Jethro Marles

Jethro's in-depth knowledge of the jewellery trade is built on a career which started in the late 1970s and encompasses all aspects of the jewelled arts. Jethro was born and raised in Devon, attending Torquay Boys Grammar School during the 1970's. A keen downhill skier, he became England's youngest qualified skiing instructor aged 17 and had a brief career teaching in the French Alps. In 1977 Jethro joined Sotheby Bearne, a branch of Sotheby's operating in the South West of England. Starting as a saleroom assistant, he quickly developed a keen interest in jewellery. Working with some of the worlds leading jewellery experts, he was soon undertaking valuation work throughout the UK, assisting with National and International jewellery auctions. In 1979 Jethro became Head of the Jewellery department for Sotheby Bearne and studied other aspects of the jewelled arts, including gold boxes, gold coins, pocket watches, wristwatches, objects of vertu, English and Continental silver. In 1981, Jethro took up jewellery making as a hobby, learning the processes and techniques required in the art of the goldsmith. This new found knowledge, not only enabled him to create jewellery from scratch, but helped him to gain a more 'forensic' approach to jewellery identification and valuation. In 1982, Sotheby's reduced its business operations within the UK and Bearne's auctioneers once again became an independent auction house. Jethro became head of the jewellery and silver departments, encompassing watches, gold coins and objects of vertu including works by Fabergé. In 1992, Jethro became a Director of Bearne's, but after four years stood down to launch Jethro Marles Trading Company, the business which embraces the trading name Jethro Marles Jewellery. When Jethro launched Jethro Marles Trading Co and Jethro Marles Jewellery in 1997, he decided to have a go at 'doing T.V', as he puts it, to raise his public profile. Jethro met his wife Jennie when he was 15 and she was 14 years of age and they've been together ever since. Married in 1980, they have two children, Jethro Jnr and Lucy, both of whom now work in the jewellery trade.