“Artists do not follow trends, they create them.”
A career that spans nearly five decades began with a one year sculpture curriculum in clay and stone and an eight year multi level apprenticeship with European masters encompassing fields of jewelry design, goldsmithing, gem and diamond setting techniques. His passion for innovation continues to drive the evolution of his work. His renaissance creative works also include bronze sculptures, ornamental architecture and objects of art.
In 1980 Zoltan David established his eponymous high jewelry brand servicing the cutting edge design houses in Vancouver, B.C. 44 years and 35 national and international awards later, his creations are inspiring, not only for their originality, but for their intricate detail and beauty. His first patent for the metal ornamentation of ‘shaped inlay’ has made his work instantly recognizable and collectible. This ornamentation process is used extensively in his work. Metallurgy innovations such as iridescent metals, wear resistant black steel and married metals with various highly detailed metal inlay are the hallmark of his work. This groundbreaking jewelry art has resulted in a growing number of savvy collectors, stylists and museums acquiring his work. In the spring of 2024, the award winning couture necklace “Iris” made in moonstones, diamonds, platinum and bronze, was installed in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History for permanent display. In addition, there is a permanent display of a body of his work at the Gemological Institute of America Museum in Carlsbad, CA, as well as select works on display at the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum.
He has created numerous very successful limited edition collections and one of a kind pieces which garnered him both the title of New Designer of the Year in 1994, and the New Design Talent Award (he was the first in the history of the JA International Jewelry Show to win both awards). He went on to design the ‘Duchess’ Collection, which won three separate awards at the AGS Conclave in 2001. In 2005 he was awarded Jewelry Designer of the Year by the prestigious industry designer group CJDG (Contemporary Jewelry Design Group). He has won an astonishing broad spectrum of jewelry industry awards such as the DeBeers Diamonds Today Award, Platinum Guild International Award, Designer of the Year, AGTA Spectrum awards, International Pearl Design Award, Saul Bell Alternative Metals Award and the Tanzanite Foundation International Award and others too numerous to list.