Twins David and Michael Robinson form the creative team of David Michael Jewels, based on the Gold Coast of Australia.
Together, New Zealand-born identical twin brothers David and Michael Robinson, create David Michael Jewels — individualistic, soulful, hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind High Jewelry creations that are fast attracting a band of devoted international collectors and connoisseurs. Astonishingly, the brothers are both completely self-taught, and they make every jewel themselves, completely by hand from design and gouaches, through goldsmithing, stone-setting and stone carving, to the hand-painting miniatures on mother-of-pearl for their spectacular Seasons series. They remain in Australia, in the Gold Coast atelier that they set up initially with their father in 2015, the year when David Michael Jewels was launched.
Designed as a cherry blossom branch, the pair of ‘Blossom’ earrings by David Michael is accented with brilliant-cut pink and yellow tint colored diamonds. Lot 93, Estimate: US $15,000 - 25,000; Jewels, New York, 13 December.
Vivienne Becker: How is it working with a twin brother? Can you describe your working relationship, the dynamic between you?
Michael Robinson: We’re very proud to be twin brothers working together, and I think it’s probably unique in the industry. There’s just 4 minutes between us — I’m the older one — and our collaboration is effortless. As boys, we developed our own language to talk to each other, and I always knew what he was thinking and still do.
David Robinson: It’s great, we work reasonably independently on the pieces we are making, but also work well together when Michael wants a little input on something, or if I’m looking for an opinion. Because we’ve always worked so closely together, we speak the same language. I’m sure being identical twins makes us a lot closer than just co-workers. We know it’s not a competitive thing and that we both just want to support each other.
Vivienne: How did you learn to make jewelry?
Michael: Neither of us had any formal training. Our father had a retail jewelry business with a workshop, and I was just 4 when I started going to work with him. I’ve always loved playing with tools, loved making things, sculpting, drawing, painting. Growing up around jewelry, I thought perhaps I could be a jewelry artist.
I made a model railway and sold it to buy my first bench and tools when I was 14. I started making silver trinkets. Seven years ago, when our father retired, we moved, as a family, from New Zealand to Australia, and started making our own jewelry, at first with our father supervising, and now it’s just the two of us. We make very few jewels in a year.
David: I think that’s a very New Zealand kind of thing. I just did. I’ve always enjoyed making things, even as a kid, so it always felt very natural to guide the hand skills I had learned into shaping precious metals.
David and Michael Robinson take a very personal and skilled approach to jewels, making every piece themselves, completely by hand, in their atelier.
Vivienne: What is your specialist technique?
Michael: I taught myself how to do everything, even stone-setting. I do all the drawing, sketching and watercolor rendering. There is no outside contracting at all. We don’t use computers, no CAD, and everything is hand forged. Honestly, I find it demoralizing to give the work, our ideas, to someone else to make. It gives me an empty feeling, while crafting our jewels and bringing our own visions to life gives me a sense of accomplishment. And then there’s no risk of someone else not quite interpreting the design as you envisage it.
David: I’d have to say hand forging, I really enjoy taking blocks or sheets of raw metal and bending and shaping them into complex forms.
Every David Michael jewel starts with a piece of paper before bringing their ideas to life.
Vivienne: How do you divide the work? And who has the design ideas?
Michael: David tells me his ideas and concepts and I put them down on paper. We go off and make our own pieces, individually and independently, unifying our style and statements along the way.
David: We both hand make our own pieces. There is some collaboration often on design, but not always. I guess there are no rules really, we just make beautiful things. Michael does the rendering and most of the gem setting, and I do all of our photography and website. We both have design ideas, mine tend to be more in my head and are a little more fluid. I design as I create, whereas Michael works his designs out on paper first.
Vivienne: What are your guiding inspirations?
Michael: I’d say antique jewelry is always my first inspiration, especially for its craftsmanship. I love Lalique and the vibrancy of Art Deco jewelry. I’m also very much inspired by the bright neon colors of my youth. I grew up in the 80’s with street art and super colorful skateboard art. I remember seeing the Tiffany diamond as a young teenager. It was set in Schlumberger’s Bird on a Rock at the time, and I love how such a historically precious gem was treated so playfully. That spirit has always stuck with me.
David: I’d have to say I’m probably most inspired by clean lines and mechanical objects, but no one thing drives me. I also have an affinity towards nature and our environment, and so I am constantly revisiting natural and organic inspiration objects. Our workshop is on the east coast of Australia. The Gold Coast is in the south east of Queensland and delivers an endless summer and beautiful beaches, foliage and amazing creatures both big and small.
The organic shape of a Spinel, Spessartite Garnet and Diamond ring by David Michael sits delicately on the hand. Lot 94, Estimate: US $55,000 - 75,000; Jewels, New York, 13 December. Wardrobe @monicabyrnemaison
Vivienne: Is there a difference in style, approach, design aesthetic between you?
Michael: My style is more romantic, with a softer, more feminine look. My brother is more mechanical, and prefers cleaner lines. David always loved mechanical watches. The two different styles harmonize perfectly, like yin and yang.
David: I think there is, but there’s enough of a common aesthetic that you probably couldn’t notice the difference.
Vivienne: Are you inspired by history or modernity? Or both?
Michael: We both love history. I have enormous respect for the craft and history of jewelry-making. I believe a knowledge of the past is vital, re-interpreting while adding modernity. Our Seasons jewels are inspired by Lalique, who created a series of jewels representing the different seasons. We have made a Summer and a Winter Pond brooch, each with a miniature depicting koi carp hand-painted in oils on mother-of-pearl, swimming in a portrait-cut pool, one of icy included rock crystal, for winter, aquamarine for summer. I’m working on Autumn now with the pond of smoky quartz; the Fall is so great. We both love to concentrate on the tiniest details.
David: History, most things used to be so special and well made, and the handmaking techniques themselves were so amazing. History is always inspiring to me. I particularly like Art Deco.
A Pair of Heliodor, Gem-set and Colored Diamond Earrings by David Michael makes for an eye-catching jewel. Lot 95, Estimate: US $20,000 - 30,000; Jewels, New York, 13 December. Wardrobe @monicabyrnemaison
Vivienne: What is your favorite gemstone?
Michael: My favorite gemstone is always the one I’m currently working on. I love them all.
David: I do love a really nice Imperial Topaz.
For all their similarities (or differences), David and Michael share a brotherly love of jewels. Their twin talents work in harmony in concept, craftmanship and creativity while bringing a deeply human, personal touch to their creations…the core of a family business.
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