Oscar Heyman Bypass Ring
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Oscar Heyman for sale on 1stDibs
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.
Finding the Right fashion-rings for You
Throughout history, people have worn rings as symbols. They represented wealth and power for kings. Rings, whether fine jewelry or vintage fashion rings, have been given as gifts to mark significant occasions and accomplishments in life. They are also seen as a sign of love when worn on a certain finger.
For enthusiasts of costume jewelry, which is typically designed to accessorize with current fashions and made of inexpensive materials, there has been no shortage of coveted rings created over the years by the likes of J Dauphin, Miriam Haskell and others. A range of fashion rings created in ceramic or embellished with rhinestones — the latter a source of instant, affordable glamour — have also been designed at Chanel. The founder of the internationally revered luxury house, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, loved costume jewelry but couldn’t resist designing jewelry with diamonds.
Signet rings are one of the oldest types of rings. They often have a family crest or seal engraved on the ring that the wearer can imprint into melted wax. Although most people don’t use wax seals anymore, signet rings are an enduring style.
The type of metal chosen for a ring is an important factor in its design. Gold is a classic choice for fine jewelry, and, for costume jewels, gold offers a range of hues that includes yellow gold, white gold and rose gold. Platinum is becoming a popular choice for its elegance. For fashion jewelry lovers, silver rings remain a must-have accessory, particularly those embellished with turquoise or coral.
A stone can add a pop of color or allure to a ring. Many people choose to wear rings featuring their birthstone. Diamonds are popular with those seeking the perfect engagement ring (a search that can prove intimidating), and they also make beautiful fashion rings, from solitaire rings with single stones to rings with groups of stones.
Zircon rings are similar to diamonds and come in various colors. Some rings feature a large stone surrounded by smaller stones in a halo. They can all be the same stone, or they can have different stones to include more colors.
Fashion rings are an easy way to add jewelry to any outfit. Find a collection of vintage fashion rings on 1stDibs that have glitz and glamour to match your style.