I'm trying to accomplish with our team. I've always taken comfort in the fact that Ralph Lauren wasn't a designer either. I think merchandising and its intersection with marketing is the hallmark of most big brands, especially now, because content and commerce are the main drivers for growth. And Strachan is right. She has managed to create a luxurious jewelry collection that looks incredibly expensive and reasonably priced, especially compared to alternatives that would cost several thousand dollars more.

“Dorsey designs are something women want to buy to wear every day,” she continues. “Traditionally, the river and tennis bracelet is very expensive. I wanted to wear a river necklace but didn't have $20,000 to spend on one. When I looked at the market, I saw that it needed accessible options. We use creation to generate income and income to make creative decisions. What brings products to life is conceptualizing them. We like to bring jewelry into the frame to set the mood. Our client, who is between 30 and 50 years old, is attracted by the way we film the product. My goal is to create a heritage brand with real longevity.”

Dorsey

Benjo Arwas

Dorsey

(c) Nikola Borissov Photography

One of the reasons Strachan decided to use lab-grown gemstones as it allows him to sell the designs at a more reasonable price. "Laboratory diamonds are cheaper than m...