Scott Kay spoke often about his design—and life—philosophy. Among his choice quotes over the years:

1. “Do not follow trends; create your own.” (To Worldone)

2. “Jewelry is an art, not a commodity.” (To Bergen.com)

3. “I design to allow others to express themselves when they wear it, not to express myself.” (To Florida’s Sun Sentinel)

4. “[My first job was] mowing lawns. I saw a pipe sticking up out of the lawn and instead of going around it, I went through it. The lawn mower broke. The owner asked me if I saw the pipe sticking up, I said yes, he then fired me. It taught me a lesson about myself. I would rather go through something than around it.” (To JCK)

5. “You live and you die by who you are.” (Video on SK66)