We recently had the chance to connect with Jonathan Dritto and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jonathan, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
For most of my journey, I’d say I was wandering. I started my creative life with wire wrapping back in 2011 and wandered with that until around 2018 when I began exploring more traditional forms of jewelry making. I taught myself basic fabrication, then moved into stone setting and eventually hand engraving. Always trying to keep pace with my creativity, I sought out classes through GRS to go deeper into advanced techniques and push my work further.
After a few years of rejoining the corporate world, I found myself feeling stuck, burnt out, way underpaid and at my wit’s end. I was burning the candle at both ends trying to sustain myself while also rebranding and launching this new direction for my jewelry. I had a solid following and some truly amazing supporters, many of whom have stuck with me through the shift and I’m so grateful for that. The reality though, was that much of that audience knew me for my old work, not the new direction I was stepping into and even though people admired the evolution, it wasn’t necessarily the style they were used to purchasing. Financially, I found myself going into the negative as I tried to build my studio and connect with a new audience who really resonated with what I was making now. In my opinion, one of the hardest parts of being an artist is finding your market, especially when you’ve grown into something new.
Around that time, I heard a motivational talk from Eric Thomas about the difference between a forest and a garden. ‘’Things grow in both, but a forest is wild and unorganized, while a garden is intentional and cultivated to produce something specific”.
That hit me. I realized I’d been growing a forest all these years without even knowing it. So I sat down and mapped out my garden, what it would look like, what I’d plant, and how I’d care for it.
In July 2024, I resigned from my corporate job and that September I enrolled in a comprehensive 720-hour jewelry program in NYC. It’s now been a year since I left my full-time job and just a few months since graduating from the program, but despite the chaos, the grind, the ups, downs, and backed-up bills I can finally see the things I planted starting to grow and flourish into something real.
So yes, I’d say I’ve carved a little garden oasis out of the forest and I’m walking my path now, but I think we can all agree that a little wandering through the forest now and then is good for you.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jonathan Dritto, and I’m the artist behind J Dritto Customs, a jewelry brand rooted in craftsmanship, story, and unapologetic identity. I was traditionally trained in fabrication, stone setting, and hand engraving, but I also understand the full scope of modern jewelry-making techniques, including 3D design production. Whether I’m working by hand or blending old-school skill with digital tools, every piece is made with intention and built to last.
J Dritto Customs was created for the unapologetically bold. I believe jewelry should feel like armor, something that carries craftsmanship, meaning, and presence.
Right now I’m focused on building a strong foundation for my brand, offering custom and limited-edition jewelry while continuing to expand my skills and creative direction.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself isn’t just one, it’s the collective presence of my family. My hard-working Brooklyn Italian father showed me what dedication looks like, and my driven Lebanese mother taught me that faith in the dream is what keeps you going, even when the road doesn’t make sense to anyone else.
My Teta passed down her wisdom in quiet, powerful ways, through her stories, her strength, and her belief in who I was becoming. My aunts, uncles, brothers, and cousins all showed up in their own ways to encourage me, even as I lived a much more unorthodox life compared to most of them. I never took a straight path, but I was never truly walking it alone.
I’m endlessly grateful for the roots I come from. That foundation, built on culture, hustle, and heart shaped how I see myself and gave me the drive to keep going no matter how unconventional the journey looked.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There are definitely days I almost give up… probably at least once a day if I’m being real. But I always remind myself: I’m a first-generation jeweler. No one in my family came before me in this field, so everything I’m learning is brand new. Of course I’m going to mess things up sometimes. Of course some days are going to feel heavier than others. But that’s what the journey looks like when you’re building something from scratch.
I’ve learned that these hurdles are part of the process, each one is shaping me into the person I need to become to succeed. Whether that means taking a break, throwing on a motivational video, or burning a joint on the porch to reset my head, I’ve had to find my own ways to keep going. And I’ve never regretted pushing through. I always feel better after perseverance, not forfeiture.
At the end of the day, I believe all the things you want are waiting on the other side of a hard day. So I keep showing up. Sometimes with fire, sometimes with doubt, but I always show up.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you asked my closest friends what really matters to me, they’d probably say staying true to myself — and they wouldn’t be wrong. They’d also probably say it’s because I’m a little stubborn, which is also true. I remember one time, my best friend was watching me create pieces I was really proud of, but I was struggling to find my market. Trying to help, he said, “Hey, this style is trending — maybe try something in that lane?” I laughed and told him it wasn’t for me. He just shook his head and said, “Man, it’s wild how strong the non-sellout in you is.”
That stuck with me. In an industry full of quick trends and fast turnarounds, it can be tempting to pivot just to keep up but that’s never felt right for me. I’ve always believed authenticity is the most valuable thing you can offer, and that the people who resonate with your work will find you. I think my friends see that, not just in how I create but in how I live. I try to keep it real in everything I do, and that pours directly into my art.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had 10 years left, I honestly don’t think I’d stop doing anything because I started making those changes years ago. I moved back across the country to be closer to my family. I walked away from things that didn’t serve me and started pouring myself fully into building something real with my brand. I stopped chasing things that didn’t align and started moving with more purpose.
I think I’m finally in a place where I’ve let go of what I don’t need and leaned into what I do, family time, experiences, and building a soulful foundation for the future. I’ve learned to slow down, to remember that I can always make more work, but I can’t make more time. So now I’m focused on spending that time wisely — with the people I love, creating things that matter, and building something bigger than myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Jdrittocustoms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.dritto?igsh=NmVlNTd5ZnN1dmxv&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JDrittoCreations?
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