Marrakesh Studs

With his exquisite contemporary and Byzantine-style pieces featuring details so fine that a magnifying glass is required to see them, it’s not surprising Alex Soldier is one of the most innovative jewelry designers of the 21st century.

Born Alexander Soldatov in the Russian city of Perm, nestled in the Ural Mountains, Soldier exhibited a childhood talent for woodcraft, painting miniatures and creating sculptures. However, he regarded his artistic interests as nothing more than a hobby and obtained a master’s degree in computer engineering. 

Although he was working as a computer engineer, Soldier’s wife Galina recognized his innate talent for jewelry design and encouraged him to consider a career as a jeweler. In 1981, Galina’s persistence paid off, and Soldier left computer engineering to work as an intern at the most prominent jewelry manufacturing company in the Ural region. His aptitude for artisanal workmanship earned him a promotion as the company’s chief designer in less than a year.

Soldier’s jewelry designs won numerous awards at trade shows throughout Eastern Europe, and his works soon caught the attention of a U.S.-based jewelry manufacturer. In 1991, Soldier moved with his family to the United States, where he worked briefly for the company before striking out on his own. 

Soldier is widely known for his masterful metalwork. With his passion for precision and alluring form, he uses a microscope to design his jewelry — he handcrafts fine details and textures with stainless steel instruments on such pieces as drop earrings, cocktail rings and pendant necklaces made with 18-karat gold, platinum and precious gemstones. Today, in the firm’s New York City workshop, the designer and his small staff create elegant pieces such as the gemstone-encrusted Snail ring and the Sunflower series, which is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings.  

Soldier’s fine jewelry craftsmanship has earned international accolades. He won the Platinum Passion Award in 1998 from Platinum Guild International and a Spectrum honor from the American Gem Trade Association in 2002. Since 2009, he has created the prize statuette for the Princess Grace Award and the Prince Rainier III Award. Celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Elizabeth Hurley have worn Alex Soldier jewelry over the years.

On 1stDibs, find a range of Alex Soldier earrings, rings and necklaces.

Stud earrings have a unique and rich cultural history. Though their design has evolved, vintage stud earrings are still a classic jewelry style.

Stud earrings are frequently dated back over 7,000 years to Asia, where they were worn mostly by upper-class men to indicate their wealth and status. Although earrings sometimes fell out of favor over the years — such as when ear piercing was prohibited by the Catholic Church in the 13th century — they’ve remained one of the most enduring forms of body modification.

When diamond jewelry gained prominence in the 19th century, thanks to prosperity in Europe and the United States as well as the greater accessibility of gemstones, studs adorned with fine diamonds became popular. Screw-back earrings debuted in the late 19th century and allowed people without pierced ears to don the embellishment. Stud earrings became especially popular in the 1960s.

Stud earrings are simple and usually small in size, making them lightweight and easy to wear. Unlike other earrings, stud earrings have a floating appearance. They are often made with a single gemstone, such as a sapphire or emerald, and a straight post that goes through the ear, typically with a rubber or metal backing to hold it in place.

Today, stud earrings accentuate outfits with a casual, elegant style, adding a bit of glam to any ensemble. Find an eclectic array of stud earrings on 1stDibs.