While she always considered herself a “tom boy” in spirit, she loved jewelry and began collecting at a young age. Over time, her friends sought her out for style advice and tutorials on how they should stack their rings or layer their necklaces, admiring the way she could make a statement through her jewelry the way others did through their choice of clothing.

Enjoying success in her chosen career path, Jess lived for a time in Australia working for a sports and entertainment agency in Sydney. Living on the other side of the globe shifted her perspective, and she began contemplating the big picture of her life. Feeling the rumblings of an entrepreneurial call, she began sketching designs and created the first iteration of her brand making costume jewelry.

Once again looked to for advice by her colleagues, she guided them in what to buy for their wives or girlfriends, which resulted in a deeper reflection of how she could increase the quality of her designs while also keeping them accessible. Back in the states, working at a dream job with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jess dedicated her rare non-working hours to expanding into precious metals and gemstones.

The watershed moment in the midst of living the dual realities of working for a national sports franchise and running a fledgling jewelry business happened when her “guardian angel,” Gwyneth Paltrow, began selling Bondeye on goop, the star’s ultra-popular wellness and lifestyle website. The increased exposure and validation that came with the partnership was a turning point for Jess, and in 2019 she left her day job, moved back to New York City, and committed herself full time to running her brand. She continues to sell her work on goop, and has remained a part of every store opening, pop up and e-commerce styling event, and she credits the site with other stores picking up the collection.

Jess continues to focus on providing collectors of her work with heirloom quality and accessibility. She wants the women who buy her work to be as excited about their purchase as she is about the creative process that brings her ideas to life. Jess loves watching people discover and nurture a love for fine jewelry, and the range of price points she offers allows her clients to do just that.

Whether they are just beginning to build their jewelry wardrobe or they are seasoned collectors, Jess’ enjoyment in her work is reverentially tied to that of her clients, “I always want to make sure that when a client buys a piece, they leave feeling only joy and love and not like they got pushed into a purchase.”

The embodiment of a style guide for how to express oneself through adornment, Jess gets a thrill when she sees her jewelry appealing to women of all ages and style sensibilities. Mothers who fall in love with their daughter’s bracelet, granddaughters admiring their grandmothers necklace, sisters swapping pieces to match their moods, Jess leans into the concept, “I have always said, Bondeye is something that can be passed down, passed up, passed sideways, left or right,” she says. “This is the discovery of Bondeye.”