David Webb 18 Karat Yellow Gold Twisted Nail Ring

The curved gold form of the Nail ring could easily be mistaken for a serpent — that is, until you notice the flat head, subtle threading and pointed tip. In 1971, American jeweler David Webb (1925–75) elevated the common nail to the realm of fine jewelry, casting it of 18-karat gold and transforming it into bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more.

Webb, a self-taught designer from Asheville, North Carolina, began his career as an apprentice to his uncle, a jewelry manufacturer, but at 17, he moved to New York and, with the support of French socialite Antoinette Quilleret, was running his own shop by the time he reached his mid-20s. Webb built connections and an impressive client base. He developed close client relationships with Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Duke and more, and worked steadily, mining libraries and museums for inspiration. Fascinated by gold, Webb frequented the Metropolitan Museum of Art to study gold objects and decorative arts from all over the globe.

When it came to designing the Nail ring, Webb wanted to transform a utilitarian object into art — not at all unlike Marcel Duchamp and his readymades. Nails and prongs had of course been integral to Webb’s work — how else might the stones adorning his flamboyant Tiger ring, for example, remain fixed in place? The Nail ring positions what is otherwise unseen as the main event — an unconventional versatile accessory that fits well with the wearable art for which Webb is known. Still in production, the Nail ring is always made from yellow gold, but it comes in a hammered or smooth finish and can be embellished with diamonds, sapphires and more.

“Women are tired of jewelry-looking jewelry,” celebrated American designer David Webb once noted. In response, he created a menagerie of whimsical animals rendered as rings, brooches, earrings and, especially, bangle bracelets. This playfulness permeates all Webb’s work, which is characterized by brightly hued enamel and color-saturated semiprecious stones like coral, azurmalachite and turquoise, the notable exception being the clear, elegant rock crystal for which he had an affinity.

The North Carolina native apprenticed with his uncle, a silversmith, before moving to New York, where he established David Webb Inc. in 1948. He had no formal training in jewelry design. Instead, he culled inspiration from the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Americas, as well as the traditions of India and China — influences discernible in such pieces as his collar necklaces and talisman-like sautoirs. 

Webb’s first animal bracelet was produced in 1957. His most famous, the zebra, took shape in 1963; its stripes now form the company’s logo. Although Webb died in 1975, his company continues to produce designs drawn from his extensive archives, and every piece is still made in the workshop above its Madison Avenue store.

Find an alluring collection of David Webb jewelry on 1stDibs, including earrings, brooches and other accessories.