It didn’t matter that Marilyn F. Cooperman didn’t have any formal training when well-known American luxury jeweler Fred Leighton asked her to design jewelry. By then, she had written professionally about fashion, established her own clothing company, and built up so much New York City chutzpah that she could have made it anywhere.
When she was 20 years old, the Toronto-born Cooperman moved to New Zealand and wrote a newspaper column about fashion and beauty. In 1963, she relocated to New York City and opened her first clothing company, Max and Marilyn, where she sold Art Deco–inspired clothing to department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdale’s.
Cooperman designed a collection of resort wear for Fred Leighton’s apparel store, but by the mid-1970s, she returned to writing and worked as a fashion director for Seventeen magazine and later held editing roles at Simplicity and Vogue Patterns.
In 1987, Leighton, an esteemed red carpet jeweler who has become known for bringing antique and 20th-century jewels to a discerning international clientele, asked Cooperman to design accessories for his store on Madison Avenue. She accepted his offer and took up studies on wax casting at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
After five years of designing for Leighton, Cooperman opened her own jewelry company, Marilyn F. Cooperman, Inc. Her earrings were brightly colored, eye-catching confections that featured opals, rubies and blue sapphires, and she created innovative, alluring bracelets that mixed patinated silver and 18-karat gold. Her accessories were a hit, especially among celebrities, political figures and royalty.
Cooperman’s jewelry is held in the collections of the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, the Yale University Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She was on the Board of the American Society of Jewelry Historians.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Marilyn F. Cooperman earrings, brooches and rings.
Marilyn Cooperman Keshi Pearl and Diamond Day to Night Earrings
By Marilyn Cooperman
Located in San Antonio, TX
18k gold and platinum ear pendants by Marilyn Cooperman, consisting of 5.00 carats of diamonds surrounding inlaid Keshi pearls of various sizes. Earring drops detach for day or night wear...
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
1 Carat Diamond Day Night Halo Earrings 14 Karat White Yellow Gold
Located in New York, NY
These are a beautiful and romantic pair of 1 Carat Diamond Earrings in a Day Night halo design. The halo of eight diamonds surrounding each c...
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Marilyn Cooperman Snowflake Diamond Earrings
By Marilyn F. Cooperman
Located in New York, NY
Pair of signed Marilyn Cooperman Yellow Diamond Snowflake Earrings set in 18kt Yellow Gold and Patinated Silver
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Day & Night Sapphire Diamond Floral South Sea Pearl Drop Earrings 1.96 Carats
By Harbor Diamonds
Located in New York, NY
18K White Gold South Sea Pearl 12-13 mm Sapphire : 1.70 Carats Diamonds: 0.26 Carats Pearls can be taken off and worn as a stud.
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Marilyn Cooperman Fire Opal and Tsavorite Drop Earrings
By Marilyn F. Cooperman
Located in New York, NY
Marilyn's version of "Hot Peppers" served up in 18kt Yellow Gold with stupendous Fire Opals - Total weight 25.71cts and sprinkled with bezel and prong set Green Tsavorites. SignedM...
Opal, Tsavorite, 18k Gold
David Webb Platinum 9.92 Cttw Diamond and Pearl Day to Night Earrings
By David Webb
Located in New York, NY
The David Webb Baroque Pearl and Diamond Drop Earrings in platinum exemplify the designer's mastery in creating breathtaking and unique pieces. This exquisite pair of earrings seamle...
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Diamond Day And Night Earrings
Located in New York, NY
Diamond Day And Night Earrings A pair of earrings featuring a pave movable drop suspended froma diamond floral motif earring. Measurements: 2.25" long Back Type: clip on with po...
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
$6,388Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 1.18 in D 0.55 in L 1.18 in
MARILYN COOPERMAN Earrings In 18Kt Gold Oxidized Sterling Sapphires & Pearls
By Marilyn Cooperman
Located in Miami, FL
Sculptural earrings designed by Marilyn Cooperman (1936-2020). This is a gorgeous pair of clips-on earrings, created in New York City by the artist jewelry designer Marilyn Cooperma...
Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Gold, Y...
Marilyn Cooperman Gem Set Earrings
By Marilyn Cooperman
Located in New York, NY
Marilyn Cooperman Gem Set Earrings 18k yellow gold. The earrings contains various cuts of amethysts, citrines, tourmalines, aquamarines, peridots and emeralds weighing approximatel...
Marilyn Cooperman Diamond Gold Platinum Earrings
By Marilyn F. Cooperman
Located in New York, NY
Signed Marilyn Cooperman Clip on Shell Earrings evocative of the Sea in a very sultry manner. Each Shell has a pierced center section, pave s...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Pearl and Diamond Day & Night Earrings
Located in New York, NY
Pearl and Diamond Day & Night Earrings Day and night earrings with 2 cultured pearl drops accented with marquise and round cut diamonds. Total Approximate Diamond Weight: 3.18 car...
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Platinum
Elizabeth Locke Brown Diamond & Pearl Day and Night Dangle Earrings
By Elizabeth Locke
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
From the celebrated and ever-chic designer Elizabeth Locke comes this sophisticated pair of earrings, exquisitely crafted in 18k yellow gold. At the center of each earring rests a lu...
Brown Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique agate day-to-night earrings
Located in New York, NY
A pair of Georgian gold and agate day-to-night earrings, comprised of cushion-shaped tops suspending detachable drop-shaped pendants, each framed by intricate cannetille work, in 18k...
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold
Marilyn Cooperman Diamond Emerald Bead Gold Leaf Earrings
By Marilyn Cooperman
Located in New York, NY
A pair of one-of-a-kind 18 karat gold, diamond and emerald bead leaf earrings, by late contemporary jeweler Marilyn Cooperman. One earring back stamped MFC.
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold