Who is Sienna Spiro Father?

Glenn Spiro, born on June 1st, 1962, is the father of pop singer Sienna Spiro and one of Britain’s most respected jewelers. His path from a working-class childhood in East London to the heights of luxury jewelry design is a story of persistence, talent, and taking risks.

Well… this article now covers every single thing (literally) you need to know about Sienna Spiro’s dad, Glenn Spiro.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Glenn Spiro was born on June 1, 1962, in East London, and grew up in a simple London household where school was not a priority. His father worked hard, his mother stayed home, and education was simply a way to keep the children occupied during the day.

Glenn dropped out of school at 14 with no qualifications, a fact he now admits is embarrassing. Interestingly, Sienna followed his father’s footsteps in this, because she did drop out of high school at age 16 to focus full-time on her music career.

Glenn’s entry into the jewelry industry happened by chance. Now, a friend who worked as an errand boy at English Art Works, a Cartier-owned workshop, rarely went to school because they spent their time playing football. One day, Glenn went to work in his place to earn some money. They looked similar enough that for three months, nobody noticed the switch. When they finally realized Glenn wasn’t the person they had hired, they liked him enough to offer him an apprenticeship.

Glenn earned three pounds a week and gave half to his mother. His training included cutting the Queen’s head out of a 3D coin with one blade. He must have shown talent because he was eventually given the option to become an apprentice jeweler. He spent eight or nine years at English Art Works and became a Master Jeweller.

After a year in Hatton Garden, where he met his first business partner Robert, they opened their own workshop in Farringdon Road called Robert Glenn Ltd. They remained partners for nine years and are still best friends today, though their careers eventually took different directions.

A Brief Acting Career

Before fully committing to jewelry, Glenn Spiro had an unexpected stint as a child actor. At 14, his aunt took him to the Adelphi Theatre because she thought his extroverted personality suited acting. Sitting in the auditorium with loads of other kids, Glenn wondered what he was doing there. But when he got on stage, he landed a part as one of the Siamese children in “The King and I.”

The producers then asked if he wanted to read for the part of Louis, the teacher’s son. He agreed because there was extra money involved. He got the role and starred for a year and a half, performing with Yul Brynner and Sally Ann Howes at both the Palladium and the Adelphi Theatre. English Art Works allowed him to attend matinees and evening performances after work. He can still sing all the songs.

Glenn also auditioned for the film “The Champ” with Jon Voight. They offered him the part, but his parents wouldn’t let him travel to America because it was too far away. A kid named Ricky Schroder was cast instead and won an Oscar for the role. That ended Glenn’s movie career, but he believes he would have kept pushing until he succeeded if he had continued.

Building a Jewelry Business

When Glenn and Robert started their workshop, they built four benches by hand. Four master craftsmen who had worked at English Art Works came to work with them, paying bench rent. Glenn’s job was to bring in the work. Their first customer was Garrard, but they soon realized the margins on making jewelry for others were small.

Glenn Spiro hustled for more clients. He knew Gerald Ratner, who had taken over his father’s business of twelve shops. Glenn went to Ratner’s house in Highgate, where Ratner showed him his plans for discount jewelry lines. Glenn offered to buy all the old stock Ratner wanted to offload and supply diamond rings in return.

They cleared out all the Ratner’s shops with a truck. Then Glenn went bankrupt two weeks later because he couldn’t pay Ratner. He thought he could sell the stock quickly, but couldn’t. He went to a diamond dealer and asked to borrow diamonds. They ended up supplying 40 to 50 percent of Ratner’s diamond ring window business, which grew to 2,000 shops at its peak. That put them on the map.

As the business expanded, they merged with others. From the profits, Glenn started buying better stones and making their own jewelry, which they sold to houses like Garrard. Their high-end jewelry line had begun.

The Turning Point

Glenn Spiro worked at Christie’s from 1992 to 2000. He was doing fine, but after his son Joe was born, he needed to make more money. His wife Arabella’s cousin, Gilbert de Botton, was a respected art collector and banker. Glenn called him for advice.

De Botton met with Glenn in his St. James’s office. Glenn explained that he was working hard but not succeeding, and that the Chairman of Christie’s had offered him a job. De Botton drew circles on a piece of paper. “This is the world,” he said. Inside that circle he drew another. “This is England where we live.” Then he drew another. “This is London.” He told Glenn that if he remained on his own, he would stay in that tiny dot. But if he went to Christie’s, his office would be global, open 24 hours a day.

Glenn went straight from that office to Christie’s on King Street and asked if the job was still open. He was 31 years old and wanted to see the world. They said yes and after three months in London, they moved him to Los Angeles with his wife and son. He headed up the Christie’s LA office, which was small then but had huge potential.

The experience changed everything. Glenn saw the world of wealth and luxury at the highest level. When he was working in that small London circle, he made jewelry for others. When he saw the world, there were no limits. Christie’s, along with mentors Francois Curiel and Christopher Davidge, and Gilbert de Botton, changed his life.

Return to London and Private Clients

When Glenn left Christie’s and returned from LA, he rented a building on Grafton Street. A gentleman named Ian Rose, who worked with Moussaieff and David Morris, came to see him. Glenn asked if Ian would like to work with him. Rose was doubtful because Glenn primarily sold to the trade. When Rose asked about salary, Glenn couldn’t offer any money or a contract. Rose had two kids and was hesitant, but he shook hands and joined anyway.

Glenn closed down the part of his business that supplied other jewelers and focused on making pieces for private clients. Ian Rose opened doors to a whole new world of customers.

Innovation with Titanium

Another breakthrough was titanium. Glenn Spiro noticed that at dinner parties, people talked about their designer clothes all night. Men showed off their watches. But women would take off their heavy jewelry as soon as the first course was finished and put it in their handbags. He thought this was ridiculous. These pieces cost more than everyone’s outfits combined, but women were more comfortable wearing nothing than suffering under the weight.

Twenty years ago, Glenn and his team started experimenting with titanium for a cuff. They played around with the metal and over two decades became master craftsmen at using it. He believes they were among the first in the world to master titanium in fine jewelry.

The metal changed jewelry design. Glenn still uses gold, but for earrings, the lightness of titanium makes a big difference. The range of colors achievable is remarkable. No one asks how much the metal is worth because the focus is on the design. That is liberating for both the jeweler and the client.

The Mayfair Atelier

Glenn Spiro now operates from an atelier in Mayfair, housed in the former salon of royal couturier Norman Hartnell. At 16, while working for English Art Works, he had to escort a client to a Hartnell show. He sat in the space and thought it was beautiful.

Years later, when his lease on Grafton Street was ending, Glenn noticed the lights in that salon were never on. He made a couple of calls and secured the space. He commissioned Korner Interiors to refurbish the 278-square-meter atelier, retaining the Hartnell mirrors and restoring the original early 20th-century chandeliers.

The salon occupies the first floor of a Georgian mansion. It was the setting for Hartnell’s couture shows from 1934 until after his death in 1979. Hartnell designed Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding dress and Coronation gown. When Hartnell closed, English Heritage prevented the space from being stripped for offices because the mirror-lined walls and faceted glass chimneypiece were considered architecturally important.

Philosophy and Approach

Glenn Spiro calls himself an artisan of jewels rather than an artist. Many of his clients are big art collectors, but he ultimately considers himself a jeweler. For 25 years, major jewelry brands purchased his creations, designed by Glenn and his team, manufactured in his Geneva workshop, and sold under various brand names.

When clients began coming directly to him, Glenn launched his own label, G London, in Harrods’ fine jewelry room in 2014. His signature designs include titanium engagement rings, gem-studded butterflies, and rings that twist to reveal sizeable stones.

Glenn designs what he likes without a particular client in mind. He tried designing for specific clients before and it went wrong. He makes things he loves, otherwise it doesn’t work. His office safes contain trays of pieces, and every time he opens the vault, he smiles.

The stones are always the starting point for his designs. He has collected rare gemstones for decades, including parcels of tiny Burmese rubies picked out from vintage jewelry. At times he was nearly broke buying those stones, but he trusted their beauty and rarity.

Laurence Graff taught Glenn an important lesson. Glenn’s mother grew up with Graff in the East End. When Glenn brought stones to Graff’s hotel room while working for Christie’s, Graff picked one up and said, “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” The way Graff bought the stone taught Glenn to trust his eyes rather than a certificate. Most of the trade buys a piece of paper, but Glenn has always focused on stones he finds beautiful.

Family Life

Glenn Spiro is married to Arabella Spiro, born on November 11th. He describes her as his muse. When he met her, she didn’t wear much jewelry. She wasn’t raised with it. She looks good in his work but jokes that she’s the worst saleswoman because when he tries to arrange her earrings, she tells him to leave her hair alone.

Arabella has developed an attachment to Glenn’s 40-carat D Flawless Jahanara diamond ring. She says it’s the most beautiful diamond she’s ever seen and that she would wear it everywhere. Glenn hopes she reads this because she’s not getting that one.

The couple has four children. Their eldest son Joe, now in his early thirties, works in the family business. Glenn describes Joe as talented, well-traveled, and knowledgeable about both jewelry and the art world. Joe is more well-read than Glenn and has a real understanding and passion for the business.

Joe has influenced their new collections, particularly those using materials from earlier periods. Glenn is proud to have Joe sit at his table. He’s a good man, kind and wise beyond his years. Glenn guides and mentors him, but there’s a balance between being a parent and being in business with family. Joe has to find his own way.

Apparent from their son, Joe Spiro, Glenn and Arabella also have three daughters. Their first daughter, Sienna, born September 25, 2005, is pursuing a music career. She has over 1.6 million TikTok followers and is professionally represented by Method Music. Her November 2022 performance of “Read all about it” went viral with over 4 million views. The couple’s two younger daughters were 10 and 7 years old in 2016, making them approximately 18 and 15 today.

The Spiro family is Jewish. Arabella is involved with Tikva UK, a nonprofit that supports at-risk Jewish children in Ukraine. Music filled their home, particularly jazz and soul, which Glenn shared with his children. This environment clearly influenced Sienna’s musical path.

Career Challenges and Success

Glenn Spiro’s career has not been smooth. He has lost his homes, lost everything, had his bank account at zero with no salaries for anyone. Those times were hard to get through. But they taught him to focus on the quality of what he does.

He is a first-generation jeweler, which is difficult. The business is small and specialized. Only a handful of collectors in the world buy work at his level, and it’s competitive. To get and keep their attention, he has to keep delivering pieces that surprise and excite them.

Glenn has experienced failure many times in both his personal life and business. But at 62, he realizes that setbacks are part of the journey. There’s no easy route to success. He has always been willing to take risks. If one door closes, he looks for a side door or a window.

When a friend’s father died, Glenn went to sit Shiva. The Rabbi said you can be super-rich and super-powerful and enjoy everything you want, but at the end of the day, all you leave is your legacy. Glenn would like to think he’s a good guy, a funny guy, an honest guy. Humble with good energy. When he’s gone and people talk about him, he wants them to do it with a smile.

Current Standing

Glenn Spiro now has showrooms in St. Tropez, St. Barts, and Los Angeles, places the 15-year-old Glenn at English Art Works wouldn’t have believed possible. He operates with discretion, like Parisian jeweler JAR, who has almost-mythical status. His work is sold through private clients worldwide and at Harrods.

He compares high jewelry to couture. The excitement of going to see a couturier like Oscar de la Renta is the same principle his customers experience. The service and attention are personal and charming.

Glenn believes there are only three or four houses in the world that do what he does, and his is the only one in London. His work is tucked away, as it should be. The things he finds are hidden gems, and hopefully people think of him in the same way.

For Sienna and his other children, Glenn represents persistence and creativity. His path from leaving school at 14 to becoming one of Britain’s master jewelers shows what determination and belief in yourself can achieve. As Sienna builds her music career, she carries forward the same spirit her father brought to his work.