Rubel Jewelers - David Yurman

designer spotlight

by CAROL BESLER

DAVID YURMANSEA SENSATIONS

David and Sybil Yurman, both fine artists, have been collaborating together since 1969, creating beautiful jewelry that has always been inspired by the beauty that surrounds them. “Everything we design is a reflection of our experiences in life,” says Sybil, who was inspired by a long-ago vacation to create the new Tides collection. The diamond-encrusted designs capture her memories of peaceful ease and solitude during a time on Formentera, an island near Ibiza off the southern coast of Spain. “The collection has the vibrancy of the sun, the sea, and the island,” says Sybil.

The ripples of polished sterling silver or 18k gold that characterize the Tides collection are designed to emulate the ebb and flow of ocean tides. They are engineered to undulate with fluid movement reminiscent of the cycles of the sea, creating a meditative moment. Sterling silver hand set with diamonds evokes the luminescence of a moonlit walk along the shore. “There’s something about the warmth of the sea and sun, the ease of floating in the water. It was one of the most relaxing times in my life.”

Sybil found herself in Formentera in the 1960s, when she decided to leave California to visit friends in London. After a month or two, she took a job as a junior stylist for British photographer David Bailey, a defining force in the era’s Swinging London scene. After a shoot one

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The Tides collection is proofthat warm memories providethe best inspiration.

day with the iconic model Twiggy, one of the hairstylists asked Sybil if she wanted to join them on a trip to Spain. Wanting to experience something new, Sybil agreed, and got a haircut along the way.

First, they visited Ibiza, and Sybil remembers not only the breathtaking Mediterranean vistas but also the riotous party scene. “It was about dancing and abandonment,” she says. “No one wore tops and everyone was beautiful. I enjoyed living there, but eventually wanted to get away from it all.” That’s when she ventured to Formentera. “I had no idea where I was going, so I and one other person got off the bus at Sant Francesc, thinking it was a town.”

The sleepy village had nothing beyond a café and a grocery store. “We both went into the grocery store, and it had only an onion, some rice and a can of sardines. He took the onion and I took the sardines.” After reaching for the same bag of rice, Sybil introduced herself to the other passenger, a Dutch film-and-music critic. She proposed making dinner together, and they became friends. At night, Sybil wandered the island by moonlight, taking in the elemental beauty of Formentera. “It was just sky, water, pine trees, and rocks.” During the day, she would “have lunch at a little shack on the beach and then just lie in the water as the tides gently moved in and out.”

The Tides collection is proof that warm memories provide the best inspiration — a reminder of life’s greatest moments.

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