Family

Jay got his start in the jewelry world while attending Denver University where he studied Literature and pitched for the baseball team. He cut his jewelry teeth managing a small family chain of stores, then opened J ALBRECHT DESIGNS with his wife Laina and brother-in-law Kenny in 2004 with the idea of making, creating, and curating... not just selling mass produced goods. Jay believes jewelry should be of the best quality, made with a distinct point of view, and should be worn, loved and respected. Own less jewelry and let that jewelry be special... representative not of fad, but of personal style and commemorative of life's special moments. 

Not interested in talking shop when you're visiting with Jay in the store? He's open for book swaps and Broncos talk. Forget the snob quality and the predictable factory-made jewelry of most jewelry stores. Instead, expect a totally casual environment with Jay, void of high pressure sales cliches. 

 

Laina found herself in Boulder studying film and literature at CU and then never left... She had the idea with Jay to build a custom jewelry shop that was meaningful, vibrant & sustainable. You will find her hand in every aspect of the shop... stone buying, jewelry design, goldsmithing, product photos, web design... you name it.    On her days off, you can find her gardening, running Boulder's trails or eating from a tub of popcorn at a matinee.

Don't let his modesty and easy going personality fool you, Kenny is a highly skilled goldsmith with more than 20 years of goldsmithing to his credit. He's worked side by side with Jay from the beginning and is the foundation upon which the shop is built.  Kenny's work is second to none. Meticulous, precise gold and platinum work with zero shortcuts. He is no piece work jeweler. He is, in a word, a Wizard.

When he's not at his bench, you can find Kenny out tearing up the trails on his mountain bike. He's also a talented drummer and artist. Mostly, though, Kenny's just a good guy who truly cares about his work and always gives his absolute best to his family & clients.

Chrissie came to the family by way of the UK and brought with her a wealth of jewelry making and design skills.  She's a talented designer with a keen eye for details and impeccable taste.  Additionally, she's simply one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Outside of the shop, you'll find Chrissie hunting for the best powder skiing, enjoying a hike or trying out new recipes.

 

She's a CU Boulder graduate, class of 2022!  Hannah is an artist,  photographer,  music lover, product designer, and all around fantastic human.  She's so well rounded that you'll see her stamp on our social media, website, merchandising, and most importantly she's absolutely lovely with clients.  What did we even do before she was a part of the team? 

 

Xander found his way to Colorado attending Regis University where he received his degree in business marketing.  Xander brings charisma and style to all aspects of his work including social media, merchandising, and guiding clients through the custom jewelry process both instore and online.  In his down time, you can find him soloing the second flatiron, roller skating at the park, or drinking a latte on Pearl with his girlfriend and golden retriever. 

Frida, a 6 year old English Bulldog, is our not-so-shop-dog!  She's done her time and found that the stay at home veg-out of 2020 really suited her. 

 

Oh hey it's Angus, Chrissie's Pandemic Puppy, who is a very big and very good boy.