Zebra Bracelet

David Webb remains one of the leading twentieth century American jewelers on account of his originality, broad historical and pan-cultural references, pop sensibility, high-quality workshop based craftsmanship, and clientele that furthered the glamor and allure of his designs. The Zebra bracelet became the icon of Webb’s career, worn by none other than Diana Vreeland, on many occasions while serving as the head of the Costume Institute at The Met. The zoomorphic shape conjures both zebra and seahorse, or even a snake biting its own tail, a time-honored symbol of eternity or eternal renewal. The bold black and white straps play into the emerging the Pop and Op Art movements. The unusual choice of a zebra as the leitmotif lightened the seriousness of jewelry, appealing to the large, emerging baby boomer generation who would have questioned the seriousness of their parents’ more conspicuously stately and moneyed accessories. Originally designed in 1963, this intricately articulated bracelet had been executed using difficult enameling and stone setting techniques by a single master metalsmith who trained his son to continue this elaborate work for the Webb workshop today.