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Oscar Heyman

Known as “the jewelers’ jeweler,” Oscar Heyman (1888–1970) designed pieces for Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston and Black, Starr & Frost. The family-run Oscar Heyman & Brothers jewelry company was founded by Heyman with his brothers Nathan and Harry in 1912. Jewelers from Latvia, they had trained at their great-uncle’s workshop, which had clients including Russian imperial jeweler Fabergé, before immigrating to the United States in the early 1900s.

After arriving in New York, Oscar worked with Pierre Cartier and Nathan was a tool maker at Western Electric before they came together to open their jewelry business. Highly skilled craftsmen, the Heyman brothers quickly developed a roster of high-profile clients — primarily big-name jewelers — drawn to their work with dazzling stones and meticulous design. In 1917, Black, Starr & Frost commissioned the brothers to design an American flag brooch, which would become a recurring motif in the Oscar Heyman & Brothers portfolio. They also designed the Pansy brooch in the 1930s, another long-popular accessory that was produced exclusively for Tiffany & Co. toward the end of the 20th century. After Heyman designed for four of the five jewelers on view at the 1939 World’s Fair House of Jewels (Cartier, Udall & Ballou, Marcus & Co. and Black, Starr & Frost), the company was given the moniker “the jewelers’ jeweler.”

Heyman & Brothers later designed gem-encrusted medallions that traveled to the moon on Apollo 16, the necklace setting for the 69-carat diamond Richard Burton gave Elizabeth Taylor in 1969 and even a pair of ruby-encrusted Stuart Weitzman stilettos in 2003. Over the years, the company has entranced such clients as Evelyn Lauder, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Billy Porter and Tina Fey with its pieces.

In 2012, the century-old jeweler underwent a rebranding to simplify its name to Oscar Heyman and today is still run by the Heyman family, which manages the whole process from alloying their own metal to cutting and polishing their gemstones to assembling the final product in-house. In 2017, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston published a monograph authored by Yvonne J. Markowitz and Elizabeth Hamilton that details for a broader audience the history of Oscar Heyman, an unsung company that’s long been behind some of the biggest names in jewelry.

Shop authentic Oscar Heyman rings, brooches and bracelets on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$18,860
Styles
Related Creators
Oscar Heyman Art Deco Emerald & Diamond Bracelet
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New York, NY
Oscar Heyman Art Deco Emerald & Diamond Bracelet. A legendary multi-gem bracelet featuring 2 pear shape and 1 emerald cut emerald. The bracelet also consists of round and baguette-...
Category

1920s Art Deco Vintage Oscar Heyman

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, Platinum

Oscar Heyman Brothers Invisible Set Sapphire & Diamond Earrings
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New York, NY
Oscar Heyman Brothers Invisible Set Sapphire & Diamond Earrings A pair of earrings with 4 rows of square cut sapphires & 2 rows square cut diamonds set in platinum. Sapphire Weight...
Category

1970s Vintage Oscar Heyman

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum

Oscar Heyman AGL Certified Tradition Colombian Emerald Diamond Earring Platinum
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New York, NY
Designer Oscar Heyman Colombian Emerald AGL Certified Minor Traditional Emerald cut emerald Diamond Earrings ,Estate In person ea...
Category

20th Century Oscar Heyman

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Platinum

Oscar Heyman Mandarin Garnet Earrings, 9.54 Carats
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New Orleans, LA
The radiance of the sunset shines from these rare orange Spessartite garnet earrings by Oscar Heyman. Featuring a blazing mandarin color, the gemstones are certified by C. Dunaigre a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Oscar Heyman

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Mandarin Garnet, Platinum

Oscar Heyman Brothers Art Deco Emerald Bracelet
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New York, NY
Oscar Heyman Brothers Art Deco Emerald Bracelet A platinum bracelet set with 31 baguette-cut emeralds. Made circa 1920 Accompanied with a certificate of authenticity Approximate ...
Category

1920s American Art Deco Vintage Oscar Heyman

Materials

Emerald, Platinum

Oscar Heyman Cat's Eye Alexandrite Ring, 3.65 Carats
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Weighing 3.65 carats, the captivating cat's eye alexandrite in this Oscar Heyman creation exhibits the unique color change for which these rare stones are legendary. The cabochon sto...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Oscar Heyman

Materials

Alexandrite, White Diamond, Cat’s Eye, Platinum

Vintage Oscar Heyman Diamond Platinum Half Eternity Band
By Oscar Heyman
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
One Vintage Oscar Heyman Diamond Platinum Half Eternity Band. Featuring 31 round brilliant cut diamonds with a total weight of approximately 1.25 carats, graded F-G color, VS clarity...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Oscar Heyman

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum

Oscar Heyman Ceylon Sapphire Earrings, 10.60 Carats
By Oscar Heyman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Two impressive cushion cut Ceylon sapphires totaling 10.60 carats are set in these glamorous earrings by famed jewelry designer Oscar Heyman. Displaying a vivid "royal" blue hue, the...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Oscar Heyman

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum

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Oscar Heyman jewelry & watches for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a range of Oscar Heyman jewelry & watches available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique items was designed with extraordinary care, often using platinum. While looking for the most stylish antique or vintage Oscar Heyman jewelry to pair with your ensemble, you’ll find that Oscar Heyman diamond jewelry & watches, from our inventory of 183, can add a particularly distinctive touch to your look. We have 203 pieces in this collection as well as a number of other designs by this jeweler. While this collection reflects work that originated over various time periods, most of these items were designed during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider jewelry & watches by Avanti, Sebastian Bernard, and Zorab Creation. Prices for Oscar Heyman jewelry & watches can differ depending upon gemstone, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,960 and tops out at $500,000, while pieces like these, on average, can sell for $24,898.

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