Transition to jewelry
In the early 1970s, Yurman and Kleinrock moved to Carmel in upstate New York. They formed a company called Putnam Art Works, which specialized in sculptural jewellery.[5] Throughout the next decade they exhibited their jewellery designs, sculptures, and paintings at various galleries and craft fairs. They became key figures in the American craft movement. Through Putnam Art Works, the Yurmans learned about the marketplace for fine crafts and artisanal jewellery. They married in 1979 and founded the David Yurman company a year later, with Sybil Yurman acting as a co-creator and collaborator in all facets of the business. Their son, Evan Yurman, was born on January 31, 1982.
In 1977, Yurman was chosen as one of 12 jewellers to exhibit at the first New Designer Gallery at the Retail Jewelers of America Show (RJA) in New York City. This exhibition provides a pivotal connection between traditional artisans and established merchandisers.[8][9] During the 1980s and 1990s, the David Yurman company was at the forefront of the emerging category of American designer jewellery.
In 1999, David and Sybil Yurman opened their first store in New York.
In 2000, the couple collaborated with the David Lipman advertising agency and photographer Peter Lindbergh for their first advertising campaign. It was shot in St. Barts in France with Amber Valletta as the face of the brand.[5] In 2003, Evan Yurman joined the company, and in 2004 he became the design director of the Men's and Timepiece Collections. In 2009, he launched an exclusive collection of high-end jewellery and began overseeing the company's Wedding Collection, which debuted in 2006.[10]
In 2017, Rizzoli published David Yurman Cable, the brand's first book.[7] The monograph explores cable as an archetypal form and Yurman's artistic use of it as his signature through essays by Paul Greenhalgh, William Norwich, and Carine Roitfeld, and a foreword by Sybil and David Yurman.
Brand ambassadors include actor, director, producer, Golden Globe[11] and Oscar Nominee[12] Michael B. Jordan, singer Shawn Mendes,[13] model, actor Hero Fiennes Tiffin,[14] model, actress Iris Law,[15] and actress Eiza González, who was announced in February 2025 which reflects the brand's appeal to diverse audiences [16] and other people.
