Tucked into the Town & Country shopping center on San Vicente is Peter Norman Jewelers, a classic Brentwood boutique long celebrated for handcrafted pieces—most notably diamond engagement rings. But stepping through the front door reveals more than just a trove of exquisite jewels. Peter Norman, himself, is a gem.
Norman grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, making his way to Southern California in the mid-1980s. “There’s something about the mountains and the ocean here that reminded me of Cape Town. Brentwood has that same easy balance of nature and city life,” he says. When Norman purchased the jewelry store in 1997, he inherited an established neighborhood business, but he knew that changing its focus could also realize its potential. “I wanted it to become a custom design house,” Norman says. “We became less about selling cases of jewelry—though we still have gorgeous rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets—and more about making one-of-a-kind pieces.” Now, 45 years after the business was first established, the boutique is renowned across the globe, and even for its online sales. And while Norman may host high-profile clients, he keeps the store “super low key” with antique-style wood vitrines that lend a comfortable feel to the space.
“Because we do a huge engagement ring business, it’s a lot of meeting people for the first time—and it’s such a happy time for them!” he says. Clients often arrive with an idea or a photograph that Norman uses to begin the conversation. “We’ll have something similar here to use as a starting point, then we talk about how we can tweak things for them—it’s very freely done,” he explains. “Clients usually come in two or three times, and the process takes about four to six weeks, sometimes longer if we’re bringing in stones for them to see,” he explains, noting that he sources both natural and lab-grown stones, the latter appealing to many clients from an ethical and cost point of view. “Lab-grown has become incredibly popular and the quality is excellent,” he adds.
When asked about changing tastes, Norman shares that 18-karat gold is popular today, whereas just a few years ago “nobody wanted yellow, they wanted platinum.” As for one of the buzziest new gems—Taylor Swift’s engagement ring? “It’s a lovely, classic design,” he says of the antique cushion piece. “We do that style all the time—antique stones reset—but there may be more of a resurgence now." Diamond engagement rings have been the standard since the mid-19th century, so Norman’s take is that it’s all about creating something personal. A few recent bespoke designs have included rubies, symbols and even the Eiffel Tower.
Each piece is handcrafted at a separate workshop, where Norman’s expert jewelers bring the designs to life. “Our store functions as the creative hub—a place for consultations, design sketches and appraisals,” he explains. It’s also the place clients can come for help in redesigning existing pieces or with restorations. “We do a lot of heirloom repairs but now, especially, fire damage,” says Norman. After the Palisades Fire, Norman and his team were trusted to restore jewelry that held deep personal meaning. Some arrived in terrible shape—burnt, broken, nearly gone—but they were able to carefully bring them back, often to the surprise and awe of clients. “There’s something very meaningful about taking a piece that looks lost and making it beautiful again,” he says.
“I feel lucky,” says Norman of the life he’s created in Brentwood. (He’s lived just a few blocks from the store for 35 years.) “I can walk to work, bump into friends on the street and so many of my clients are my neighbors.” The Capetonian has also been able to indulge his other passion here: vintage cars. “I’ve put together a collection of classic European cars from the ’60s, ’70s and ’90s that speaks to both nostalgia and craftsmanship,” he says. “Cars and jewelry might seem different, but to me they’re connected. It’s about the lines, the precision and the little details that make something timeless.”
But it’s making jewelry that has truly been Norman’s greatest joy. “It’s part of people’s life stories,” he says. “We’re selling really special things and that makes me so happy.”
Peter Norman Jewelers
11640 San Vicente Blvd.; 310-820-8787; peternorman.com
“Our store functions as the creative hub—a place for consultations, design sketches and appraisals.”