After studying with a master Florentine jeweler while traveling in Buenos Aires, Ed Levin founded his own brand in 1950, drawing inspiration from contemporary art movements like surrealism, Dadaism and cubism. Levin is considered one of the pioneers of modern jewelry design, crafting pieces that emphasized fine workmanship and an elegant simplicity that stands the test of time. Levin was also a painter, ceramicist, and humanitarian whose brand was originally crafted and sold throughout the Northeast. As a teenager, Cheryl and her friends would drive to upstate New York to buy his jewelry, and CB Stark has sold his clean, innovative, and deceptively simple designs for decades.