Jewelry Design Spotlight: David Yurman

jewelry design
by: Ben Tseytlin - on Antiques & Jewelry

David Yurman is a renowned American jeweler who first launched his brand in 1980. In the decades since its founding his privately held jewelry firm has increased in popularity and prestige, which is largely the result of their unique style which is combined with world class craftsmanship.

David Yurman Bracelets

While David Yurman produces various types of Jewelry, they’ve become most famous for their bracelets. Their cable bracelet in particular has become an iconic piece, which jewelry enthusiasts consider as American as apple pie or football. This bracelet consists of metal which is twisted into tubes, forming a distinctive design which is an extension of Yurman’s starting career as a sculptor. His ability to translate sculpture into jewelry pieces is the hallmark of his creativity.

David Yurman Earrings

Aside from their bracelets, David Yurman also produces fabulous earrings, some of which carry a price tag in the mid five figures. The jeweler is known for their usage of yellow gold (18K) along with their fully customized baguette cut diamonds. The Yurman family regularly sits down with their design team as well as craftsman to make sure the earring design is carefully translated from conception to reality.

A great deal of care is put into maintaining the brand’s unique distinctive style while simultaneously incorporating new ideas into every piece of jewelry. This is demonstrated well in their Stax Eternity series, which reveals the brand’s history, along with its present status and future. The earrings utilize a similar cable element as the bracelets, complimenting them while conveying power and confidence.

David Yurman Necklaces

David Yurman necklaces, like their earrings and bracelets, incorporate classical metal cable. However, in recent years they’ve become experimenting with Technicolor along with vibrant gemstones. These stones will usually be placed within cords that will then be twisted and attached together with diamond caps on both ends which are magnificent. The best example of this is their diamond wrap necklace, which consists of spinel beads which are red in color and have 655 carats, along with diamonds which are 7.3 carats. Another outstanding David Yurman Necklace is the Night Petals, which was inspired by the starry night skies and lily filled pond near the family’s New York home. The Night Petals necklace consists of flower petals which are shaped abstractly with diamonds and 18K gold that has been blackened. This spectacular necklace costs over $150,000.

David Yurman jewelry was designed for high society socialites who crave attention, sophistication, and uncompromising luxury. Perhaps the brand’s greatest achievement is showcasing American jewelry design and ingenuity in an industry that has historically been dominated by European jewelers. David Yurman was one of the first American jewelers to bring the United States to the forefront of jewelry design, and continues to make its mark in the industry with its sculpture inspired style.