There’s no such thing as work/life balance for Bouchra Ezzahraoui, the co-founder of NYC direct-to-consumer jewelry brand, AUrate. But as someone who loves what she does (running a cult-obsessed company with one of her best friends), the notion of work/life balance can feel a bit passé.
It wasn’t always this way – Ezzahraoui and her former Princeton classmate, Sophie Kahn, were both working full time when they first started AUrate in 2014. As young college grads living in NYC, they were frustrated with the lack of quality, contemporary jewelry options that wouldn’t cost them three months of rent. They began to scheme of the jewelry they always wanted to wear but could never find – ethically sourced, handcrafted and accessible. After two years of research, planning and testing, Ezzahraoui quit her finance job on Wall Street to give AUrate her all.
The name is a combination of “Au”, the chemical symbol for gold, and “rate”, a nod to their accessible pricing. When said aloud, it is produced as “orate”, or to tell a story – theirs being one that is revolutionizing the jewelry industry.
In an age of transparency, luxury brands are under pressure to disclose their supply chain – yet very few do. This is especially true in jewelry where conflict diamonds (blood diamonds) fuel an $80 billion industry. AUrate is challenging this paradigm with not only their commitment to sourcing certifiably conflict-free raw materials throughout the supply chain, but the ability to do so at accessible pricing. Ezzahraoui attributes these values in part to growing up in Morocco, where fine jewelry is much more democratized.
As an entrepreneur, Ezzahraoui describes ‘balance’ is the ability to integrate work into everyday life – and that includes vacation. (Plane rides are her favorite distraction-free places to tackle big work projects). Somehow, she still manages to make entrepreneurship look effortless, such as on her most recent trip to Egypt. Ezzahraoui’s style of work/life balance seems to be the way of the future – and one that we most certainly subscribe to.
The Itinerary:
1/6 The Pyramids of Giza
2/6 Khan El Khalili Bazaar
3/6 Mosque of Ibn Tulun
4/6 Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
5/6 El Gouna
6/6 Mahmya Island, Hurghada
Escapist Essentials:
1/3
I love the minimal yet bold look of our Gold Disk Necklace – it showcases the beauty of gold as a material, and it can be engraved with something special.
2/3
I wear my initial in our Diamond Letter Necklace every day and I never take it off. It’s super easy to layer with any other necklace, or looks great by itself.
3/3
Our Diamond Circle Collection is a typical day to night versatile look. It comes in earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets, and you can even wear it to the spa!
Bouchra Ezzahraoui’s Travel Rituals:
– Became more diligent with moisturizers prior to flying
– Pack lighter (I prefer to only pack a carry-on)
– Charge all devices to be able to work on the plane
– Eat before taking off & stay hydrated on the flight with a lot of water
– Pack precious items and jewelry in one of the new AUrate pouches that are super easy to carry.
– Wear a casual, cool and comfortable plane outfit (yoga pants, super comfy sneakers & a white T-shirt are my go-to)
– Pack one book and one magazine
– Pack one dark chocolate bar (I have a piece of chocolate every day)
