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Artful Elegance: A Guide to Collecting Iconic David Webb Jewelry
Exploring David Webb’s inspirations from ancient art, his elite clientele, and the bold, iconic designs that define luxury jewelry.
Brief History Of David Webb
David Webb is an iconic American jeweler known for his bold, artistic, and colorful designs throughout the 20th century. David Webb founded his namesake jewelry house in 1948 in New York City. By the time he was in his early twenties, Webb had established his workshop and begun creating unique designs for New York’s elite society. Bold sculptural forms, vibrant colors, and diverse materials characterize the work of David Webb. Webb’s jewelry is influenced by ancient traditions including Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art and Mughal Indian and Chinese motifs. His unique design aesthetic attracted America’s most elite women including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Diana Vreeland. Webb’s ability to create bold, eye-catching statement jewelry made him a favorite in Hollywood and among fashion icons. Many of David Webb's signature creations have been featured in Sotheby’s auctions like his enamel gold and gemstone animal creations. According to David Webb, Women are tired of jewelry-looking jewelry, and they want one-of-a-kind pieces... Animals are here to stay.
David Webb Jewlery Design Aesthetic
David Webb's design aesthetic is characterized by boldness, color, and a blend of historical influences with modern craftsmanship. His work is instantly recognizable for its daring and often maximalist approach to jewelry design. David Webb jewelry is known for bold sculptural forms that have multiple dimensions and exaggerated proportions. From oversized cocktail rings to chunky cuffs and animal-themed jewelry his boldness appeals to those who want their jewelry to stand out. Additionally, his use of a mixture of colors and a combination of diverse materials add to the richness of his designs. Some of the most desirable materials used in David Webb's creations are coral and lapis lazuli. Both of these rare natural materials are hard to find in the contemporary jewelry market, which makes vintage David Webb jewelry highly desirable. Every David Webb jewelry piece is crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Whether it’s a hammered gold cuff or a rich enamel animal bracelet, the craftsmanship is impeccable. His work bridges the gap between traditional jewelry-making techniques and contemporary artistry, ensuring each piece feels like a timeless heirloom. While luxurious and bold, many David Webb jewelry designs have an element of playfulness, especially his animal motifs and brightly colored pieces. He wasn’t afraid to embrace a sense of humor or fantasy, making David Webb jewelry feel both extravagant and approachable.
David Webb jewelry Animal Kingdom Collection
One of the most iconic and sought-after David Webb jewelry collections is the Animal Kingdom Collection. The David Webb Animal Kingdom designs are bold and colorful, and draw inspiration from nature and mythology. Zebras, lions, elephants, frogs, and tigers are some of the most popular animals in this collection. The black and white Zebra animal bracelet is one of his most recognizable designs. This striking David Webb Gold, Enamel, Ruby and Diamond Bracelet sold for almost $50,000 in 2022. These animal creations are highly desirable collector items. The most expensive animal motif bracelet to sell at Sotheby’s is this David Webb tiger head Gold, Enamel, Emerald and Diamond Bracelet for over $80,000 in 2024. Elizabeth Taylor is famous for sporting David Webb’s animal motif bracelets as everyday pieces in her collection.
David Webb Cocktail Rings
David Webb’s cocktail rings are some of his most iconic and sought-after designs, known for their bold, opulent, and often whimsical aesthetics. These rings embody his design philosophy of making a statement through bold color, sculptural forms, and the use of diverse materials. Webb's cocktail rings are often oversized, intended to grab attention and dominate the hand with their large, sculptural designs. These rings go beyond the traditional idea of fine jewelry, elevating rings to the status of wearable art. They’re designed to be focal points of any outfit, perfect for occasions that demand a statement piece. David Webb rings use emeralds, rubies, sapphire, turquoise and lapis lazuli. A defining feature of many David Webb cocktail rings is the use of cabochon-cut gemstones, which have a smooth, rounded surface rather than the faceted cut typically seen in fine jewelry. This choice makes the gemstones appear larger and more striking, amplifying their color and presence. This David Webb Fancy Light Pinkish Brown Diamond and Diamond Ring sold for almost $700,000 in 2023. While rooted in the aesthetics of the 1960s and 1970s, David Webb cocktail rings have a timeless quality. Their daring, avant-garde designs still resonate with modern jewelry lovers, making them highly sought-after both by collectors and those seeking a unique, vintage-inspired piece of fine jewelry.
David Webb Hammered Gold Creations
Another signature design of David Webb jewelry is his hammered gold creations. Ancient civilizations inspired David Webb jewelry. When David Webb was working in New York City he made frequent trips to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art and studied the gold techniques of the past. His fascination with ancient gold work inspired him to create a textured look of a hammered gold that that evokes an artisanal handmade quality. Hammered gold is often used in Webb’s cuffs, bangles, and rings, enhancing the bold, sculptural quality of these pieces. His use of gold in thick, wide forms becomes even more striking with the hammered texture, creating jewelry that feels substantial and powerful, yet still elegant. For David Webb, hammered gold became one of his signature elements, distinguishing his pieces from other jewelry designers. While many fine jewelers focus on the flawless polish and high shine of gold, Webb’s approach emphasizes the beauty of imperfection and the raw, handcrafted quality of the metal.
Buying David Webb Jewelry At Sotheby's
Sotheby's often has impressive David Webb creations available at auction. Sotheby's also has a curated selection of David Webb jewelry available for immediate purchase on marketplace. If you would like to view a David Webb creations, a salon specialist would be happy to assist. Sotheby's is also able to source David Webb from its global supplier network.
- Explore upcoming jewelry at auctions in New York, London, Switzerland, Paris, and Hong Kong.
- Speak to a Salon Associate in New York, Zurich or Hong Kong to schedule an appointment.
- Speak to a Jewelry Specialist about selling David Webb jewelry.
Trust our worldwide network of leading jewelry specialists from a globally renowned auction house with a 280-year history.
