Off-Beat. Oddball. Eccentric. All of these terms could be used to describe the artist Alex Sepkus, and indeed many of them have. To say the man was ordinary would be false, to call his jewelry designs ordinary would be blasphemy.

A native of Vilnius, Lithuania, Alex Sepkus was surrounded by art at an early age: his father was a well-respected architect, and his grandfather was a painter. That influence granted him a deep understanding and high regard for balance, beauty, and precision. After earning a graduate degree in industrial design, he found his path to metalsmithing and began developing an extraordinarily unconventional style. With his shop set up in New York City, Sepkus began attracting attention.

His designs evoke the feel of ancient treasures, Byzantine churches, the paintings of Gustav Klimt. Crafted in 18K gold and platinum, adorned with rainbow-hued gemstones and diamonds, they are rich and bold, archaic, yet at the same time, dizzyingly modern in composition. Sepkus has an unending fascination with the minutiae of design, each piece a world unto itself with elaborate microscopic textures and patterns. They are things to be held, to behold, and to wear as personal artworks.

Alex sadly passed away unexpectedly in September of 2021. His business partner of 30 years, Jeff Feero, reached out to the industry and Sepkus' fans stating "Alex always prided himself on having a strong team of master jewelers who could execute his work to his exacting standards and, as he used to joke, even better than himself. He also has left an extraordinary archive of previously unreleased work that can keep his artistic vision alive and thriving for years to come."

Babs had the rare experience of actually conversing with Mr. Sepkus -- a man not known for being gregarious. She was always delighted to receive his annual holiday card, which featured an art photo by Alex himself.

Alara has maintained the distinct privilege of working collaboratively with Alex Sepkus Designs, who creates a palette of his original designs with our Yogo sapphires and Montana sapphires--making us the first and only jeweler to offer his work with these magical gems.