Arriving ten minutes early before the intimate dinner to celebrate Mejuri’s regional launch, Emirates Woman sits down with Noura Sakkijha, co-founder and CEO of Mejuri.
At the corner table, the Toronto-based Jordanian-born entrepreneur gracefully sits in head-to-toe black. Her jewellery reads like a personal archive, including a tennis bracelet, two necklaces, and mini hoops stacked with intention – all worn daily for years and have been a part of her routine. That same philosophy anchors Mejuri.
You sense Sakkijha’s ease when she talks about jewellery. After all, she grew up inside the trade as a third-generation jeweller, watching diamonds assessed across family tables. She learned early that trust and transparency shape every purchase – and that foundation informed a simple idea that fine jewellery should live with you every day, and you should feel empowered to buy it for yourself. So, when she launched Mejuri in 2015, it challenged an old retail script wherein jewellery was long framed as a gift, often marketed to men and meant to be worn on special occasions. Her passion and background pushed her to question this, and today, the Internet-favourite contemporary fine jewellery label, which has built a loyal following among tastemakers and content creators worldwide, now spans more than 55 stores globally – and finally, has entered the Middle East through a retail partnership with Kuwait-based retail powerhouse Alyasra Fashion to open a standalone boutique in Avenues Mall.
Read the full conversation below to explore her journey as a founder and how she is quietly reshaping the way women wear and buy jewellery.
What was the catalyst for launching Mejuri? Did you always want to build something of your own, or did you see a gap in the market?
I grew up in the fine jewellery industry — I’m third generation in my family. That gave me an insider view of the industry. I fell in love with many aspects of fine jewellery: how pieces are passed down, the meaning they carry, and the craftsmanship.
At the same time, I was observing how the market and women’s lives were changing. Women today earn their own money and make their own purchasing decisions, but traditional brands are still largely marketing to men to buy for women. Fine jewellery is often positioned as unattainable and reserved for special occasions.
I’ve always believed in making every day amazing. So the idea was to create jewellery for everyday and jewellery for women to buy for themselves. We wanted to flip the narrative from gifting to self‑purchase. In North America, we say, “Buy yourself the diamond.” That was the core premise and the gap we set out to fill.
What are the key values that define Mejuri as a brand?
I often describe Mejuri to our team as “the customer’s friend who knows more about jewellery.” That means:
– We take quality manufacturing extremely seriously.
– We’re conversational and approachable in our tone of voice.
– In our stores, there’s no glass between you and the jewellery — you can touch, feel, and style pieces.
It’s intentionally non‑intimidating and close to the customer. We obsess over design, quality, and fair prices. Our aesthetic is more sleek and modern, and designing simple, refined pieces is actually harder than over‑designing. We obsess about every millimetre.
Another core value is building value for our customers — and value doesn’t mean “cheap.” It means great design and craftsmanship at a fair price. And very importantly, one of our enduring values is transparency. That comes from my father’s approach in the jewellery business — jewellery is a complex purchase that requires a lot of technical expertise, and people can get lost. You must be honest and transparent with customers. That mindset heavily influenced Mejuri’s values.
How many people are on your design team, and where are they based?
Our product team — design plus product development (PD), excluding merchandising — is about seven people. They’re based in New York and Toronto.
You have a background in engineering and consulting. How has that helped your journey as a founder and in building the brand?
I studied engineering, and my work was heavily focused on process engineering, which is all about problem‑solving and structured thinking. That background gave me a strong framework for structured problem solving, comfort with numbers, and experience leading teams. However, I wouldn’t say engineering taught me how to “build a brand” directly. Brand‑building is something you learn much more on the job, by being close to customers and understanding what you want the brand to represent.
Engineering is very much in your head, whereas building a brand has to be in your head and in your heart. It’s not black and white, unlike engineering. So while my consulting/engineering background made me unafraid of problems and numbers, I had to develop a new skill: connecting with and expressing my passion in a more emotional, creative way.
As a third‑generation jewellery founder, when did your love for jewellery begin?
I’ve always loved jewellery. It was a constant part of my life. When we went out, people would go to my father to check their diamonds. I loved how my mother cared about her jewellery, how my father cared about the details, and how important it was who he was buying from.
Jewellery is a very complicated purchase with lots of technical nuance, and from my father, I learned that you must be very transparent and honest with customers. Even though Mejuri operates at a different scale and uses the internet, those principles — especially transparency — carried over and became part of Mejuri’s core values.
Mejuri is now a globally recognised jewellery brand. How does it feel to have reached this status in 2025?
It feels amazing to see the brand loved by our community in Toronto and North America and then adopted around the world. Our message, which centres on women’s empowerment, is very global and universal, and it’s rewarding to see that resonate.
As a founder, you have to be able to see that future to build the vision and go after it. That’s not about ego; it’s about having a positive mindset and thinking big. At the same time, founders often focus more on the challenges than the wins. That makes it easy to forget the scale of what you’ve built. I’m actively working on pausing to recognise the good things and the milestones, not just the problems.
You’ve mentioned women’s empowerment. What is the Mejuri Empowerment Fund, and why is it important to you?
When we talk about self‑purchase and self‑expression, there’s a deeper meaning than just buying jewellery. I want women to appreciate every day, invest in themselves, and take care of themselves without guilt. That’s always been central to the brand.
In 2020, during a time of global disruption, we created the Mejuri Empowerment Fund to invest in underrepresented communities and help women design the lives they want. We chose education as a major focus area, offering scholarships. We also prioritise manufacturers who employ women; about 70% women in our own business, and offer benefits like maternity leave and fertility support, which naturally attract women. All of this reflects that women’s empowerment is not just a marketing message; it’s part of Mejuri’s DNA.
Is it a conscious decision to have about 70% women in the company?
We’re an equal opportunity employer. We don’t deliberately “pick women more,” but because we’re in jewellery and our brand strongly caters to women, the company naturally attracts more women. Our benefits — like generous maternity leave and fertility support — also make Mejuri a particularly attractive workplace for women. That’s how we’ve ended up being roughly 70% women.
Mejuri was one of the first contemporary jewellery brands to really flourish. With so many competitors now, how do you see the brand developing over time, and what will give you an edge?
The jewellery industry is huge — over $280 billion — and expected to keep growing, even faster than fashion. There’s room for multiple players. A recent McKinsey report on the future of jewellery noted that self‑expression and self‑purchase will be important growth drivers, and Mejuri was mentioned as one of the brands that came to market with that message. That’s very validating.
What differentiates us? A wide range of materials from sterling silver to 14k gold and diamonds, a strong and evolving brand identity, an obsession with product design and customer experience, a growing store footprint — over 55 stores, improving convenience and accessibility.
There isn’t just one thing that sets a brand apart. It’s doing all the right things that build value for the customer — product design, brand evolution, product evolution, and distribution — and continually evolving each of them.
Do you see specific buying trends in the Middle East? Are there expansion plans in the region?
Yes. We recently opened in Kuwait in November, with two stores, in partnership with the Alyasra Fashion, and we’re planning further expansion into the MENA region.
In terms of buying trends, Middle Eastern women really appreciate jewellery and style – we see strong interest in gold and diamond pieces for everyday wear as well as sterling silver plated with thick 14k gold. Earrings and rings, which are among the top categories in the region.
How would you define your personal style, and what are your signature everyday jewellery pieces?
I’m definitely a “moody dresser.” Most of the time, I prefer quieter, monochromatic clothing so I can have fun with jewellery. Occasionally, I dress a bit louder, but day‑to‑day, my wardrobe is more understated. My everyday jewellery includes two necklaces that I never take off, a tennis bracelet I’ve worn continuously for about five years — I never take it off, even for sports or the gym and mini hoop earrings that I like to stack.
We also do piercings at Mejuri, so stacking and curating ears is a big part of my personal style and the brand’s aesthetic.
Lastly, what’s the story behind the name “Mejuri”?
We made up the name. There isn’t a magical backstory — we created it and then built a meaning around it as a brand. It was essentially a randomly created name that we infused with our own values and story over time.
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