Welcome to the World of By Leahy

By Leahy is a handmade fine jewellery brand based in Galway, on Ireland's West Coast.

Inspired by a special family necklace, By Leahy creates jewellery that is made to be enjoyed every day and, in time, passed down through generations to come.

Each piece of By Leahy jewellery centres on personalisation. Either in the By Leahy brand font or the handwriting of a loved one, each message is engraved, creating a truly personal and one-off piece of jewellery designed to create connections and capture memories.

Hello there, Laoise here (pronounced 'Lee-sha') – founder and designer-maker behind By Leahy.

Originally from Co. Clare, I spent six years working in London before launching By Leahy. Trained by a Master Goldsmith in Hatton Garden, ­the epicentre of the jewellery trade in London, I learned all the necessary skills I needed to take my love of jewellery making to the next level.

Once a week, every Thursday evening, I would walk from my flat in Islington to Hatton Garden, bursting with excitement to learn something new - I loved everything about the making process. It gave me a creative outlet and I was immediately obsessed.

By the end of my first class, despite pains in my fingers, multiple cuts and the loss of a nail the thrill of finally learning how fine jewellery was made had me hooked. 

Not long after completing my first jewellery-making course, I was handed down a special family necklace.

My Grandad gifted this special necklace (pictured above) to my Granny while they were dating, 60 years previous. Shaped like an envelope, it opened to reveal a secret inner Slip inscribed with three words... I Love You.

When my Mum turned 16, my Granny passed the necklace to her and, in time, my Mum passed it to me. After passing through three generations, this beautiful personal necklace is filled with precious memories.

Above pictured L-R, my mum, me, and my Granny, on my wedding day in 2019. I wore both my granny’s necklace and the Signature Envelope Necklace on the day.

Granny's necklace sits at the heart of the By Leahy brand.

In 2019 I launched By Leahy with one cornerstone necklace, named the Signature Envelope Necklace.

Inspired by Granny's necklace and the unique story behind it, the Signature Envelope Necklace is a contemporary take... waiting to be filled with new memories.

The name ‘Signature’ nods to the made-by-hand process behind every Signature Envelope and the idea that each one has a unique story to tell - brought to life through each engraved note.

Handmade in solid 18ct gold, 9ct gold, rose gold, white gold, or sterling silver, each Signature Envelope Necklace is purposively created in precious metal so that it can be worn with love every day, yet still stand the test of time, to be handed down through your generations to come.

Stamped with the official seal of approval, each Signature Envelope Necklace is hallmarked by the Assay Office, nestled away on the grounds of Dublin Castle, which guarantees the purity and quality of the precious metal.

Since making this cornerstone necklace By Leahy has slowly grown its capsule collection, adding new items that are meaningful, considered, and always handmade in Ireland.

I hope you enjoy the By Leahy pieces.

Laoise x

Feel free to read some of the stories behind the Signature Envelope Necklaces that have left the bench in the Signature Stories Blog.