Jewelry designer David Yurman believes in the power of history.
In almost 35 years of sketching some of the most coveted and copied accessories for his eponymous brand, Yurman has never erased a single line.
“You want to see where your first line goes, and you want to see what you correct,” Yurman said. “You can learn from your history.”
The designer’s past, and present, was the topic of a recent event at Saks Fifth Avenue in Phipps Plaza. A question-and-answer session with Saks President Ron Frasch, modeled after Bravo’s “Inside the Actors Studio,” gave local Yurman devotees an intimate look at the designer, his work and his life.
Over the years, Yurman’s transition from sculptor to jewelry designer has been well-documented.
In the 1960s, the Long Island native drifted to Provincetown, Mass., to serve as a sculptor’s apprentice. For a decade, he worked under different sculptors, doing everything from chauffeuring wives and picking up laundry to completing projects.
“I did whatever they wanted just to be around these very interesting sculptors to see their living philosophy, not so much their process,” Yurman said.
Along the way, he met his future wife, Sybil, and began making jewelry for her. It was a hobby, but at Sybil’s urging, it became a business they founded as newlyweds in 1979. In the early 1980s, a sterling silver and gold twisted bracelet with gemstones at each end became an instant success and secured Yurman’s position as a creator of timeless pieces.
“It’s just a sound bite,” said Yurman when asked how he felt about being called the “cable guy.” “We have moved into the upper end of fashion jewelry.”
The company cuts all of the stones in their designs and continually seeks innovative ways to set the finest of diamonds. “I’m meticulous about detail,” Yurman said.
He doesn’t believe in just designing jewelry, he wants to know how it is being made — the part of the process that is typically left to engineers. With an average of 270 new designs created each year, that is more than a few details to keep up with, but Yurman is in his element.
His inspiration often comes from seeing distinct materials and thinking about how they might fit together. Yurman was mixing gold and silver before it reached mainstream acceptability. His now signature cable jewelry was the result of a choice between cable or mesh to create the designs he had in mind. The ability to see new uses of existing materials is a talent Yurman sees in men like the late Steve Jobs or Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia.
“They didn’t invent anything,” Yurman said, “but they modified it and had the ability to see an application.”
Yurman continues to co-design with his wife, who has a habit of telling him to be more gutsy, he said. The couple often have spirited exchanges about designs, but any differences are resolved.
“It doesn’t matter who starts, it only matters that we agree,” Yurman said.
Among their newest creations are the Renaissance Bangle, a version of the twisted cable bracelet in sterling silver with four gemstones (priced in the range of $495 to $595) and a $39,000 Starburst necklace in yellow gold with pave diamonds.
In recent years, Atlanta has surpassed Texas as one of the best markets for Yurman jewelry, the designer said, though it is often men rather than women fueling the growth.
“We are so much more successful in our men’s business,” Yurman said. “Men wear a lot of jewelry in this town and they wear it well.”
In 2004, Yurman’s son Evan began designing men’s jewelry and in less than a decade, he has revamped the business and helped it grow tremendously.
Male or female, the consumer of fine jewelry has evolved over the years, Yurman said. They are more educated. They want something fresh and they want to see the techniques of the artisan, he said.
Finding the inspiration to continue creating new and exciting designs requires more than exposure to new things, Yurman said, it also demands a bit of the history he deems so important.
“An artist or designer has memory. Your body knows when you haven’t been practicing,” said Yurman citing author Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 Hour Rule, which suggests that it requires at least that many hours of practice to become an expert in any field.
“Inspiration may come to you,” Yurman said, “but you have to be in shape for it.”
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