Zealand Stroud is not yo' mama's jeweler. Or he might be, actually.  Either way, we like his style. Zealand is a 2nd-generation jeweler, who, for the last 13 years, has been creating distinctive and lovely adornment on the corner of 900 E and 2100 S. It's a location with some history for him, actually; previously a pizza joint, he spent a fair bit of time here as a kid.  These days, Zealand runs a very different joint, complete with warm customer service, unique designs, and a personal touch. These aren't Costco diamonds. Read on...

What's the deal with your awesome name? My pops lived in New Zealand and fell in love with the place. He wanted to share the Māori culture with his family. It's also known by the Māori people as Aotearoa, often translated as "land of the long white cloud".

What about your middle name? My middle name is Squires Kauhane. My grandmother gave mythe Hawaiian name, which means "the man". From an early age, my name afforded me the opportunity to be different. There aren't a lot of "Zealands" out there.

Do you have a hidden talent? I don't know...they're hidden.

What is your ideal workspace? The mountains, where I can find inspiration in nature.

What's beautiful to you? In jewelry, it's detail and elegance. Within any craft or art, there are people who understand all of the intricacies. As a jeweler, it's important to pay attention to all of the details.

What catches your eye on the street? Beauty. The way something lays. The way things sometimes just appear. Colors through the water. Beauty is natural and doesn't have to be 'done up'. I smile at beauty when I walk down the street. Life is pretty grand.

If you owned SLC, you would...add more cultural diversity. We need Chinatown, Little Italy. Diversity. We have really cool people here from all over the world, but you don't see the diversity reflected in the city.

What couldn't you live without? Snow. It would be tough if we didn't have snow. This year was tough.  I almost died.

What do you love about your life? I come from a big, dynamic family. There are 8 kids (I'm #3) and 13 grandkids. It's such a talented, interesting group of people. My parents have been married for over 30 years and they're still like teenagers in love.

Do you have a favorite room in your house? The finished one...[laughs]. I love the back yard. It constantly needs my attention. Cool things and bad things happen in my yard, which backs up to a park.  Wild and random [homeless guys camped out], we watch movies in the park, neighbors all interact.

What's your favorite drink? Moose Drool.

Share your opinion on aliens...they have cool eyes. Every alien I've seen has had cool eyes. And nohair. No hair would be nice. No more shaving.