A B O O K F O R C O L L E C T O R S
David Yurman Cable Book
Selected passages from the authors
The Cable Revolution and Evolution
The Cable Revolution
and Evolution
by Paul Greenhalgh
As a primary form, cable is found in the natural world and in the arts; as such it belongs to a universal family of shapes across world cultures…These sculptural forms run through the whole of human experience.
Long before humans, plants made cable, and by example taught us how to do so. Throughout history, cable is linked with communication and connection. Archeological evidence from diverse areas indicates cable was originally developed as a technology for giving strength to materials by twisting natural fibers together…Through nature, technology, and art, cable connects the full range of human experience.
In unlocking a connection with the creativity of the past, the cable motif allowed the Yurmans to inhabit a world derived from an ancestral family of design.
David Yurman, well before he formalized a career as a sculptor and jeweler, prophetically encountered the meaning of cable in nature. He recounts a story about his youth: “Occasionally, I made the rebellious decision to play hooky and visit a wooded area with beautiful trees encircled with enormous hanging vines, so strong you could swing on them. It was a visceral connection with a natural form.”
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About the author:
P A U L G R E E N H A L G H is the director of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich, U.K., and the former director and president of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C.
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We became fascinated with forms from the ancient world when we first developed cable, continuing in the classical tradition. In this way, the modern and ancient worlds intersected—the ingenuity of the two twisting into each other.
We became fascinated with forms from the ancient world when we first developed cable, continuing in the classical tradition. In this way, the modern and ancient worlds intersected—the ingenuity of the two twisting into each other.
A limestone monument of Aththaia, daughter of Malchos,
wearing a cable necklace and a pair of matching bracelets.
2nd century A.D., Syria. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
A limestone monument of Aththaia, daughter of Malchos,wearing a cable necklace and a pair of matching bracelets. 2nd century A.D., Syria. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Yurman Continuum
by William Norwich
There are many things that make Yurman jewelry exceptional works of art. “Inventiveness” would be at the top of the list and “classic” next...Classic and innovation are words not usually used together. Certainly, pertaining to David Yurman cable designs, they define his inspiration.
Over the course of nearly forty years, cable unites an artistic body of work. Throughout every David Yurman collection, cable is used in innovative and beautiful ways—as a contrast to smooth polished metal or by flattening its cylindrical shape so the cable becomes a relief and an experiment in perspective. Cable is used as an accent, a bead, a setting, a clasp, and carved in stone.
As a subtle signature, it often appears on the inside of a ring or back of a pendant where only the wearer will see it. David transforms cable into knots, referencing cable’s connection to rope. Or, he will sculpt it into a woven motif to interpret nautical rope. When David mixes gold and silver, the striking combination of metals is united by cable. Oval link chains signify that cable is a motif that runs through all the designs and is the symbol of connectivity.
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About the author:
W I L L I A M N O R W I C H has written and edited for The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Town & Country, Architectural Digest and New York magazine among other publications.
John Augustus Roebling’s (1806−1869) distinguished career began with the development of wire rope, and the design of suspension bridges, including the Brooklyn Bridge.
Glamour
by Carine Roitfeld
Fashion is a dream. Each morning you dress to become a different woman. If something is a big success, it’s because of its beauty and reverie first.
To the Yurmans, creating jewelry is to make a feeling. It’s not just silver and gold. They want to communicate that emotional connection in the photographs…Jewelry is different than fashion, since it has longevity and this timeless message should come across in a photograph.
Many people are inspired by what David does. He began by making sculpture to wear for [his wife] Sybil. Together, they discovered the beauty of cable and he made a bracelet for her. To connect with cable in this way, with classical jewelry that he made contemporary, is fantastic—no one had done this before.
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About the author:
C A R I N E R O I T F E L D is a stylist and founder of CR Fashion Book.
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There’s nothing I don’t like about Cable. I feel totally at home and embraced by the form. I know what it can do and what I can do with it. The future is wherever it takes me.
