Aleksey Zubov, a master jeweler hailing from Kaunas, now resides in Moscow.
At first, I never considered a path in jewelry; my career began as a promoter, overseeing the launch of new clubs and restaurants across Moscow. It was during a work trip to Kenya that I stumbled upon jewelry, sparking a genuine interest.
This led me into a harrowing ordeal: I was invited to assist in purchasing diamonds. A guide brought us to a village in Tanzania, where stones were scattered on a table before us. We couldn’t verify if they were real diamonds, but the situation ended disgracefully yet thrillingly—we had to flee from both police and local thugs. Fortunately, we escaped unharmed.
Returning to Moscow with precious stones on my mind, I resolved to transform my life. I pursued formal training, completing a course in gemstone evaluation to earn a gemologist’s certificate, followed by studies in jewelry design at the Higher School of Design. Now, for five years, I have been immersed in the jewelry trade. I am always learning: attending advanced courses, mastering new techniques, and seeking fresh materials for my creations.
I cherish working with stone. Every mineral possesses distinct light, warmth, and energy. It is rewarding to reveal a stone’s finest qualities within a piece, enhancing it and crafting its ideal form.
My preferred metal is titanium, and my favorite gems include garnets like spessartine and tsavorite, as well as tourmalines. Alexey remains fascinated by how materials transform under heat and chemical reactions—for instance, how gray titanium turns crimson when exposed to hydrofluoric acid. Is that not astonishing?
“In my work, I despise the ‘computer phase’ the most—spending days at a monitor constructing a 3D model of upcoming jewelry. Conversely, I enjoy time at the workbench, tools in hand. Jewelry making is stubborn labor, far less glamorous than it appears from the outside. Yet, I still love it. If I ever feel disillusioned, I will simply return to learn something new,” says Alexei Zubov.
