“No woman is completely happy without a string of pearls”, James Duncan Leys stated.
James Duncan Leys (1871 – 1962) and Alex S. Christie (1870 – 1895) founded the jewelry firm of Leys, Christie & Co, 65 Nassau Street, New York, in 1887. Noteworthy, run by a third-generation jewelers the family owned business is still active.

James Duncan Leys came to the United States in 1886, and his first jobs were in El Dorado, Kansas, and Keokuk, Iowa. He later moved to Butte, Montana, where he started a retail jewelry business. His brother, A.S. Christie joined him. They both became U.S. citizens in 1889 in Silverbow County, Montana.

Leys and Christie brought to their new firm not only a deep knowledge of business and high standards, but also the traditions of their people. Thus, their national emblem, the Scottish thistle, became their trademark. According to them, “The thistle represents a quality guarantee with no limit”.

David Leys (1837 – 1921)

Father of James Duncan Leys, David Leys learned the goldsmith’s trade and ran a retail jewellery business in his native Bancholy, Scotland. Then, he opened shop in Bancholy and Portsoy, Scotland. It was during this time that his son James Duncan Leys learned the goldsmith’s trade.

In 1890, David Leys, his wife and their youngest daughter moved to the US to join their son. For a time, the elder David Leys assisted his son in the business, but he soon retired and settled down on a ranch.

In February 1895, Alexander Leys, brother of James Leys, died suddenly at the age of 25. James Duncan Leys became the sole owner of the firm, and didn’t change the firm’s name. Leys Christie & Co was incorporated in 1938.

Retirement of James Duncan Leys (1871 – 1962)

In March 1956, James Duncan Leys, president of Leys Christie & Co Inc announced his retirement at the age of 89. Ernest Reuter and John Wilson, employees of the firm, took over the business.

The company launched a line of high grade cultured pearl jewelry under Orienta trademark – necklaces, rings, earrings, brooches, bracelets, pins, men’s jewelry and clasps. Leys, Christie & Co possessed the most complete line of loose cultured pearls, drilled and undrilled, from the Dutch East Indies, in the metropolis. These pearls are named Shirocho, meaning “white butterfly,” and as the oysters are larger than the ordinary pearl-bearing oysters, the pearls are said to run to larger sizes.

Orienta trademark by James Duncan Leys:

“There’s no real war between Natural and good Cultured Pearls. There should rather be hearty cooperation. If oysters could speak, they would agree, for they grow both. Both Natural and Cultured Pearls have their own place. Good Cultured Pearls deserve only praise and commendation. They are bringing pleasure to thousands of appreciative women”.

The firm possessed the most complete line of loose cultured pearls, drilled and undrilled, from the Dutch East Indies. These pearls known as “Shirocho”, or “white butterfly,” were larger as the oysters were larger than the ordinary pearl-bearing oysters.

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