Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Meadows.
Hi Abby, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
At fourteen, I was hammering wire on my mom’s cast iron pan and shattering amethysts with my dad’s drill—too stubborn to settle for boring jewelry. That obsession led me to Winthrop University, where I earned an art degree in jewelry, and later to Doug Meadows, who gave me my first showcase and sent me to the Tucson Gem Show (the world’s largest!) That trip changed everything—suddenly, it was all about the gemstones: wild cuts, impossible inclusions, and stones with stories that demanded to be told.
Along the way, I fell in love with Doug’s nephew, Malachi—a fourth-generation jeweler. When our kids grow up, they’ll be fifth-generation on his side, second-generation on mine. In 2017, I made the terrifying leap to branch out on my own. It took guts, grit, and sleepless nights—but Mettle by Abby was born.
Now, I design every piece around the stone itself, celebrating the unexpected and the imperfect. And every time my three-year-old says, “I want to hammer like a mama,” I know the fire is already passing to the next generation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In 2017, I took the leap and started Mettle by Abby on my own. It meant wearing every hat—jeweler, website designer, blogger, photographer, email marketer, stone buyer, bookkeeper, boss. I had to learn payroll, taxes, the true cost of gold (and tools and payroll and a shop and store), and how to keep a business alive while still creating pieces that felt extraordinary. It was overwhelming, yes—but I never doubted it was the right path.
(Keep in mind- I only have one head, but dozens of hats to wear every day! It’s a lot, but my passion fuels me!)
Through all of it, David Douglas Diamonds has remained my flagship store—my home ground. It’s where my very first showcase grew roots, where I still meet customers every month, and where Mettle by Abby continues to live at the heart of it all.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I make connections between ancient stones and modern souls.
I turn raw metal into stories using fire, force, and intuition. Every piece starts with a stone most would overlook—full of inclusions, quirks, and secrets—and I let it guide my hands as I forge silver and gold from scratch. No molds. No shortcuts. Just ancient techniques and modern rebellion.
Every gem is one-of-a-kind, just like the person who will wear it. Each piece is a collision of stone, metal, and instinct—a connection that feels almost like recognition.
I started this journey 24 years ago. Today, in my studio, every setting, every texture, every detail is hammered into existence. In a world of mass production, I create jewelry that refuses to be replicated.
How do you define success?
Since becoming a mother three and a half years ago, success has grown into something bigger: creating the life I want for my family. It’s showing my children, by example, that they can do anything they dream of. Every time my daughter says she wants to “hammer like a mama,” I know she sees that possibility.
So yes, success is the grit of building this business from a cast iron pan to a full-fledged studio—but it’s also building a legacy of creativity, courage, and freedom for the next generation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Mettlebyabby.com
- Instagram: Mettlebyabby
- Facebook: Mettlebyabby
- Youtube: Mettlebyabbyy
Image Credits
All by myself and my husband Malachi
