A specialist in crafting the magnificent

Ken Hilton Gray

Master Jeweler, Gemologist, and Goldsmith

As someone who has been involved in the jewelry industry for over 43 years, jewelrymaking is not only my career, but my life.

I began as an apprentice to a custom jeweler and decided to pursue an education in the craft; graduating from the Gemological Institute of America as a gemologist and then from the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco. Although my formal education provided me with an excellent foundation, I continued to develop both my skills and my creative voice.

I worked for high-end AGS jewelry stores and award-winning wholesale manufacturers, as a gemologist and professional diamond and gemstone setter, before I opened my own studio. During this time I developed my reputation as a custom design specialist and repair and restoration expert.

When I opened Design Jewelers, which is approaching 3 decades as the premier custom jeweler in Sonoma County, I wanted to bring my mastery and expertise of this craftsmanship to my hometown of Santa Rosa. Although Design Jewelers has left Montgomery Village after 29 incredible years, the new retail studio and showroom on Summerfield Road is turning into the perfect space for me to continue creating custom pieces for my clients.

Every piece I make is not only the one-of-a-kind result of my artistic vision and master craftsmanship, but a tribute to the millenniums-old human tradition of jewelrymaking and the precious stones I work to elevate into art.