Comstock Heritage
Since 1886
An American Story
Every piece of jewelry we make at Comstock Heritage is completely handcrafted from start to finish at our studio in Reno Nevada. Our team has worked together for decades and using only the finest stones & materials, even down to our luxury packaging. We've been family owned and operated for 135 years and 4th generation owner James Stegman isn't just the owner, James is a master Silversmith and makes every piece that bares our mark.
We have 4 employees -James Christian master craftsman, designer, and silversmith - his wife Donna Stegman head of all public relations, marketing, branding and advertising - And their oldest daughter Quinn Stegman is E-commerce manager handling our website, photography, email marketing and office manager. Lastly we have James' right hand man and talented master engraver Jon, who despite not being blood related has grown into a part of the family after working here for 25+ years. Most of the machinery including our dies at Comstock Heritage is from the late 1800's and every piece of art that leaves has been completely hand made.
HISTORY
Our family business began as a small shop on Market Street in San Francisco California in 1886, producing primary marshal and firemen’s badges and a few Sterling novelty items. The early 1900’s were tough, our building burned to the ground in the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but we were able to rebuilt our business just blocks away, and all our famous steel dies surviving the fire.
As our business grew, so did our offerings. By the 1920’s we had stepped up our product line to include jewelry and Sterling home ware, such as punch bowls and ladies comb and hairbrush sets. But we really came into our own in the late 1930’s, as we rode the high of Americana and the great Western Movies of Hollywood. The era of The Cowboy became a large focus for us. We were busy producing belt buckles and Sterling adornments for parade saddles, that had become all the rage.
We moved the buckle and jewelry portion of our company to Nevada in 1970, because in order to expand, we needed more affordable space. James Christian Stegman took over for his father, Howard Stegman, in the early 1990’s.
Re-branding our company with the name Comstock Heritage, James stepped back a bit from western to focus his talents on contemporary wearable art, and to continue what his grandfather Christian Stegman had begun. James had an affinity for working in Sterling silver, Golds of all colors, Platinum and enjoys cultivating his knowledge and use of precious and semi-precious stones. We spend a portion of our year touring the world handpicking stones and appreciating in person, the art of Art.
All of our pieces start out as a sheet of Sterling silver and 14K gold, so customization is a cornerstone of our business. This allows us to work in partnership with clients and to help them achieve the perfect heirloom piece, like a fingerprint, no two are ever alike.
Comstock Heritage pieces have been called aspirational, as many of our customers collect pieces to enjoy now and eventually pass down as heirlooms. Our family business still makes all our pieces in the same handcrafted manner and with the same equipment as we did 133 years ago, we’ve only added electricity and 2nd day shipping.
We look forward to designing with you,
James Christian Stegman & Family
