Sybil and David Yurman in the atelier at the Vestry Street headquarters, New York, 2023. Photographed by Norman Jean Roy. Picture credit: © Norman Jean Roy. Courtesy of Phaidon.
New Yurman Book Catalogues the History of One of Jewellery’s Most Iconic Duos
Artists and Jewelers offers a predictable and self-indulgent yet engaging look at the lasting influence of Sybil and David Yurman.
In the world of fine jewellery, the idea of prestige and influence is often understated.
A prime example is the David Yurman brand, of which his wife, Sybil, is an equal part, and whose 42-year run is dwarfed only by their 45-year marriage. Neither is flashy, or necessarily bold, but the cultural touchpoints of their work can be seen across the industry.
Sybil and David Yurman: Artists and Jewelers, published by Phaidon, is a classic retrospective on all of these decades and more. Over 300 pages, the coffee table book turns back the years and follows David and Sybil’s trajectory before their meeting and all that would follow.
Sybil and David Yurman: Artists and Jewelers. Sybil and David Yurman, edited by Thierry-Maxime Loriot. Courtesy of Phaidon.
The book doesn’t begin chronologically but rather with a look at the Yurmans’ influences and passions, and how they connect to Sybil’s art and some of David’s earliest pieces. There are regular Q&As with the couple in various forms, along with candid portraits and a wide array of their projects.
Interestingly, the book does not lose sight of Sybil’s influence when the duo formally started Yurman Designs, Inc. in 1980, and she elected not to have her name added to the brand in what amounts to a marketing decision. From there, readers can explore the evolution of the company with plenty of interspersed sculptures and other works that stem from David and Sybil’s interests outside the business.
Amber Valletta wearing Rio Knot and Noblesse rings, St. Barts, 2001. Photographed by Peter Lindbergh. Picture credit: © Peter Lindbergh Foundation. Courtesy of Phaidon.
Although the company today employs more than 1,000 people and has more than 70 stores, its most striking time of impact could be catalogued from the late 1990s through the mid-2010s when it was involved with a number of high-profile releases and memorable campaigns featuring Kate Moss and Gisele Bündchen.
More recent Yurman enthusiasts might have preferred more photos of newer pieces in the book, which is a digest of the Yurman brand’s history and features as much insight from friends, family, and collaborators as it does fine jewels. Where the book is current and even forward-looking is in the final pages, which focus on their son, Evan, and his role in the family business. While the sole highlight on him feels a bit lavish, it does signal the health and strength of one of 20th- and 21st-century jewellery’s most influential legacies.
Sybil and David Yurman: Artists and Jewelers. Sybil and David Yurman, edited by Thierry-Maxime Loriot. Courtesy of Phaidon.
What the book lacks in engaging prose, it makes up for with photos of interesting art, jewellery, and sculpture to ogle. There’s an over-the-top, self-produced feel to this retrospective, but fans of high fashion will likely find themselves drawn to it as an easy way to follow the path of the Yurman brand alongside the evolution of contemporary jewellery.
