Whitney Boin

Whitney Boin (???? – ) Whitney Boin was born in New Jersey to an artistic, crafts-savvy mother and father who operated an Arts & Crafts store in New York City. As a child, he was surrounded by artists and crafts people. Whitney grew up participating in the store’s basement classes in metalworking and other crafts.

Whitney Boin began creating his own art in high school. He won several Scholastic Golden Keys Awards for jewelry design and sculpture when he was 17. He won his first award, The Golden Hammer Award for a mahogany table.

It came as no surprise when he chose to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craftsmen to obtain his college education. He studied under Gary Griffen and Hans Christianson when the school was recognized as one the best metalworking program in the country.

At 20, Boin took a leave of absence, convinced his parents to invest the balance of his college tuition fund in platinum and diamonds, and created pieces to enter jewelry competitions. From then on, he set out to create pieces that were beyond the traditional stone in a setting. He invented designs reminiscent of intriguing, recognizable works of architecture and sculpture.

After several years work at a jeweler’s bench among 27 other jewelers-in-training, he began working for a collection of small retail shops that agreed to carry his original designs. Eventually, he won a loyal following. In 1978, he won the Diamonds Today Award for a necklace design. This brought more clients to him.

That same year, he opened his studio in New York’s NoHo neighborhood and began to create collections that reflected his creative philosophies and innate design sense.

Each major, award-winning piece he designed became the foundation of a new Collection. His “Rain Cloud” diamond necklace served as inspiration for the collection.

Notable Whitney Boin collections include The Ridge Collection of earrings, bracelet, necklace, and brooch that brought him the Designer of the Year award at the 1982 JA Show, and The Wrap Collection which earned the Designs of Distinction award in 1989.

In 1985, he created his Vertebrae Collection after the Japan Pearl Society recognized Boin with the International Pearl Design Award for a pearl bracelet.

According to Boin’s official website, he says. “When I created Vertebrae, I analyzed jewelry as sculpture in motion … Jewelry differs from sculpture in that it’s worn on the body. The way it is worn gives the piece kinetic energy. The motion of the body is as important as the materials, how they are set, and how they’re polished. All contribute to how the piece moves visually.”

Among Boin’s most well-known efforts is The Post Collection introduced in 1986 and inspired when DeBeers presented him with the Diamonds of Distinction Award. The collection has become recognized internationally as a new definition in jewelry design.

The collection evolved out of Boin’s interest in suspension and his desire to incorporate the shape of faceted stones into his simple, elegant jewelry designs. It remained in development for many years to determine if it could compete with more conventional settings.

The original concept was his hallmark ring design already recognized as a masterwork of simple harmony and sophistication, executed in 18k gold or platinum in a variety of finishes. The design accommodated stones of almost any shape without losing elegance or character.

In The Post Collection, the bezel set stone is suspended between two posts which gives the effect of enhancing the size of the stone even as it appears to float above the band. The effect is often described as, “magical.”

Engagement rings from the Post Collection are admired for their purity of form. “It is classic, simple elegance that appeals to me most,” says Boin. “My clients are often those who want pieces that capture the beauty and structure of well-designed architecture.”

Each Whitney Boin ring is custom made. Production takes about three weeks from the date of purchase. Each engagement ring begins once the diamond is received or purchased by Boin’s studio.

All rings are hand fabricated from precious metal sheet, wire and tubing to exact specifications. All stones are handpicked and measured. All rings are available in Platinum, 18k gold, 18k white gold or palladium. Special orders for different metals or diamonds are accommodated upon request.

Inside every Whitney Boin piece is a signature trademark stamp visible under 10x magnification. Look for this signature stamp to authenticate a purchase as an original Whitney Boin design.

Whitney Boin collections have been exhibited in London, Tokyo, Venice and major U.S. cities. In 1999 Boin founded the International Jewelry Design Guild and is a founding member of the American Jewelry Design Council.

Whitney Boin’s designs of precious jewelry have earned him a reputation as one of the most innovative and creative jewelry designers in the world.

“My jewelry speaks softly of simple harmony and sophistication rather than screaming unusual. I think of my jewelry as new classics, elegant with strong character, enduring strength, and integrity.” – Whitney Boin.

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