Click on image for Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and New Approach School for Jewelers credentials.
Professional Experience
From grading diamonds, to sourcing & setting stones, to owning retail, to designing & fabricating jewelry...
About Aura Lee
From Dreamer to Designer: Aura Lee's Journey
As a young girl in the early 1970s, I discovered my passion for “rockhounding”—the art of hunting, identifying, and collecting rocks, minerals, and fossils. Exploring Western Pennsylvania, Western North Carolina, Northern Georgia and Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains with my family, I felt most at home outdoors, searching for treasures and embracing the beauty of nature...
Throughout the 70s and 80s, my “treasure hunts” continued alongside new passions: gymnastics, fitness, and the vibrant music of Disco, Funk, and Rock and Roll. Life was analog and exhilarating—rotary phones, handwritten notes, and spoken word connected us in ways that still inspire me.
My passion for gemstones led me to Santa Monica, where I earned my Graduate Gemologist degree in 1987 from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America. Days were spent immersed in rigorous study, while nights were alive with the energy of Los Angeles.
My jewelry career began soon after, spanning roles as a buyer, designer, traveling sales rep, gem grader, store manager, boutique owner, and fine jewelry store proprietor. Along the way, I was blessed with a daughter and grew through personal triumphs, challenges, and adventures that shaped my path.
In 2018, I earned my Graduate Bench Jeweler Diploma from New Approach School for Jewelers in Arrington, TN - one of the smartest and most rewarding investments I ever made in myself (on both a professional and personal level).
Now based in Franklin, Tennessee with my husband Bill, I find inspiration from my travels within and beyond the USA. At Aura Lee's, we design jewelry that enhances natural beauty and empowers personal expression. Our pieces are crafted to celebrate the unique strength, spirit, and individuality of those who wear them.
Our hope for you is that you will express yourself with confidence and joy. Be you. Love who you are. Invest in yourself and those you love. Be positive, grow, have fun and embrace life!
Professional Experience
1987 – Retail Sales Associate (Torrence, CA, USA)
1987 -1988 – Corporate Sales Associate, Jade N Gem Corporation of America (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Sold fine jewelry, including 18kt gold, sapphire, and ruby, at sanctioned “Employee Shows” for organizations such as ABC Studios, Toyota, Garrett Aviation, and USPS.
1988 – Retail Sales Associate (Colorado Springs, CO, USA)
2008 – 2016 – Founder, Aura Lee's Imports, LLC d/b/a Aura Lee's Jewelry, Handbags & Accessories (Summerville, SC, USA) until late 2012; thereafter operating as Designs by Aura Lee
1987 - GIA Graduate Gemologist® (GG) Diploma, Colored Stones and Gem Identification Certificate, and Diamond Certificate earned from the Gemological Institute of America (Santa Monica/Los Angeles campus - now relocated to Carlsbad, CA)
