Alex Moss Breaks the Mold in the Celebrity Jewelry World

Alex Moss knows how to make an entrance. When we meet at his Manhattan showroom, the jeweler is decked out in blinding diamonds: two flashy necklaces, a white gold bracelet, and a pair of mini hoop earrings, his curly hair pulled back. At over 6 feet tall, his towering presence radiates confidence, filling his headquarters with an air of authority.

“You have to look good to feel good,” he tells me, claiming his look isn’t only for the scheduled photo shoot, but a daily occurrence. The room’s sleek black walls match elegant jewelry cases, complementing a set of newly installed marble backsplashes. Small pops of color add a bit of whimsy to the space, down to a tiny heart-shaped rug.

As we walk through the showroom, currently under construction, Alex shares his vision for the remodel. “I want to create a fun environment where people feel welcome,” he says. “I don’t want it to feel stuffy or too uptight.”

Instead of the expected snacks, for example, he plans to stock a vending machine with key chains, toys, and collectibles clients can’t find anywhere else. He’s commissioned a giant Styrofoam “cave” to serve as part immersive installation, part photo backdrop.

His office retains a more professional vibe. A large safe sits in one corner of the room, while the other displays collectibles including a figurine by Japanese artist Verdy—one of many clients on Alex’s custom jewelry roster. After our brief tour Alex settles into a swivel chair behind his desk, ready to resume our interview. But before we could chat about his routine, he has to carefully remove his grills.

Every day starts more or less the same. Alex arrives at work at around 10 and spends the morning meeting with his design team. From there “client chaos” ensues as he alternates between projects on his plate. Sometime in the afternoon he ventures downstairs to check on his manufacturing process, ultimately acting as the final quality control. “It’s one thing to come up with an idea,” he says. “But to actually translate that into a working piece of jewelry takes time and patience.”

What’s on his agenda now? Bella Thorne sent her Florida-inspired necklace back to be resized (it’s a choker with two alligators at the middle, joined by an emerald), and Tyler, the Creator has a new set of five diamonds pins in progress. Then there’s the ring Alex is designing for Drake—an ornate owl accompanied by the number 11.

“Our deadlines can be really crazy. But pressure keeps me on my toes.” To get into the creative zone, Alex plays music so loud his office shakes. He browses Google and Pinterest, pulling images to create mood boards for particular concepts. Multiple pictures of angels decorate the example he shows me—ideas for an upcoming series called Cathedral Dreams. Sometimes, though, he has to leave the comforts of his office to find inspiration. He recalls a recent trip to Sedona, where he went off the grid to find clarity through meditation among vivid red rock scenery.

After particularly hectic days at the office, Alex likes to retreat to his studio’s gaming corner. At edge of his showroom, beneath a ceiling of sparkly stars, he plays Pacman, Mortal Kombat, and NBA Jam, among other arcade games. He boasts about how he recently beat his Pacman high score. “I’m a very competitive person,” he admits. “Anything I do I have to win.”

Coupled with a time-is-money mindset, Alex’s enterprising attitude has helped launch a thriving solo career in the last two years, attracting attention from celebrities like Tyler, the Creator, Jack Harlow, and Rvssian. He opened his business, Alex Moss NY, during the throes of the pandemic, when morale was low and it seemed no one wanted to buy jewelry. Despite the economic decline, he describes the decision as a eureka moment years in the making.

Before branching out on his own, Alex worked for Avianne & Co. Jewelers and ultimately departed due to creative differences. “I always knew I was meant to own my company and to be better than my competition,” he says. “Now there aren’t many people I consider my competition.”

Growing up in Toronto in the mid-to-late 2000s, Alex has always appreciated artistic expression. He picked up Photoshop at a young age and dabbled in graphic design before enrolling in Parsons for fashion design. Still, hip-hop culture sparked his curiosity—especially the extravagant, iced-out pieces pioneered by famous jewelers like Ben Baller or Johnny Dang. As he found his way through New York, and eventually to jewelry, he never lost his desire to break the mold. “It doesn’t matter if it’s making jewelry, clothes, or furniture,” he explains. “I love creating something unexpected.” His bold approach also provides an antidote to the monotony of Manhattan’s Diamond District, where almost every storefront looks the same and most family-owned businesses pass through the generations.

An in-house production process also sets him apart. From the minute he conceives an idea, Alex guides it through every stage, from Photoshop design to overseeing 3D renderings and manufacturing. With this hands-on model (and a multi-camera security system visible from his office), he’s able to examine his projects from start to finish, from every angle. “I have to understand how things move and ultimately come together. I think that’s a really under-spoken part about this field.”

Alex wants to show me where the final work happens, so we descend to his factory, down to the ​​labyrinth-like third floor—traveling through a door and then another door. (Yes, multiple Uncut Gems references were made.) This two-part setup is where Alex watches his ideas come to fruition. In one room an employee physically makes and molds the jewelry, using fancy equipment like steam and laser machines. That same person then sends the jewelry to the other room, where three workers undertake the painstaking task of setting the diamonds. Once complete, it returns to the first room, and a few final steps complete the product. Since Alex works with a lot of white gold, this often involves dipping it in rhodium to give the piece a shiny appearance.

Since starting AMNY, he’s expanded into a larger space upstairs with his manager Eric and brother Jasper. Now he dreams of opening other locations based on the blueprint he’s built in New York. He also hopes to combine his prior fashion experience with his jewelry expertise soon, though he’s quiet when I prod for more information, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. All his efforts are beginning to pay off, and he’s enjoying the ride to the top.

alexmossny.com

A version of this article originally appeared in Sixtysix Issue 08 with the headline “Alex Moss.” Subscribe today.