David Webb The Art of Fine Handmade Jewelry

David Webb Fine Jewelry

The stunning creations of David Webb have been worn by Hollywood celebrities and world influencers for nearly seven decades. Among them were Elizabeth Taylor, style-icon Jacqueline Kennedy, beauty trailblazer Estee Lauder, and universally loved Barbra Streisand. The list of David Webb’s jewelry fans goes on to include celebrities of today’s big screen and music scenes.

The Suite of David Webb diamond and black enamel jewelry were part of the $1 million collection of estate jewelry that went to auction three years ago at Abell Auction Company’s Los Angeles gallery and made huge headlines. 

The Jeweler Like No Other

David Webb is one of the country’s most prominent jewelers with its own clearly defined style. Fun fact: All of the David Webb jewelry is made on the premises in New York, as it has been, since the brand establishment after World War II. This is to say none of the jewelry pieces have been outsourced to be created in the third world countries, as many jewelry brands do nowadays to increase their profit margin. 

David Webb modern jewelry is highly original. Even if you don’t owe any of the David Webb pieces (yet, that is) you can immediately recognize the distinctively carved and enameled animal bracelets, Maltese cross brooches, and exquisite rock crystal pieces by this jewelry brand. 

David was born in Asheville, North Carolina, where he apprenticed for his uncle who was in jewelry manufacturing. At the age of only 23, David Webb ventured to open his shop in New York and 14 years later he became then-First Lady, Jackie Kennedy’s choice as the official maker of the State’s Gifts. 

Signature Animal Designs That Are Luxurious And Real

It’s no secret David Webb favorited animals as the primary objects throughout his entire jewelry creating career. Today, all of us are familiar with David’s monkeys, snakes, zebras, and elephants “bathed” in stunning gems and embellished with exquisite enamel. 

Not many of us know, however, that the very first David Webb animal-starred jewelry piece was actually a bracelet. It was publicly introduced in 1957, and by the end of the 1960s all of Hollywood’s notable stars wore David Webb animal bracelets. Animal lover Elizabeth Taylor was such a devoted client, that she wore a diamond-studded lion piece designed by David, in her films, thus immortalizing David Webb jewelry on the big screen. 

Innovator Of Metal “Aging” Techniques 

David Webb was said to be “utterly enchanted” by the look of antique jewelry metals. He was a frequent visitor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art ever since he first moved to New York City. 

The iconic jeweler analyzed the composition of gold, its qualities and came up with metallic compounds that had that distinct color film that the surface of ancient and antique gold had due to oxidation over the very long period of time. David went over a dozen art history books in order to learn the defining characteristics of these given cultures. 

While the golden art objects and jewelry pieces from the ancient Incas and ancient Egyptian artifacts were what sent David on his finding “the perfect alloys” quest, he was also a passionate collector of antiquities, notably Chinese works. These Ancient Asians continuously fed David’s creative mind and you can trace the Chinese Ru-yi symbol of good fortune in David Webb’s brooches and necklaces that has been brightening lady’s faces for the past 70 years.