David Webb: The Quintessential American Jeweler

Jackie Kennedy compared him to Cellini, the Duchess of Windsor called him the Fabergé of his time, and The New Yorker hailed him as “the new meteor around town.” Born in Asheville, North Carolina, David Webb rose to become the jeweler of choice for society swans, tastemakers, and Hollywood icons during the cultural transformation of the 1960s and 1970s. At the height of his career, Webb oversaw two workshops employing 200 master jewelers and 50 setters. David Webb: The Quintessential American Jeweler is the first monograph dedicated to this visionary designer who redefined American jewelry in the mid-twentieth century. America was changing, and David Webb stood at the center of this new era—the right designer at precisely the right moment. Intuitively understanding that women desired jewelry as individual as themselves, Webb created daring, sculptural pieces defined by exuberant color, bold proportions, and unmistakable glamour. His signature animal bracelets and richly hued creations, crafted primarily in warm yellow gold, have captivated generations of collectors and style icons, including Nan Kempner, Diana Vreeland, Elizabeth Taylor, Leonore Annenberg, Brooke Astor, Gloria Vanderbilt, Doris Duke, Mrs. Paul Mellon, Evelyn Lauder, Mitzi E. Newhouse, and Marisa Berenson. Since opening his first shop in 1948 at just twenty-one years old, David Webb’s jewelry has been proudly made in America. Entirely self-taught, Webb drew inspiration from art, antiquity, and ancient civilizations, influences that continue to resonate throughout his work today. The David Webb archive now encompasses more than 40,000 original drawings, sketches, and production records. Three years in the making, this striking volume features specially commissioned photography of more than 300 extraordinary pieces, tracing Webb’s evolution as an artist and highlighting his most iconic collections. Each authenticated jewel is presented alongside original sketches, vintage editorials from leading fashion magazines, photographs of the remarkable women who wore his creations, and rare archival ephemera—offering an intimate portrait of one of America’s greatest jewelers.