David Yurman: Revolutionary Luxury Design

David Yurman Jewellery is synonymous with innovation, craftsmanship, and timeless elegance. Their bold styles, unconventional materials and artistic values helped to catapult the brand to international fame.

Before his name and company became world-renowned, Yurman was an artist and sculptor. Now 50 years later, Yurman’s artistic sensibility continues to redefine the American luxury jewellery industry and his classic design styles still remain sought-after by collectors.

An Artist’s Story

Born on Long Island, New York in 1942, David Yurman was interested in art from a young age. As a teenager he met Cuban sculptor, Ernesto Gonzalez, who taught him the technique of direct welding, a practice that involved melting thin metal rods to create linear, three-dimensional forms. This marked the start of Yurman’s passion and ambition for sculpture.

In the 1960s, Yurman worked for world-renowned sculptors, including the celebrated cubist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, and Hans Van de Bovenkamp, who is best known for his monumental abstract sculptures. During his time in Bovenkamp’s studio, Yurman met a young painter named Sybil Kleinrock; this fateful encounter would result in a life-long creative partnership and love story.

Building a Brand

While David Yurman was clearly a talented artist, his foray into jewellery making and design happened unintentionally and is largely credited to Sybil, his then girlfriend and future wife. She asked him to make her a wearable piece of art, based on his sculptures. The result was a bronze necklace made of intertwining figures, which Sybil wore to an art gallery opening in New York City. Almost immediately, Yurman received multiple offers to purchase the necklace.

A decade after they met in 1969 the couple married, and by 1980, they founded the David Yurman company. They spent a decade working and designing together, driving across the country, exhibiting their designs, and building a loyal client base. In 1999, they opened the first David Yurman boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City.

Since that time, the David Yurman brand has become known for its unique styles and combinations of materials and is often cited as changing perceptions of fine jewellery and how it can be worn. At a time when luxury jewellery designers were exclusively working with gold, David Yurman was experimenting with setting diamonds in sterling silver. This led to a new category in the industry – American Designer Jewellery – a more attainable approach to luxury jewellery.

Design Styles

At the crux of the brand’s innovation is the ‘Cable’ motif. Designed by Yurman in 1983, the motif made up of metal rods that twist around each other creating a sense of movement and strength in the pieces.

His first piece to bear this motif was a distinctive bracelet design consisting of twisted sterling silver with gemstone caps on the finial ends, creating an open cuff design. Yurman’s inspiration for the design came from antique Greek and Roman torques that he would frequently admire at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This recognizable cable design was the springboard for the brand’s growth over the years and remains at the heart of David Yurman’s designs.

Looking to The Future

Today the David Yurman brand continues to operate as a family business with creativity, innovation, and impeccable craftsmanship as their driving values. Sybil and David often describe their business as “one long art project” and although the couple have taken a small step back in the business, their son Evan Yurman continues creating, designing and innovating wearable pieces of art. As artists first, the Yurmans continue to redefine what it means to be a luxury brand and their collections, old and new, continue to appeal to collectors.

Waddington’s is pleased to offer an excellent selection of David Yurman’s classic designs in our spring Silver & Costume Jewellery and Luxury Accessories auction.

About the Auction

Silver & Costume Jewellery and Luxury Accessories

Featuring over 200 lots, this auction features dozens of name brands and is highlighted by wonderful Mexican silver by William Spratling, Antonio Pineda and an ‘O’Keeffe Belt’ by Hector Aguilar.

Also included are over 25 lots from David Yurman plus items by Tiffany, Cartier, Paloma Picasso, Elsa Peretti, Georg Jensen, Kim Naver, Patricia Von Musulin, Stephen Webster, David Andersen, Angela Cummings, Prada, Hermès, John Hardy, Coro, Peter Bauer, Butler & Wilson, Montblanc, Vrba, Pandora, and Links of London.

View all lots in the auction here.

The auction begins to close April 10, 2025 at 2 pm ET.

View the pieces in person at our Toronto Gallery:
Sunday, April 6 from 12 noon to 4 pm
Monday, April 7 from 10 am to 5 pm
Tuesday, April 8 from 10 am to 5 pm

Or by appointment.

Please contact us for more information.