Book Review: Oscar Heyman, The Jeweler’s Jeweler

Sometimes we forget that we have a rich American history in the world of watches and jewelry, but the new book just coming out on the market, Oscar Heyman, The Jeweler’s Jeweler, reminds us of that past. The family-owned, New York City-based Company has been in business since 1912 and the book by Yvonne J. Markowitz and Elizabeth Hamilton underscores the growth of the company and the scope of its superb jewelry making adventures.

The brand, known also as Oscar Heyman & Brothers, has been meticulously crafting jewelry and adornments for some of the most elite jewelry houses in America – hence the nickname the “jeweler’s Jeweler.” However, the brand has also designed for top clients around the world — all for more than a century.

The book, which includes more than120 color illustrations and images, traces the brand’s evolution from Russian immigrant family to its all-important role as a high-style American jewelry company.  Published by MFA Publications, the book traces jewelry made from the early 1900’s, though the Art Deco era, the World Wars, the Space Age and more. As you peruse the high-gloss pages, you may well recognize designs made over the years for such brands as Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, among others.