By Elizabeth Johnson

Not all jewelry shines. Some pieces whisper. Some mark milestones. Some hold memories. Others sit so lightly against the skin that only the wearer understands their weight.

Amy Korta designs for intimacy. The Charlotte-based owner of Amy Gordon Jewelry has built a growing regional following by creating pieces that feel personal rather than ornamental.

With a background in fashion and an instinct shaped by travel and Southern roots, she works in fine metals and a mix of precious and semiprecious stones to produce what she describes as“ fun and fine jewelry.”

The result is a collection that moves easily between heirloom and everyday, meant to be layered, lived in and kept.

In this edition of The Modern Balabusta, she reflects on entrepreneurship, aesthetic instinct and the quiet influence of heritage on personal style.

Let’ s start with your business. What was the genesis of your becoming a jeweler? Was there a particular moment or influence that made you think,“ This is what I want to do?” I grew up in Chapel Hill, and there was this amazing little bead store, Original Ornaments, on Franklin Street. My mom would take me there and patiently wait while I chose beads to string into necklaces or add to coil bracelets.

I was always making jewelry. I think my mom still has the very first necklace I made for her – a bunch of mismatched plastic beads threaded onto purple wire.

In high school, I took a ceramics class and sculpted porcelain balls and cubes, turning them into beads. I even watercolored onto the clay and made what I still think was the coolest necklace.

Over the years, I worked with several jewelry designers who

influenced me, but whenever I pulled out my plastic containers full of beads, everything felt too crafty or homemade. I was, and still am, my own worst critic.

About seven years ago, I returned to my beads with new inspiration. A friend of mine who is a stylist saw a few necklaces I had made and immediately loved them. She knew her clients would, too.

What started as a small hobby grew into a passion and eventually into a business. She still styles her clients in the pieces I curate and create. I now work with other stylists, and about seven stores between Statesville and Savannah carry Amy Gordon Jewelry.

I have a background in fashion and retail, and I have always loved accessories. Working in that space, I learned a great deal, often through hard lessons. It took a few years for something to truly click.

I will say that this feels like the most authentic thing I’ ve done. This feels like me. I think many entrepreneurs or small business owners struggle with impostor syndrome, self-doubt, or being knocked down. I think the saying is true: comparison is the thief of joy. I’ ve learned to believe in myself, grow, and keep going.

Some of my fondest memories are of my mother and grandmother getting dressed. It was not their clothes that stood out, but their accessories and how they styled them.

My mom’ s wrist was always stacked with beautiful gold bracelets. I remember watching her write a check or reach into the refrigerator and seeing the bracelets slide down her wrist, the gold clinking. I wear my own gold bracelets proudly, knowing I was influenced by my mom decades ago. Funny how everything comes back around.

Do you feel your Judaism

shapes your work or your approach to your business in any way, even subtly? I come from an extensive line of entrepreneurs. Both sets of my grandparents started businesses. My dad’ s father built an insurance business that became a long-running family operation, and his mother ran a successful catering business. A few years ago, a friend of mine even found a receipt from her uncle’ s bar mitzvah. My grandmother had catered it. It was one dollar per person. Can you imagine?

On my mom’ s side, her grandfather came to this country and built a family business that is now in its fifth generation. Her grandmother owned a women’ s clothing boutique.

My mom watched her parents work alongside their own parents, growing businesses of which they were proud. I hope to continue growing my business into something my family can be proud of as well. I truly feel this is just the beginning.

After the horrific attacks of October 7, I became an even prouder Jew. I think many people can relate to that. I continued wearing my Chai, and for the first time, I began creating and selling Judaic jewelry. Other Jews were proud too, not hiding but finding their voice.

Judaism is deeply rooted in tradition, and the importance of tzedakah was emphasized to me from an early age. Now, I am finding that women gravitate toward the Chai and Star of David. I think, in today’ s world, many women hold a sense of pride in wearing these symbols. I know I do.

Jewelry often marks life’ s big and small moments. Has there been a commission that felt especially meaningful to you? One piece led to a friendship I deeply cherish. A client, who is now a dear friend, came to me looking for a special gift

for her daughter. She was a new mother and had recently lost her father. She wanted a necklace that would both honor and celebrate.

We created a small gold heart charm. On the front, we engraved her baby boy’ s initials in a modern font. On the back, we engraved her father’ s initials in a classic font.

I envisioned her wearing the side with her father’ s initials facing inward, closest to her heart. That piece was incredibly meaningful, and her daughter and I have since become close friends.

Many readers want to build a small jewelry wardrobe that feels intentional. What advice would you give them? Buy what you love and what you will actually wear: a simple gold bracelet, a pair of stud earrings, a gold chain, and a beaded necklace. Start with one piece. Part of the joy is adding to it over time.

What has surprised you most about turning your creative talent into a business? I love seeing independent women buying jewelry for themselves. Now more than ever, women are choosing jewelry the way they might once have chosen a handbag, a pair of shoes, or an item of clothing.

The price of gold is at an alltime high( and rising), and silver is on the increase too. Jewelry is a smart investment and can hold so much personal history.

In terms of life lessons, my business has helped me learn

when to say no. I can’ t do it all, and that’ s OK.

When someone gets dressed and reaches for one of your pieces, what do you hope it adds to their day? I hope they wear it with confidence. Jewelry can be the foundation of an outfit or the finishing touch. Have fun with it. There are no rules. If you are unsure, wear it anyway. Change it up. Switch things around. Smile and carry on!

The Modern Balabusta spotlights our very own masters of hospitality. From kitchens to grilling, local businesses, gardening, tablescapes, athome entertainment, backyard gatherings, and beyond, we celebrate it all. Want to be featured in the Modern Balabusta? If you or someone you know embodies this spirit, email elizabeth. johnson @ jewishcharlotte. org with a brief note explaining why. We’ ll be in touch if it’ s a fit for an upcoming issue.

The Korta Family