What was the 1st piece of jewelry you were paid to make?
The first piece of jewelry that I made as an apprentice was a heavy handmade curb linked 9 karat yellow gold bracelet.
What was your first-ever luxury purchase?
A Vivienne Westwood mohair jumper, pillar box red and very hairy.
Which profession would you choose, if you lived twice?
I think I it would have been between a jeweler / entertainer or global traveler – which feels like maybe I am living 3 lives in 1!
Are you a collector? If so, what do you collect, and why?
I am a passionate collector, my homes are cabinets of curiosity. If I don’t collect it someone else will.
I’d love to know how the inspiration for your collections come about, and of all your previous collections which journey was the most interesting and why?
Over the 42 year period I’ve been inspired by many things in my life – encounters, experiences and places. I cannot think of anyone that was more interesting than the other – probably because they often come about from the most abstract starting points. Example my Jewel Verne collection is based on experiences from my childhood.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what 3 things would you want with you?
My family, there are three of them, we can sort the rest out later.
Breaking into the high-end jewelry scene can often take businesses generations whereas you have done it in a rather short period of time.
Which factors do you believe have allowed you to do this? What would you define as the turning point in your career to break into this scene?
My apprenticeship was in fine jewelry. I was lucky to have worked for some of the most noted designers in the 1970s/ 1980s. Good training and blind ambition drove me forward to pursue my own business as a fine jeweler. Having spent almost 10 years over in the US this certainly gave me confidence in my ability and a broader vision. All of which have helped to build the business we have today.
What’s the one piece of jewelry every man should own, and why?
A statement ring sorts the men from the boys.
If you could change one thing about the jewelry industry – what would it be?
Probably that we weren’t so reliant about bringing everything up from the ground.
What is your favorite material to work with, and why?
Gold, it does all I ask with very little resistance.
View our Stephen Webster collections on our Louis Anthony Jewelers website.
