Artists & Soulmates

By Sydney Sadick

In their book, Artists and Jewelers, David and Sybil Yurman reflect on five decades of creative partnership, love, and legacy. From childhood in the Bronx to their home in Amagansett, the iconic couple shares what fuels their bond, their brand, and their ever-evolving artistic vision.

Artists and Jewelers is such a fitting title for your story. What inspired you to put this book together now?

David Yurman: I think it’s just age. I realized that my wife, Sybil, and I have been doing this for 50-plus years. I didn’t want it to just be about jewelry, I wanted to show how we started—what brought Sybil and me both here. We grew up living in the Bronx a few blocks away from each other. Our paths crossed in a sandal shop, continuously being in the same place at the same time. We eventually met, and 56 years later, we’re still married, arguing, loving, doing things, and working on projects. You must have a story to have a brand. And part of writing this book was just taking an even deeper look at that story, our collaboration.

How did you balance storytelling and imagery in the book?

David: When we sat down to write this book and layer in images to illustrate the stories, we realized over the years we hadn’t really shared any of our personal images. So it was easy; we simply shared the story of our lives and the images followed—none had been seen by anyone other than us. The images of our designs and work tell the story, images of my sculptures and Sybil’s paintings.

Because you’ve been with Sybil—married for more than 40 years and known her for 56—what’s the key to maintaining the special dynamic that you have?

David: Do you have a couple of months? [Laughs] I don’t think there is one key, but rather: respect—a lot of respect—fear, to keep you in line, and just remembering that we are each other’s partner. Sometimes, my wife can be blunt. I’ve realized that everything Sybil says to me is what she thinks is the best.

Sybil, what were your first impressions of David when you met him?

Sybil Yurman: He looked sensitive, and he had a kindness and tenderness about him. Great blue eyes. He listened. He was curious. It was a visceral attraction.

David Yurman has obviously become a household name in American jewelry. What does legacy mean to you today?

David: I like the fact that we’re in so many homes. We’re not just jewelers to stars; we’re jewelers to people. We’re jewelers to families, mostly. So I feel good about it; they’re Yurmanites. They’re all part of the family. I love that.

What does summering in the Hamptons mean to you?

Sybil: It’s wonderful out in the Hamptons. We have a home in Amagansett. It’s a quiet place. It’s a place for family. It’s a place to relax. It’s friends. And I have a studio where I can paint. David can sculpt. It’s just a quiet place is what it is. I have two retired reigning horses in Bridgehampton.

How do you see the brand evolving over the next decade?

Sybil: We’re constantly involved in exploration and innovation of materials. So that means the unique settings, unique cuttings of stones. And my son, Evan [president of David Yurman], and David are both major collectors and aficionados of unusual stones and the resourcing of that. As we move forward, we will continue to develop high jewelry designs.