Though just a few decades old, the Solari David Yurman bling has become one of the most iconic pieces in the industry. Like the sun for which it is named, Solari marks David Yurman’s return to the sphere as the centrepiece of a collection. Evolved from Orbit, which debuted in 2005, the elemental shapes embody the simplicity of modern sophistication which buyers and sellers can only find in jewelry as beautiful as the Solari David Yurman collection.
What makes the Solari so attractive? | Solari David Yurman
David Yurman was born on Long Island, New York in 1942. As a high school student, Yurman sold small sculptures in his school’s cafeteria. But his artistic ambition was really ignited when he met Ernesto Gonzales, a Cuban welder and sculptor. The two met in the artist town of Provincetown, Massachusetts where Yurman was visiting his sister for the summer. Gonzales introduced Yurman to welding, teaching Yurman how to wield a hot torch to heat and fuse metal. Yurman’s interest in sculpture deepened and he began experimenting with his own metal sculptures and jewelry designs.
After graduating high school, Yurman was briefly enrolled at New York University. However, after his freshmen year, in true bohemian spirit, Yurman dropped out of school and hitch-hiked his way to California where he joined a beatnik artist colony on the rugged Big Sur coastline.
In the late 1960s, the Art Movement drew Yurman back to New York City. Yurman worked with Hans Van de Bovenkamp who is best known for his large scale and abstract sculptures. It was in Bovenkamp’s West Village studio that Yurman met Sybil Kleinrock, a Bronx native and gifted painter. The two quickly fell in love. The rest, as you can guess, is history.
After the couple was married in 1979, the newlyweds launched their namesake brand in 1980. In 1983, Yurman introduced his now-signature piece: the cable bracelet. His double-helix of winding silver ropes with finial ends was a commercial success and spring boarded the David Yurman brand. The cable bracelet remains a best-seller today and is a cornerstone motif of the David Yurman aesthetic, frequently incorporated into various new designs
What you should’ve known
Country-of-origin-conscious collectors, rejoice! David Yurman’s new-for-SS16 Solari Collection, which features wraps and drops of 18K gold and orb-ified stones, is made exclusively in the United States and Italy.
You might wonder why this matters when discussing the Solari David Yurman, or why anyone cares at all from where DY hails. You see, DY has had some quality-control issues in the recent past… that, and, well, a legacy of manufacturing (they would probably say “crafting”) in China. Some see this sudden and dramatic shift in choice of source countries as a response to perception problems. The Solari David Yurman launched quietly, when it did. The collection celebrates the orb, its moniker a nod to the sun, and includes bracelets, necklaces, and crossover rings in 18K yellow gold with lapis lazuli, black onyx, carnelian, turquoise, chrysoprase, and cultured pearls. Pieces start at 450 USD.
