Jean-Francois Albert has a well deserved reputation as a master craftsman and classic designer. His clean and simple contemporary designs typically feature incredible colored stones. “Each colored stone is utterly unique,” says the designer. “I cannot duplicate nature. Every stone is irreplaceable; and so every piece of jewelry is a collectible original.”

He has won numerous international awards for his designs, including the DeBeer’s Diamonds Today Award and the American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum Design competition, and is a member of the respected American Jewelry Design Council.

Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, Jean-Francois began his apprenticeship in the art of jewelry-making at the age of 15. His first professional position came a few years later in Geneva, when he was hired by the legendary house of Piaget. This auspicious start is evident today in the pristine precision of Albert’s design. He moved to Montreal, Canada in the late 1960s to introduce his own line of fine jewelry. While working with a fine jewelry store in Newport Beach, California, he met his future wife, Babs. His company, JFA Designs was founded in 1979. Today Jean Francois and Babs direct and manage the successful and innovative JFA Designs together. In addition to their home in Newport Beach, the Alberts’ life in Southern California includes an island retreat on Catalina Island.