About John Lewis Inc.

We design and make all the jewelry that we sell. Our designs are therefore unique to John Lewis Inc. We use Platinum, Gold and Sterling Silver. We use fabrication techniques, forging, casting, both directly from originals, and from wax  replicas produced from rubber molds.  Each piece is marked with our registered trademark, a crossed JL

There are 137 illustrations in this catalogue web site, plus references to pieces not illustrated. However, we have approximately 1,600 active designs. Not shown here at all are our numerous silver designs. There are also categories such as cuff links not shown. Please inquire. 

We have our own design philosophy. This is the reason that our jewelry is distinctive and recognizable. Each piece made is part of a series of  pieces that are similar, but not the same. Our techniques are adapted to this result. This series production technique allows us to know the costs of producing similar designs thereby spreading development costs over many pieces. This technique also allows for variation in weight and size and use of suitable customer stones. The great benefit of this process is individual variation among pieces that are otherwise the same, however after a period of production the same piece becomes slightly different, not an exact duplicate. 

John Lewis Inc. was started in 1955 first at summer shops in East Gloucester, Mass. and then for 14 years at Ogunquit, Maine.  Before we moved to number 97, we were at 337 Newbury Street near Massachusetts Avenue..

Our building at 97 Newbury Street was built in 1874. It was built as part of the development of Back Bay after filling in some of the Charles River tidal estuary before the dam and its basin were built.  Eban Jordan was the first owner and builder of the building, which was originally constructed as a bow front residence.  In 1921 the front facade and stoop were entirely removed and a new facade that included a store front was added. The new front was made from brownstone with wood paneling and leaded glass windows. The first floor was partially lowered to sidewalk level and the store paneled in walnut. The upper floors were converted to small offices but the fireplaces and decorative parts were left mostly intact. The first retail tenant was Pollard Opticians. In 1948 the building was bought by the Parenti Sisters for their well known  jewelry store. John Lewis bought the building  in 1973, and soon after planted the birch tree which is now thriving

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