Look Book

14 www.thejewelrybook.com computers for design… but we still do it all here in the shop." Heyman's bold moves caught the eye of jewelers and collectors alike. The company became known for employing the high- est quality metals, unusual gemstones and incredible innotive mechanical advances to create stunning designs. In fact, Yvonne Markowitz, the recently retired curator of fi ne jewelry at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, is currently researching and writing a book celebrating this rich history. Expected to be published later next year, the book will reunite the present with the past. The book will present decades of history through sketches, stories and images of the jewelry which were generously loaned from col- lectors around the world to complete this project. "We received an astounding response from our dealers and customers when we asked to borrow pieces for a photo shoot. We received over 150 pieces of jewelry when we were only expecting 40 or 50!" Pleased with the discoveries already made during this extensive research project, Oscar Heyman continues to seek out bro- kers and collectors who may have estate pieces to share. Among the more unique discoveries made during their research is a brooch that went to the moon on Apollo 16. Made as a limited series for the captain and co-cap- tain of the mission, this circle medallion with pavé eagle was one of the few personal items stashed in the captain's one "shoe box for personal possessions" that traveled to the moon. "They asked me to appraise this brooch," explains Heyman. "So I told them the cost to replace it is probably $15,000, but it would be many millions to put it back on the moon." The in-house reference library archives nearly 200,000 renderings of every design ever made. Every Oscar Heyman design has a correlating sketch as well as a unique production number stamped on the piece. "A couple of pieces came in that we didn't necessarily know were ours until we found a sketch or work order. Often we even found the counts and weights," says Heyman. The archives unite the present and past in other fun ways. Currently the fi rm is exploring a patented hinge sys- tem from the 20s and 30s typical of fl at bracelets from the era. "We researched the tools and dies to remake those again…something we haven't done in 40 years," says Heyman. "There was a series of 20 or so dies to make one hinge and we think maybe one is missing…we need to solve the puzzle." Other projects, like two very similar bird bracelets made nearly 100 years apart – one an art deco creation from 1925 and the other a current version from their inventory – provide an echo of the past with a modern riff. Today this heritage jeweler, this jew- eler's jeweler, is not only known for its legendary past but is producing gem-stone driven designs using exciting and stun- ning stones. Oscar Heyman is a company very interested in looking forward; using its history and tradition while seeking new stones, new sources and new ideas. "Our designs have always been gem- driven, that will never change," refl ects Heyman. "What's changed is that instead of waiting for these stones to come to our offi ce, we are out searching the globe." "We are pushing ourselves out of the comfort zones of the past, focusing on being relevant in the future," says Heyman excitedly. Current designs at Oscar Heyman show a real affi nity for what Heyman calls "sub- lime" stones: Star rubies and sapphires, cat's eyes, fi re opals with a play of color, alexandrite, paraiba, aquamarine, mandarin orange garnets, lagoon tourmaline. "Open a jewelry box and it's a box of candies." Heyman is particularly excited about a pair of lightening ridge half-moon opal earrings that should make their appear- ance just in time for the Vegas trade shows at the end of May 2015. "We have been innovators from the start," says Tom Heyman. "So while our history is incredibly important to us, innovations have built this brand and we are very excited about where we are going." O S C A R H E Y M A N O N T H E C O V E R Vintage advertising Sketch 1925 Finished 2015 Apollo 16 brooch

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