Toronto-based FTJCo Fine Jewellery is redefining the world of fine jewellery with its commitment to integrity and sustainability. As a living wage-certified, employee-owned, and female-led B Corp, FTJCo crafts bespoke jewellery, wedding bands, and engagement rings from its studio and retail location in Cabbagetown, blending traditional craftsmanship with responsible sourcing. Known for its transparency and durability-focused designs, FTJCo caters to diverse clients while pushing for ethical practices in the jewellery industry. Their historic studio reflects their modern approach to timeless creations.
What is your business called and what does it do?
We are FTJCo Fine Jewellery, and we specialize in fine jewellery with integrity. We are an employee-owned, living wage certified, female run B Corp company, and we manufacture all our jewellery at our studio and retail location on Parliament St in Toronto’s historic Cabbagetown neighbourhood. We do everything jewellery, from full custom design to wedding band and engagement rings, and repairs and remounts.
What made you want to do this work?
When I graduated from my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I considered all the artwork I had been making and realized that goldsmithing would be a perfect fit; my work in school was very detail-oriented, often an amalgamation of many small details that came together to create a larger installation, such as a sculpture or drawing. I spent a lot of time in the metal and casting studios and felt very at home with those materials and ways of making. Once I had studied goldsmithing and was introduced to gemsetting. I knew immediately that this was the speciality I wanted to pursue. Setting a stone is like solving a puzzle, there are so many ways to do it, each stone is its own special challenge and it’s oh-so rewarding.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
There’s no secret to our mission statement, it’s in our tag line: “Fine Jewellery with Integrity”.
We wanted to offer customers a true alternative to other fine jewellery brands, and integrity became our mantra. It means two things to us: Integrity of design and integrity of materials. Our designs are thoughtfully crafted to ensure that they will stand the test of time. You won’t see ultra skinny ring shanks, or barely set stones here, because we aren’t interested in making ‘disposable’ jewellery. Integrity of materials is where we truly stand out in our industry. We have been at the forefront of responsible sourcing since our inception. Jewellery supply chains are global and our materials have inherent value, so it is of the utmost importance to understand where these materials are coming from, under what conditions they were mined or grown, and who is profiting from their sale. Any claim we make we take very seriously, and we only make claims that are based on evidence.
When customers shop with us, they can be assured that we have done our homework and aren’t repeating unsubstantiated claims, while also having full confidence that their jewellery has been crafted to our meticulous high standards.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
We love love! As a Rainbow Registered business, we strive to serve all folks, whether that’s helping them find the perfect gift, an engagement ring that best represents their partner, or repairing their family heirloom. The majority of our business is engagement rings and wedding bands, so we are most often found helping couples pick the perfect rings to represent their shared lives and love.
We mostly serve the Greater Toronto Area, but we are always thrilled when folks come in from out of town, or make a purchase remotely because they’ve heard good things and want to work with us. We’ve received a lot of positive recommendations on Reddit from existing happy clients, and that kind of grassroots word-of-mouth promotion is one of the major ways new clients learn about us.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We sell fine jewellery online through our website and in person at our retail store. We are focused on the customer experience, as evidenced by the many five-star reviews we’ve earned over the years. We work as a team and loop in our colleagues for technical or design consults to ensure we bring our best to every client project; having our goldsmiths and workshop within view of the showroom means that an expert is always near. This experience is underlined by a set of warranties and customer service policies that are unequalled in the industry.
Online, we’ve made a lot of investments in our site so that customers can use our Ring Designer tool to craft their dream ring design. Whether they purchase in-store or online, clients can monitor the production of their item as it moves through our workshop via our Project Status App.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
For us, Cabbagetown has always been our home, on the east side of Toronto’s downtown core. Since 2021, our address has been 576 Parliament St. We love the history, the iconic architecture and the beautifully diverse community we get to be a part of here. Our home is a renovated heritage row house from 1876, which originally housed a family-run hardware store that had operated since the early 20th century. Now it houses us, an employee-owned business, which feels like we’ve brought the legacy and spirit of the building into the 21st century.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
“What’s your return policy? What’s your warranty policy?” If a company doesn’t have a good answer to those questions, there’s likely a good reason. Products that aren’t designed and made to last will often have short, limited warranties with little or no ability to return the product. In contrast, we have incomparable customer service, and we take great pride in taking care of our clients throughout the lifespan of their purchases.
The other key question we encourage clients to ask is, “Where did this material come from?” followed by, “How do you know that?” We are transparent about our sourcing, and will only repeat substantiated, evidenced-based claims of origin. In asking these questions, clients can be as informed as possible about the materials going into their jewellery, while also pushing the industry towards more transparency and better sourcing practices over all.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The absolute best part of what we do is crafting objects that become such a big part of people’s stories. It’s a really special feeling knowing that the art we make is so closely linked to how they see themselves and move through the world. The absolute worst part is telling someone their heirloom piece can’t be repaired. Sometimes after years and years of wear, there isn’t enough metal left to make a repair last or to make it wearable. For those extremely sentimental objects, it’s best to love them from afar, wearing them on special occasions only, rather than every day.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
How do you protect a jewellery store at night? You locket.
Where can we follow you?
We can be found on Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. Our beautiful jewellery collection as well as all our services can be found on our website.
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
We love Good Gang Ice Cream, so much so, that for the past two years, we’ve run a summertime promotion, offering clients a voucher for a free scoop of ice cream to enjoy after their FTJCo appointment. Good Gang has amazing Filipino-inspired flavours like Majicha Brownie and Cà Phê-Misu. Our shop dog, Letty’s favourite neighbourhood business is the Beastiary. She loves to shop for tasty treats on her way back to work after her lunchtime walks. They have a great selection of dog treats, as well as a wonderful selection of fish, amphibians, terrariums and other pet supplies.
