Precious Jewels Bring Hope

I thought my first meeting with jewelry designer, Melody Saleh, would last maybe 30-45 minutes...three hours later I knew I had found a great friend! Melody is one of those people who can make you smile just by being around them. Her direction is clear and her mission is pure. I for one, believe there will be nothing to stop this designer from changing the way people buy gems and how businesses view charities.

In the 1980's, Melody designed couture gowns, but it wasn't until early 2005 that she found her true niche with gems and designing custom jewelry. She received her Graduate Gemologist (GG) degree with GIA, where she fell in love with her lab work. During this time, she never took her eyes off of what what truly important...giving back. Being a cancer survivor, Melody understands the importance of fund raising and awareness. In fact, while she battled cancer, she was able to rely on support from the American Cancer Society, which is one of the charities she heavily supports now. In 2006, Melody formed her business, Gem Couture Inc, and designed her first piece for the Lupus Foundation Butterfly Ball silent auction, a fancy colored diamond butterfly pendant valued over $15,000.

Now, with a name and reputation of worth, she has clients from all around the world seeking her work. With every piece she makes, 100% of the profits go to charity, yes, I said 100%! "I'm doing what I love, I have a passion for it and I am helping the community...I would just like to see more businesses doing the same," states Melody. A role model is barely adequate to define this woman, but that is what she hopes to accomplish, being a guiding light to other people in the community who are able to give back.

Melody follows the fashion trends so that her jewelry is always on par. Releasing two collections per year, of only the finest and some of the most rare gems, as well as custom designed pieces, this girl stays busy. For the past two years, she has also held the responsibility of being President of PAWS Auxiliary for the Humane Society of Broward County, FL. Her style is organic and feminine, everything has curves! And with her favorite gem being the pink diamond, she claims she will always just be a "girly-girl through and through." The pink diamond may be girly, but it's rarity and beauty are hard to match.

You won't find any Gem Couture designs in the stores. These are all one-of-a-kind pieces with exceptional quality and rarity. However, check out your charity's next silent auction...you just might find one of her pieces! If not, don't worry, Melody enjoys showing her collections at trunk shows in private homes, of course with a charity attached, and can also be seen on line at www.GemCouture.com.