Yurman, David

(1942- )

   Born in Great Neck, Long Island, New York, Yurman began his career as a sculptor who hung out with Beat artists of the 1960s: painter Franz Kline, sculptor Ron Boise, and writer Norman Mailer. In the 1970s, Yurman created two jewelry collections for Cartier and together with his girlfriend, Sybil, started their company, Putnam Art Works. The couple married in 1979 and, in 1980, created a new company called David Yurman, designing jewelry that combined precious stones in silver settings. In 1981, Yurman won the Designer of the Year Award from the Cultured Pearl Associations of America and Japan and, in 1982, he created his most often copied signature piece, his cable bracelet design. In 1983, Yurman won the Intergold Award and, in 1994, launched a line of watches. His cable jewelry is trademarked, copyrighted, and stamped with his designer hallmark and is the core of most of his designs. He and his wife are responsible for creating a relaxed, more modern approach to wearing elegant jewelry which, up until that time, was either too dressy or too costumey. In 1999, he created his famous Angel pin, inspired by one of his earlier sculptures, and also opened his first retail store on Madison Avenue. Yurman's collections are a favorite among Hollywood celebrities—Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Jay-Z, and Damon Dash, to name a few—and are advertised on some of the world's top models including Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell, Naomi Watts, and Kate Moss.

   The brand's empire consists of its iconic Cable Collection, numerous limited editions, Silver Ice, Pearls, fine timepieces, men's, and Cable Kids. Yurman is one of the few designers who actively pursues copyists and wins millions of dollars from settlements of copyright and trade infringement lawsuits each year.

   The Yurman collection is sold to more than 450 fine department stores worldwide as well as in its ten signature stores. In 2004, David and Sybil Yurman received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Jewelry Information Center's annual GEM awards. Their son, Evan, is now involved in the business. They are active philanthropists and have raised money for numerous causes. In 2001, they formed the David and Sybil Yurman Humanitarian and Arts Foundation, which cites individuals who fund and give of their time to charitable causes, most notably Elton John and Steven Spielberg. And, in 2005 they partnered with the American Red Cross to auction fifty lots of jewelry to raise funds for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.