Jewellery designer David Webb

Jewellery designer David Webb
American self-taught jewellery designer David Webb has become the quintessential Jeweler and an iconic figure in the world of high fashion and jewelry art of the XX century. Born in North Carolina in 1925, he is the founder of the eponymous jewelry house David Webb. According to Webb, he began to think about creating jewelry in childhood.
The boy, who was then living in the American town of Asheville, often visited his uncle – a talented jeweler who owned a large studio. Even then, the young Webb became interested in the secrets of stone cutting that fascinated him with its magnificence and mysteriously flickering facets. Uncle taught his curious nephew David some of the secrets of jewelry that fascinated Webb more and more.
Aged 17, he was the first time in New York – a city of contrasts, that won the novice jeweler by its beauty and grandeur. Webb decided to stay in New York. For a long time, he worked in this city as a goldsmith and jewelry designer, and achieved considerable success.
Godsend for Webb was a meeting with Antoinette Quilleret, French wealthy lady, and a fan of luxury jewelry. She could see in a young jeweler talented and original master with a great future. In 1948, with a helping hand of Antoinette was founded David Webb, head office on 57th Street to Madison Avenue.

Jewellery designer David Webb

Webb’s works show a great variation in the colors and forms of jewelry. In the very first collection of David Webb called “Menagerie”, can be traced motives of animal world. The line of jewelry includes rings, earrings and other items depicting different animals: pandas, frogs, dolphins, zebras, butterflies. Later, the “animal” theme will be reflected in other collections of Webb, which will occupy a niche in the vast world of jewelry, but the success of the first collection Menagerie they will unlikely to ever be able to outshine.

In his heyday in the 1960s, many Hollywood actresses and royalty preferred DW jewelry. In particular, Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Duke, Princess Grace of Monaco, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Even generations of Vanderbilt’s and Rockefellers, Barbra Streisand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Beyonce and Sofia Vergara. Also, Lana Turner, Doris Day and Susan Hayward wearing them in the films Madame X, The Thrill of it All and Backstreet. Webb’s motifs – dragon bracelets of yellow gold, Maltese cross brooches and animals made in bold and unique style were a perfect choice for filming. The iconic New York jeweler was 50 years old when he died of pancreatic cancer in 1975.

A true experimenter, Webb “get along” such seemingly incompatible materials as shells, rock crystal, coral and … Gold, silver and platinum. Of course, before Webb combined precious metals and base materials, but in his jewelry they look quite different – harmonious and very beautiful.

Jewellery designer David Webb

The adventurous Webb’s designs were based on ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, pre-Columbian, Indian and Chinese civilizations. Such inspiration he got staying in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for hours. His bold use of color utilized oversized pieces of coral, turquoise and jade, as well as ruby and emerald beads. Webb jewels are certainly not for the shrinking violet. There is nothing delicate, subtle or understated about them, and the woman who chooses Webb has confidence in her style and a definite point of view.

Almost all jewelry produced by the company, encrusted with diamonds and rubies. The large assortment of David Webb jewelry include accessories with gems such as turquoise and jade, however, very few of them. These ornaments are not suitable for everyday use – combined with everyday clothes, they will look a little ridiculous, but the accessories with precious stones perfectly complement the elegant evening gown or other luxury outfit.

Noteworthy, the brand lives on. For a long time (almost 35 years) Webb was friend and “peers” of Webb – Nina Silberstein and her family. During her “reign” the company began expansion and growth in new markets, such as Beverly Hills, Kuwait and Houston. The house continues to draw from his archives, and his original designs are still in production. Estate jewelers Mark Emanuel, Sima Ghadamian and Robert Sadian purchased the business in 2010.

Jewellery designer David Webb

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