Gaby
American jeweler and luxury designer Jay Strongwater (born 1960) has been creating beauty for over forty years. He works in a world of luxury objects: jewelry, figurines, furniture, mirrors, frames, boxes, pillows, and Christmas ornaments.
His name has become a brand, and his designs feel like a return from mass-market sameness to the era of elegant, handmade craft.
The Great Serendipity
In various interviews, the designer has fondly recalled his parents, who recognized his talent. Growing up in New Jersey, Jay honed his artistic skills from a young age. Eventually he found his way to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he learned to make clothing, dreamed of working with fabrics, and aspired to become a couturier.
Jay’s mother was a devoted fashionista. Her love for beautiful things was passed down to her son. In 1981, they went shopping together at a department store on 57th Avenue in New York City. When his mother stopped in front of a black-and-gold necklace, he promised to make her one. Later he went to a shopping center and bought a bag of wooden beads for macramé. He painted them black and decorated them with golden swirls. His mother liked the jewelry, and so did others. The owner of a store in New Jersey even asked if the young man could create something similar for his shop.
Jay was thrilled by the offer. He was also excited because he finally had the chance to earn money on his own. He completed his first order and then showcased his beaded creations at open-house events in several New York stores. Fortune smiled on him, and new orders quickly followed.
So, during the day, he learned to create patterns, and at night, he strung beads. Soon, interested parties began asking Jay when his new collection would be ready. One of his clients displayed several of his bold, oversized pieces in windows on Fifth Avenue. At that time, Oscar de la Renta was showcasing his new collections, and he took notice of the young designer’s creations. They met, and soon the couturier began featuring these pieces in his fashion shows alongside his collections.
Then the young man made a definitive choice. He already knew what he wanted to dedicate his life to. He dropped out of school and started his small business. Thus, the future empire of Jay Strongwater’s style was born.
Metal, Enamel, Crystals
Strongwater entered the realm of stunning jewelry and home accessories in the early 1990s, when bold, oversized jewelry had mostly fallen out of fashion. The reboot started with a picture frame that the artist adorned with precious stones. Each new piece was increasingly unexpected and captivating in its indescribable allure. Animal and plant motifs found their way into everyday items, infusing them with a fresh vibrancy. With flowers, butterflies, shells, and birds, ordinary moments took on new colors and moods.
“I am fascinated by the idea of taking everyday items—picture frames, boxes, mirrors—and transforming them into a beautiful combination of metal, enamel, and crystals,” Jay Strongwater once said.
His creations are by no means cheap, and they often become coveted objects for collectors. Among the admirers of his work are many celebrities, including Elton John, Madonna, and Oprah Winfrey.
Today, the designer is supported by over 120 artisans who work on stylish creations in his design studio in New York and his production workshop in Rhode Island.
… And somewhere on a shelf in Jay Strongwater’s cozy home lies the wooden necklace that marked his debut and that his mother loved to wear.
Click any image to open a larger version of Jay Strongwater’s masterpieces.
