Elizabeth Locke Jewelry Collection
Elizabeth Locke draws on a lifelong fascination with the antique jewelry of the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans as she creates her own neo-classical hand-made 19k gold jewelry. She selects every stone and designs every piece herself. While many covet the luminescent stones or the Venetian glass intaglios in her designs, Elizabeth’s deepest passion is for one-of-a-kind antiquities: 19thcentury micromosaics and pietra duras, 18th century Chinese gambling counters, Essex crystals, miniature paintings or antique Japanese porcelain buttons.
Her personal collection of more than 100 micromosaics, many reset in her hand-hammered 19k gold, are a traveling exhibit that is part of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ permanent collection. Elizabeth Locke speaks to museums and garden clubs across the United States, combining her business adventures (and misadventures) and her love of gardening with a discussion of her creative process in a presentation titled “The Accidental Jeweler.”
The search for the perfect bit of history to incorporate into her designs takes Elizabeth flying around the globe to European markets, antique shows and auctions in what she terms the “continual treasure hunt.” The antique porcelain button turns into a pendant and the 2,000-year-old coin transforms into a ring, continuing Elizabeth’s artistic vision and the craftsmanship of 30 Thai goldsmiths dedicated to bringing her designs to life using centuries old goldsmithing techniques.
Working as a contributing editor for Town and Country magazine, Elizabeth’s story on shopping in Bangkok turned out to be a life-altering event that eventually led her to a degree in gemology and her life’s vocation. She began Elizabeth Locke Jewels in 1988, relying on her experiences abroad and fueled by her visual sensibility. The business took off, thanks to her blend of entrepreneurial spirit and artistry.
Today, Elizabeth Locke Jewels has two flagship stores: One in Manhattan and another in Boyce, Virginia. Elizabeth’s jewelry also is available through Neiman Marcus and select independent boutiques across the country.
