Alan Preston is a leading contemporary New Zealand jeweller, and co-founder of Auckland jewellery store, Fingers.

A penchant for wearing exotic jewellery grew into a career for Alan, after a short-course in the artistic playground of Camden, London. Upon his return to Auckland in 1973, he juggled a career as a wharfie and jeweller before founding the Lorne St store Fingers with a group of friends and colleagues.

A move towards greater experimentation with different materials in the jewellery scene, such as Perspex and rubber in the 1970s, coupled with a trip to Fiji, propelled Alan to create jewellery that was uniquely ‘home-grown’.

Alan holds a Masters in Psychology and has carved a successful career for himself producing jewellery from materials sourced from New Zealand and the Pacific.

In 2006 he was the first recipient of the Deane Award for Decorative Arts which is open to all New Zealanders. Alan has won the Best Craft Design at the DINZ Best Design Awards in 1992, a Creative Development Grant from the QEII Arts Council in 1993 and a Presentation, Promotion & Audience Development Grant from Creative New Zealand in 2007.

His current inspiration is his place of residence, Muriwai beach.