Meet our Founder

Meet Our Founder

Lynette Ong grew up in Singapore and spent her early career trading corporate bonds in New York and Hong Kong. In 2014 she left finance, moved to London and started Edge of Ember, a jewellery brand built around the artisans she'd met travelling across Asia.

Here she talks about how it began, and where it's going.

How did Edge of Ember come about?

I started Edge of Ember in 2014, around the time I moved from Singapore to London to be with my husband.

Before the move I'd quit my job and taken time out to travel. I'd always loved jewellery, but on that trip I became fascinated by the artisan workshops I found along the way.

I wanted to put those craftspeople in front of a wider audience. And at the time, it was hard to find well-made jewellery that didn't come with a designer mark-up. I'd already taken one leap by leaving my job. Launching a brand felt like the next one.

Tell us about the artisans who inspired you.

There's so much invisible craftsmanship in Asia, overshadowed by mass manufacturing.

When people hear 'Made in Asia', many assume cheap, poor quality and poor conditions. Sometimes that's true. But it hides an enormous amount of skill and tradition. Those were the people I wanted to work with, and to give a bigger stage.

Do those poor conditions exist?

They do. I met a worker in Bali who told me the local jewellery trade was run by a handful of bosses who kept most of the revenue, while the workers put in long hours in bad conditions for very little pay.

How did a career in finance turn into Edge of Ember?

I was seeing those conditions at the same time as I was becoming disillusioned with big business. Finance is fast and money-driven. I enjoyed the pace, but I didn't feel I was making anything of value. I wanted to do the opposite, and I was in the right frame of mind to act on it.

Not many brands were thinking about social responsibility at scale back then. I was determined to show it could work.

So you went straight in?

I travelled around Asia looking for the right producers and started designing the first collection. Then life happened: I moved to London, got married and had two children in quick succession. For the first couple of years, I ran Edge of Ember on a small scale around two very young kids.

What was the breakthrough moment?

Probably 2018, when we launched our initial necklaces. As they took off, we saw how much people wanted jewellery that was personal to them.

We followed that. We added birthstones and charms, then launched free engraving on our engravable pieces. We were making personalised jewellery at a fraction of what the market was charging.

I love seeing how customers put things together. Some wear their own initial, some their children's or partner's. People give friends birthstones and engraved medallions. They inspire me.

Do you still work with the artisans you met on your travels?

We've grown to work with more partners, chosen for their commitment to fair pay, good working conditions and care for the environment. We never want to harm communities or the wider world for the sake of style. It's the reason we started.

Your best advice for running a small business?

Get the foundations right first. A good product, made well. Sort your logistics and your internal processes before you get distracted by marketing, logos and social media.

Stay adaptable. Watch the market and be quick enough to stay relevant.

And be very organised. I had to overhaul my whole personality to get there.

What's your vision for the future?

That's the fun part. I see Edge of Ember as a global brand, known for fine jewellery that women wear every day. I want us to be among the brands proving that ethical production works for premium goods.

We're a digital brand at heart, but jewellery is tactile, and it carries so much personal meaning. I'd love to give customers a physical space to experience Edge of Ember in person.

And your favourite Edge of Ember pieces?

The Lumina necklace is a personal favourite. It looks like a glowing orb, like a very chic talisman. And our Classic Gold Huggie Earrings: they make a statement but they're light enough to wear every day, with everything.

Where we are now

Since this interview, we've moved to 100% recycled gold and silver, and every diamond we use is lab-grown. Our suppliers in India, Thailand, Italy and China are certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council and independently audited against our Supplier Code of Conduct. Read more about how we make our jewellery.