About Gold Works

Four Decades of Wearable Art

Medical illustrator, sculptor, GIA-trained goldsmith — David Martin has made Old Town’s jewelry since 1983.

All About Gold Works Design Studio

On the Corner of King & West Since 1990

Gold Works has been on the corner of King Street and West Street in Old Town Alexandria since 1990. The store carries beautiful, sought-after custom designed jewelry and supplies the finest cut and polished diamonds and precious stones available. We stand behind our service and are very proud of our high quality.

Jewelry designer David Martin, the primary force at the shop, has a very diverse background from medical illustration to sculpture. Since settling in Alexandria in 1983 David has focused on jewelry design. “It is easy for me to see in three dimensions and work in four axis,” he says. His expertise is creating fine jewelry (primarily wedding sets), salvaging old pieces, or redesigning them by adding his own touch. David says, “I make things work for people and that’s what it’s all about.”

David has studied with some of the finest jewelers in the country. His sculpture and jewelry has been in collections at the Corcoran Museum of Art in Washington, D.C., the Montgomery School of Art, and the University of Maryland. He has shown, competed, and won recognition and awards with the Washington Guild of Goldsmiths, the Historical Preservation of Art in Woodlawn, VA, and the Art League in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

David has also studied with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for stone setting and jewelry design. He has a certificate with the Swest Institute for metal casting and a certificate with Jewelers of America for jewelry store management. The GIA has also certified him for jewelry replacement appraisals.

He hasn’t changed very much over the years and likes to point that out. Whenever possible he tries to make people laugh with his rich, dry sense of humor.

Best Artisan Jeweler

Zebra Press Readers’ Choice — voted five years in a row

Small Veteran-Owned Business of the Year

Awarded to David Martin

36 years in Old Town

On the corner of King & West Streets since 1990

GIA trained

Stone setting, design and replacement appraisals

In David’s words

The Many Roles of a Jewelry Designer

Designing jewelry and becoming a jewelry designer is not the easiest professional path to follow. I have found that in my shop I need to wear several different hats to be an expert jewelry designer. First, I must know about the metals I use: 18 karat (kt), 14kt, 10kt, platinum, white gold, yellow gold, pink gold, green gold, European gold, Italian gold, and bronze. To create different textures and surfaces, I use patinas, sand blasting, antiquing, and casting for jewelry (also known as lost wax casting). These and many other techniques all must be used and mastered for successful jewelry design.

Scientist

I also must be a scientist. I use metal chemistry to achieve specific karat qualities by measuring proportions of 24kt gold with silver, copper, nickel or zinc. I weigh these amounts, as is required by law. These weight proportions create the various colors of gold and also the karat rating.

Mediator & Consultant

Sometimes when I work with clients, I become the mediator between the sexes in design choices. I encourage my clients to share their personal vision for the piece I will design for them. Much of my design has developed from clients who communicate what they want through word descriptions or their own drawings. As the designer, I sometimes can foresee that one kind of stone will work better than another, so I may suggest a sapphire over a ruby.

Illustrator & Sculptor

My background as a graphic illustrator in architecture, historical art, and medicine has been invaluable to me as a jewelry designer. I began designing jewelry as I developed those illustrations into wearable art and miniature sculpture. Carvings I have done in alabaster, malachite, turquoise, marble, and opal have become part of unique, hand made items of jewelry. I also inlay stones into wedding bands made of gold, white gold, and yellow gold, as well as rings and pendants made of silver, platinum and bronze.

Historian

A great deal of my designs are developed from a historical source, such as Roman, Egyptian, and Grecian art, and the famous braiding used in ancient Celtic designs. Family crests are also a wonderful source of inspiration for a design with personal and historical meaning. Almost all names have a crest that was flown when traveling or fighting to identify the clan; these crests were used on family rings for sealing documents. As a result, crests and signet rings have become an important resource for jewelry designers.

Artist & Visionary

Patience is a must to create a design that will work to accomplish a specific vision. My priority as a designer is to develop a piece that is successful because of its beauty and simplicity. In order to set a stone, whether it is a diamond or any other precious or semi-precious gem, a design must have strength, beauty, and balance. Even an asymmetrical design must be balanced. I am very pleased to design for friends and clients from all over the world.

The Shop

Around the Bench

Visit Old Town

Location & Contact

Gold Works is in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, one of Virginia’s oldest and most vibrant cities — antique shops, art galleries and fine restaurants all around. David now works by commission and appointment, so email or call first.

1400 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-0333
david@goldworksusa.com
By appointment · online commissions welcome

Have an idea? Let's make it in gold.

Custom designs, redesigns of heirloom pieces and expert repairs — by commission, online or by appointment in Old Town Alexandria.