About
About
12 is an exclusive atelier by master jeweller and creator of objet d’art, Shaun Leane, with roots in tradition and a philosophy which honours history and personal relationships; the current and the enduring. Genuine artistry and fidelity to craft sit at its heart.
Each piece is singular and rare by design. The limit of twelve commissions exists to protect the provenance, precision and mastery required to deliver the most exceptional standard. Each piece designed by Shaun Leane passes through the hands of the craft’s most skilled artisans; goldsmith, silversmith, stone polisher, stone setter, engraver, piece polisher, box maker, photographer, ending with adornment.
A blueprint enters into a numbered archive of which the sketches, studies, materials certificates and photographic records are safeguarded in 12’s vault; a preserved piece of modern history for collectors and their admirers.
12 is an exclusive atelier by master jeweller and creator of objet d’art, Shaun Leane, with roots in tradition and a philosophy which honours history and personal relationships; the current and the enduring. Genuine artistry and fidelity to craft sit at its heart.
Each piece is singular and rare by design. The limit of twelve commissions exists to protect the provenance, precision and mastery required to deliver the most exceptional standard. Each piece designed by Shaun Leane passes through the hands of the craft’s most skilled artisans; goldsmith, silversmith, stone polisher, stone setter, engraver, piece polisher, box maker, photographer, ending with adornment.
A blueprint enters into a numbered archive of which the sketches, studies, materials certificates and photographic records are safeguarded in 12’s vault; a preserved piece of modern history for collectors and their admirers.
About
Shaun Leane
Origins
Shaun Leane’s enduring memories of a creative childhood began with his fascination with the Georgian churches of his native North London, “intense colours and fragile shards of stained glass shimmered like jewels above me - precious yet so vulnerable.” A deep connection with history and a reverence for traditional art forms became the blueprint for a prodigious career spanning forty years, steering Leane in his dedication to creating globally renowned, spectacular bejewelled structures and exquisite objet d’art. His work is often compared to the great masters: Van Cleef, Boucheron, Cartier and the surrealist, avant-garde jeweller Joel Arthur Rosenthal.
Apprenticeship
By the age of eighteen, Leane was making diamond tiaras for Asprey; completing a formal goldsmith training and twelve-year tenure at English Traditional Jewellery, in Hatton Garden, London, where he learnt the traditional disciplines of antique restoration and historical artefact design.
McQueen
In 1992, Leane befriended and then became creative partners with the late Lee Alexander McQueen in a professional trajectory that took them to Paris at Givenchy Haute Couture, with shows in New York and London, across eighteen years and forty-five groundbreaking shows. Pieces such as Coiled Collar ‘97, Coiled Corset ’98, Spine Corset ’98 and Rose Corset ‘2000 made Leane one of the most recognised jewellers of his time and paved the way for a revolutionary change in the modern fashion and jewellery landscape.
The Atelier
His eponymous atelier came in 1999, with the championing of compatriots Isabella Blow and Daphne Guinness, and subsequent private commissions from both artists, in particular his white gold and diamond glove, Contra Mundum ‘2011 for Guinness and Leane’s Grille Collar ’08, in remembrance of Blow, were featured, amongst other works, in the iconic Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition at New York’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, and at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 2015.
Institution
Leane’s cabochon crystal-bedecked Yashmak ‘2000 and other works from collaborations with McQueen are in permanent collections in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and he is the only jeweller to have works occupied, similarly, within three expressions in the museum: a Vine collection diamond engagement ring in Fine Jewellery, his Visionary cabochon crystal Yashmak in the High-Fashion department, and a cross-section of balcony from Leane’s architectural facade, Arbour, in Metal Work. Leane’s pieces are in permanent collections in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and have featured in exhibitions at the Paris Galliera and Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and ModeMuseum (MoMu) in Antwerp. The public sale of his sought-after personal historical archive broke sales records at Sotheby’s auction house in New York, with bespoke works sold at Christie’s Geneva, Phillips London, and at Sotheby’s London.
Royalty
Shaun Leane is the only jeweller of his generation to design pieces for Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and the engagement ring for Princess Beatrice, the latter being the first landmark jewel made for the British Royal Family to go on public display at the time of its making, at the request of Buckingham Palace.
Paris
In 2008, for Boucheron’s 150th anniversary, Leane received universal acclaim for his staggering Queen of the Night bejewelled neckpiece, his love letter to Paris; a spectacular blackened gold, ruby, sapphire and diamond interconnected torque. At the press of a hidden button, gemmed flowers bloom from stems ingeniously engineered to open and close, allowing the jewels to literally dance across the wearer’s neck.
Legacy Houses
Leane’s dazzling white gold and diamond White Light brooch was made in 2009 for his much-publicised commission from De Beers. He was later appointed Creative Consultant to London heritage jeweller, Asprey, where his white gold and brilliant white diamond Storm ‘2013 necklace was made, and Leane’s Woodland collection for Asprey is now an iconic part of the company’s heritage.
Arbour
Leane’s boundless aesthetic permeated into architecture, in 2018, with Arbour; an eight-story residential building at 21 Young Street, Kensington, London. Featuring 1,850 bronze leaves and branches, Leane’s vision of a metal-clad urban forest won the much sought-after commission from Grainger plc in collaboration with Futurecity. It heralded a growing interest in the modernization of the Kensington and Chelsea district, and a section of the building’s facade is now on permanent display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A).
Honours
Shaun Leane’s career has earned him countless accolades. Leane is a livery man of the Goldsmithing Hall, London, a Freeman of the City of London - subsequently bequeathed a key to the city - one of the country’s highest distinctions, and he was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry in 2021.
About
About
Shaun Leane
Shaun Leane
Origins
Origins
Shaun Leane’s enduring memories of a creative childhood began with his fascination with the Georgian churches of his native North London, “intense colours and fragile shards of stained glass shimmered like jewels above me - precious yet so vulnerable.” A deep connection with history and a reverence for traditional art forms became the blueprint for a prodigious career spanning forty years, steering Leane in his dedication to creating globally renowned, spectacular bejewelled structures and exquisite objet d’art. His work is often compared to the great masters: Van Cleef, Boucheron, Cartier and the surrealist, avant-garde jeweller Joel Arthur Rosenthal.
By the age of eighteen, Leane was making diamond tiaras for Asprey; completing a formal goldsmith training and twelve-year tenure at English Traditional Jewellery, in Hatton Garden, London, where he learnt the traditional disciplines of antique restoration and historical artefact design.
Shaun Leane’s enduring memories of a creative childhood began with his fascination with the Georgian churches of his native North London, “intense colours and fragile shards of stained glass shimmered like jewels above me - precious yet so vulnerable.” A deep connection with history and a reverence for traditional art forms became the blueprint for a prodigious career spanning forty years, steering Leane in his dedication to creating globally renowned, spectacular bejewelled structures and exquisite objet d’art. His work is often compared to the great masters: Van Cleef, Boucheron, Cartier and the surrealist, avant-garde jeweller Joel Arthur Rosenthal.
By the age of eighteen, Leane was making diamond tiaras for Asprey; completing a formal goldsmith training and twelve-year tenure at English Traditional Jewellery, in Hatton Garden, London, where he learnt the traditional disciplines of antique restoration and historical artefact design.
McQueen
McQueen
In 1992, Leane befriended and then became creative partners with the late Lee Alexander McQueen in a professional trajectory that took them to Paris at Givenchy Haute Couture, with shows in New York and London, across eighteen years and forty-five groundbreaking shows. Pieces such as Coiled Collar ‘97, Coiled Corset ’98, Spine Corset ’98 and Rose Corset ‘2000 made Leane one of the most recognised jewellers of his time and paved the way for a revolutionary change in the modern fashion and jewellery landscape.
In 1992, Leane befriended and then became creative partners with the late Lee Alexander McQueen in a professional trajectory that took them to Paris at Givenchy Haute Couture, with shows in New York and London, across eighteen years and forty-five groundbreaking shows. Pieces such as Coiled Collar ‘97, Coiled Corset ’98, Spine Corset ’98 and Rose Corset ‘2000 made Leane one of the most recognised jewellers of his time and paved the way for a revolutionary change in the modern fashion and jewellery landscape.
The Atelier
The Atelier
His eponymous atelier came in 1999, with the championing of compatriots Isabella Blow and Daphne Guinness, and subsequent private commissions from both artists, in particular his white gold and diamond glove, Contra Mundum ‘2011 for Guinness and Leane’s Grille Collar ’08, in remembrance of Blow, were featured, amongst other works, in the iconic Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition at New York’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, and at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 2015.
His eponymous atelier came in 1999, with the championing of compatriots Isabella Blow and Daphne Guinness, and subsequent private commissions from both artists, in particular his white gold and diamond glove, Contra Mundum ‘2011 for Guinness and Leane’s Grille Collar ’08, in remembrance of Blow, were featured, amongst other works, in the iconic Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition at New York’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, and at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 2015.
Institution
Institution
Leane’s cabochon crystal-bedecked Yashmak ‘2000 and other works from collaborations with McQueen are in permanent collections in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and he is the only jeweller to have works occupied, similarly, within three expressions in the museum: a Vine collection diamond engagement ring in Fine Jewellery, his Visionary cabochon crystal Yashmak in the High-Fashion department, and a cross-section of balcony from Leane’s architectural facade, Arbour, in Metal Work. Leane’s pieces are in permanent collections in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and have featured in exhibitions at the Paris Galliera and Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and ModeMuseum (MoMu) in Antwerp. The public sale of his sought-after personal historical archive broke sales records at Sotheby’s auction house in New York, with bespoke works sold at Christie’s Geneva, Phillips London, and at Sotheby’s London.
Leane’s cabochon crystal-bedecked Yashmak ‘2000 and other works from collaborations with McQueen are in permanent collections in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and he is the only jeweller to have works occupied, similarly, within three expressions in the museum: a Vine collection diamond engagement ring in Fine Jewellery, his Visionary cabochon crystal Yashmak in the High-Fashion department, and a cross-section of balcony from Leane’s architectural facade, Arbour, in Metal Work. Leane’s pieces are in permanent collections in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and have featured in exhibitions at the Paris Galliera and Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and ModeMuseum (MoMu) in Antwerp. The public sale of his sought-after personal historical archive broke sales records at Sotheby’s auction house in New York, with bespoke works sold at Christie’s Geneva, Phillips London, and at Sotheby’s London.
Royalty
Royalty
Shaun Leane is the only jeweller of his generation to design pieces for Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and the engagement ring for Princess Beatrice, the latter being the first landmark jewel made for the British Royal Family to go on public display at the time of its making, at the request of Buckingham Palace.
Shaun Leane is the only jeweller of his generation to design pieces for Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and the engagement ring for Princess Beatrice, the latter being the first landmark jewel made for the British Royal Family to go on public display at the time of its making, at the request of Buckingham Palace.
Paris
Paris
In 2008, for Boucheron’s 150th anniversary, Leane received universal acclaim for his staggering Queen of the Night bejewelled neckpiece, his love letter to Paris; a spectacular blackened gold, ruby, sapphire and diamond interconnected torque. At the press of a hidden button, gemmed flowers bloom from stems ingeniously engineered to open and close, allowing the jewels to literally dance across the wearer’s neck.
In 2008, for Boucheron’s 150th anniversary, Leane received universal acclaim for his staggering Queen of the Night bejewelled neckpiece, his love letter to Paris; a spectacular blackened gold, ruby, sapphire and diamond interconnected torque. At the press of a hidden button, gemmed flowers bloom from stems ingeniously engineered to open and close, allowing the jewels to literally dance across the wearer’s neck.
Legacy Houses
Legacy Houses
Leane’s dazzling white gold and diamond White Light brooch was made in 2009 for his much-publicised commission from De Beers. He was later appointed Creative Consultant to London heritage jeweller, Asprey, where his white gold and brilliant white diamond Storm ‘2013 necklace was made, and Leane’s Woodland collection for Asprey is now an iconic part of the company’s heritage.
Leane’s dazzling white gold and diamond White Light brooch was made in 2009 for his much-publicised commission from De Beers. He was later appointed Creative Consultant to London heritage jeweller, Asprey, where his white gold and brilliant white diamond Storm ‘2013 necklace was made, and Leane’s Woodland collection for Asprey is now an iconic part of the company’s heritage.
Arbour
Arbour
Leane’s boundless aesthetic permeated into architecture, in 2018, with Arbour; an eight-story residential building at 21 Young Street, Kensington, London. Featuring 1,850 bronze leaves and branches, Leane’s vision of a metal-clad urban forest won the much sought-after commission from Grainger plc in collaboration with Futurecity. It heralded a growing interest in the modernization of the Kensington and Chelsea district, and a section of the building’s facade is now on permanent display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A)
Shaun Leane’s career has earned him countless accolades. Leane is a livery man of the Goldsmithing Hall, London, a Freeman of the City of London - subsequently bequeathed a key to the city - one of the country’s highest distinctions, and he was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry in 2021..
Leane’s boundless aesthetic permeated into architecture, in 2018, with Arbour; an eight-story residential building at 21 Young Street, Kensington, London. Featuring 1,850 bronze leaves and branches, Leane’s vision of a metal-clad urban forest won the much sought-after commission from Grainger plc in collaboration with Futurecity. It heralded a growing interest in the modernization of the Kensington and Chelsea district, and a section of the building’s facade is now on permanent display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A)
Shaun Leane’s career has earned him countless accolades. Leane is a livery man of the Goldsmithing Hall, London, a Freeman of the City of London - subsequently bequeathed a key to the city - one of the country’s highest distinctions, and he was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry in 2021..
Disciplines within Three Expressions
Disciplines within Three Expressions
Shaun Leane is the only jeweller whose works are housed across all three expressions within permanent collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A). A multi-disciplinary artist, with pieces seen on the world’s most significant stages, from New York to Monaco, Paris to Antwerp and Japan.
He is the intersection of craft, high-culture and modern history.
In an era of the immediate, 12 honours the rare and the enduring. Twelve bespoke works are undertaken each year, realised in three key expressions:
Shaun Leane is the only jeweller whose works are housed across all three expressions within permanent collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A). A multi-disciplinary artist, with pieces seen on the world’s most significant stages, from New York to Monaco, Paris to Antwerp and Japan.
He is the intersection of craft, high-culture and modern history. In an era of the immediate, 12 honours the rare and the enduring. Twelve bespoke works are undertaken each year, realised in three key expressions:
Each touch leaves a trace
Each touch leaves a trace
