The timeless power of working with gold | Women in Business profile

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Since she was a child, Leah Pearce Altman has been creating art with her hands.

“For as long as I can remember, I have felt called to the arts. I worked my way through learning different types of beadwork and jewelry-making as a young person,” said Altman, who owns Pearce Fine Jewelry on Orcas Island.

A San Juan Island native, Altman’s path to becoming a full-time jeweler was winding. In middle and high school, she immersed herself in learning lampworking, making her own glass beads. After graduation, she attended Pilchuck Glass School.

“It was earth-shattering in the very best way to watch my classmates making art with their entire beings,” Altman recalled.

Next, she studied tailoring for two years at Uuang Doi School of Dressmaking and Design in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After returning to the States, Altman started a business designing a range of women’s apparel that was produced in Thailand. When “the joy in that dried up,” she returned to silversmithing, which she had dabbled in over the years.

By this time, she had met her future husband, fellow islander Colin Blevins. After spending part of the year traveling, the two needed a place to live and were offered a temporary spot on Orcas. Although they intended for it to be a brief stopover, the two never left. They welcomed their son Elijah three years ago and are celebrating 15 years together.

On Orcas, Altman worked with Salish Metalworks, followed by Island Thyme. All the while, she was creating art with whatever time was available. After her son was born, she poured herself into making gold jewelry in the hours after he went to bed each night, selling her work in local shops for extra income.

Pearce Fine Jewelry uses 100% recycled gold and natural gemstones. Altman purchases gold items that are no longer worn, which include broken, damaged, vintage or inherited pieces, and melts them down to create new jewelry.

“People, especially here where we are all so entwined, resonate with connection and can feel when something was made with love. They resonate with the energy,” she said. “When you think about gold and how it’s been melted and reused since the beginning of civilization, you realize that for thousands of years, people have worn these same pieces of gold, melted and reborn with passing generations. I don’t believe that stored energy lessens when you melt it. There is very little gold in the world that is completely new; most of our jewelry contains at least some reclaimed ancient gold.”

Altman is passionate about recycling gold, keeping it moving and creating sustainable, timeless pieces. She says, “It doesn’t do any good to keep it in the back of your jewelry box!”

This past January, Altman, who is entirely self-taught, transitioned to full-time as a jeweler.

“I went to the Tucson Gem Show this February, which was a huge dream of mine to attend, and then I came home and got to work,” she said. “I am really proud of the fact that I have been able to build this business up from a couple of hours each night after my kid went to sleep. And I am so grateful I don’t have to work at night anymore!”

Her design inspiration is fluid.

“It’s hard to explain. I go to my studio, and I am just drawn to something — an existing piece that is already on my desk, a scrap that is an interesting shape or a gemstone from my collection that catches my eye. I hold the piece, and I sort of turn my brain off, and I see what emerges. Sometimes I am really surprised by the direction something goes in,” she said. “Working with gold feels like a flowing conversation between me and the material.”

When Altman launched Pearce Fine Jewelry, around 20% of her time was spent on custom orders. Now, it’s the inverse.

“The trend is changing, and now people are coming to me saying, ‘This is my grandmother’s ring, and I want to do something new with it.’ I am also doing repairs; I want to be a resource to people in that way. I am doing more custom designs than I set out to, but I am enjoying it. I am eager to see what the future holds,” she said.

Altman now offers goldsmithing classes in her studio, where clients can create a ring, necklace or bangle.

“I had thought about doing workshops for a long time; it’s not a new concept to have couples make their own engagement and wedding bands,” she said. “I had a customer reach out who would not take no for an answer. She really wanted to make her own wedding bands here on Orcas. Once she and her fiancé were in the studio, it was so fun, and they made really beautiful jewelry. So I said, ‘I guess I don’t have to do it in the future, I can do it now!’”

She has plans to build a larger studio, purchase more equipment and be able to teach larger groups.

“It’s a joy watching people experience this art for the first time,” Altman said.

Anyone interested in signing up for a workshop, selling gold or inquiring about repairs or custom orders can visit www.pearcefinejewelry.com. Soon, you can buy pieces online, but for now, they are available for purchase at Olga’s, Primavera and Smorgasbord in Eastsound.