Equestrienne Designer

This article appeared in Palm Beach Society.
Reprinted with permission. B.L.Wilkes © 2004

Diane Griswold Johnston is not only a champion equestrienne—jumping the really, really big jumps in the amateur jumper divisions at all of the top horse shows—but is a champion jewelry designer as well. For over 20 years, her jewelry has adorned the tres soignees ladies of the horsey set...Sale Johnson, Joanie Goodman, Leslie Clarke, Beverly Lake Wilkes, to name a few. First Lady Laura Bush just purchased one of Diane's brooches in the shape of a cat. Prince Charles sports Diane's lapis lazuli cufflinks, with his insignia inlaid in 18K gold.

Specializing in all types of precious and semi-precious stones, carved in the shape of cats, lions, pelicans, bees, foxes, butterflies, parrots, elephants and the like, Diane's pieces are truly one of a kind. Her intaglio jewelry, with her favorite creatures carved below the surface of the stone, exhibits the very finest in craftsmanship. Her style is imaginative and often whimsical. She mixes grey South Sea pearls with pink tourmaline beads for a unique necklace and engraves her lapis lazuli pieces with 18K gold inlays. Diane's reversible jewelry is quite distinctive, with which she adorns, for example, her 18K gold earrings, bracelets and necklaces with pink sapphires on one side and diamonds on the other.

Diane began her career as a speech therapist, working for the Palm Beach Rehabilitation Center on Royal Palm Way. But her creative instincts lead her to begin a new career in jewelry design. Family plans resulted in a move to Massachusetts, where Diane still lives and maintains her design atelier.

When not designing jewelry, Diane is an avid and accomplished equestrienne, competing with four fantastic mounts. Diane comes to Wellington each season to show and has been Circuit Champion of her division for three years in a row at The Winter Equestrian Festival. When in Massachusetts, Diane hunts as a member of The Myopia Hunt Club, one of the most venerable in the country.

Diane Griswold Johnston’s  “Precious Jewels” collection  is available at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores and  with VanderMoore Designs at select horse shows. Diane customizes cufflinks and buttons for many of the major hunt clubs, including Myopia, on which she carves the club's particular logo.

To Order Jewelry

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