IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Summer 2016 | Page 18

Cust
om

CREATIONS
BY NICOLE TAFE

Brentwood High School
graduate Brian Nicklaus
designs and creates
beautiful custom jewelry.

C

ustom jewelry designer Brian
Nicklaus has found himself a gem of
a career.
Nicklaus grew up in the South Hills of
Pittsburgh and attended Brentwood High
School. An artist from a young age, jewelry
seemed to be a lucrative way to express
himself artistically, and he began making his
first pieces at age 15. A year later, he landed
a job at David I. Helfer, Inc. in the Clark
Building, downtown Pittsburgh. While
there, he learned as much as he could about
the business, including more difficult and
labor-intensive custom projects and repairs.
Nicklaus continued to work while attaining
his degree from Duquesne University and
says it was nice to have a job so close to the
university.
Following his studies, Nicklaus explored
different areas of the jewelry industry,
including visiting and working for other
custom design shops as well as retail mall
and jewelry stores. His journey took him
to Michigan, Georgia, and eventually back
to Pittsburgh, where he currently lives in
Murrysville with his wife Ashley and three

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daughters, in addition to maintaining his
jewelry headquarters in Greensburg.
Nicklaus’ jewelry pieces are one of a kind
and designed for special requests and specific
tastes. He has been the jeweler for The Pawn
and Jewelry Exchange in Greensburg for the
past five years, though his custom jewelry
work is done under his personal business,
Brian Nicklaus Jewelry, which has been in
operation since 1995.
The majority of the pieces Nicklaus
produces are bridal oriented, though the artist
is well-versed in a variety of styles. He designs
and builds engagement rings and wedding