Chris Pine Flashes David Yurman Ironwood at Premiere in Germany

Evidently Mr. Pine is on Team DY; yesterday he donned an 18K gold Ironwood Collection pinky ring at the premiere of Star Trek Into Darkness in Berlin (see left). The piece appears the gold counterpart of the available-online sterling silver Ironwood Oval Ring, which retails for $425. While I've, in the past, never been particularly fond of the Ironwood Collection, I must say I'm beginning to change my position on the line. I think its distinctiveness is growing on me... that, and I value the opinion of blog reader Marmar, who contends the pieces patina nicely. That's important with silver jewelry; a wearer wants it to age well... or at least this wearer wants it to age well.

So there you have it--my take. Now what's yours? Tell me: What are your thoughts on the Ironwood Collection, pinky rings, or--heck, why not?--Chris Pine? Sound off. Post a comment or shoot me an E-mail.

Are you able to spy the DY?

Exclusive: The Hidden Pieces on DavidYurman.com

Are you aware there is product on DavidYurman.com that can only be found by way of strategic search? That's right; there exist what are, essentially, hidden pieces on the site, pieces that fail to show when one performs an inventory browse or shops by category but remain there, present, behind a proverbial curtain all the while. Don't believe me? Dear reader, have not I earned your unblinking trust? But very well, if it is proof you desire, proof you shall have. Feast your eyes on these pulled-from-concealment men's collection beauties:

We'll start with this guy, a showstopper, truly, if ever there were one. The piece goes by the name of Pave Black Diamond Cushion Ring and retails for $5200. It's a dangerous one, I must say. Look but don't touch. You'll indubitably love it too much.

I love Yurman's (discontinued?) men's Petrvs line. I love the scarab motif. I love this ring. It costs $595. It's spectacular. You deserve it. Make it yours. Do it now.

Next we have a Tuxedo Agate Exotic Stone Ring for men. The design is clean and sleek, which allows the stone to carry (or fail to carry, depending on the cut received) the piece. The price? $550. Follow my link more information or to purchase.

I have truly saved the best for last. This (see left) is my favorite of the hidden gems. It's also one of my favorite recent-year DY men's ring designs. The stone? Meteorite. The shape of the face? Hexagonal. I saw this style at the Chicago boutique on Oak St. and fell in love fast and, evidently, hard, as I made the piece mine on impulse. I have never regretted for a moment the purchase. Now follow my link. On the other side awaits this magnificent ring, priced at $695. Don't think. Just buy.

DY Ay!

That's quite the pointy griffin there.

So either this David Yurman design (see left) is beyond abstract (does that look like a griffin to you?) or there is a image-descriptor correspondence issue with this particular product. What? An inventory data input error on DavidYurman.com?! OK, so stranger things have happened, and yet, curiosity has gotten the best of me. I mean, what do you think one receives if he or she were to order this mysterious item number DYS13_N22D3--the item pictured or the one described in words? Perhaps a smelted hybrid of the two? Heh, I kid. I kid. All the same, why don't you, dear reader, order me one of whatever it is, and I'll report back. ;)

UPDATE: DY has since revised the item's designation to read "North Star Cut-out Amulet" so evidently the wait continues for the emergence of the griffin piece. (I was privately hoping it was the image that was wrong and not the descriptor.)

Briefs: New Arrivals, New Catalog, and DY Goes into Mom Mode

What's new and now in the world of Yurman? Much, actually. Here's a rundown of recent developments.

A slew of new product offerings for men are now available at DavidYurman.com, including leather wrap bracelets, a Maritime star amulet, Waves Collection skull pinky rings, and several Swiss Army knives (see below). Check out all the latest additions here.

Second, those on David Yurman's mailing list received late last week a new S/S '13 catalog from the company whose theme is Design Is in the Details. Pieces and quotations from the catalog can be viewed here.

Lastly, let it be known that DY is in full Mother's Day mode (see below) and that the line with which Yurman is leading this April-May is that of the Starburst with pieces ranging from $750 to $24000.

Does anything say love like the glint of a $1600 diamond pendant? ;)

And with that, what do you know? You are officially caught up on your DY news. Now go forth, and be vibrant. 

American Luxury, Chinese Labor: David Yurman and the Made-in-China Controversy

Pictured here is the small tag that is sometimes strung to
David Yurman jewelry (depending on place of purchase).

Buy David Yurman from a stand-alone DY boutique, and receive a gift box, a receipt, a polishing cloth, and, of course, the piece or pieces themselves. Buy David Yurman from an authorized retailer or from DavidYurman.com, and receive the same... and, perhaps, two additional small tags (which boutique salespeople evidently remove). On one are printed item details and a barcode. On the other are three small but, for some, very significant words: made in China.

So what's the deal? Does DY produce all of its collections in China? Does it matter from where the company's designer jewelry comes? Should it matter? I've done some sleuthing, and here are the best answers I could find to some of the most commonly-asked questions regarding DY and those little gray tags (see left).

Does David Yurman produce all of its collections in China?

Personal experience and non-scientific research tell me DY produces approximately two-thirds of its jewelry in China. I've ordered, to date, some eighteen (18) pieces from DavidYurman.com. Twelve (12) of the eighteen, or 66.7%, arrived on my doorstep with made-in-China labels. Facebook user Lynnette Cook Struggles has also had a 2/3 experience, which she recounts in this message posted to David Yurman's Facebook wall on March 30, 2013:

DID love David Yurman, until I ordered two items ($2,000 value), when they arrived, both had 'Made in China' tags attached and the quality was poor - I could go to a reputable store and buy similar pieces in the costume jewelry section' PLUS when I called customer service, the first person was very unprofessional - second was great and informed me that all of the pieces are made in many different countries - Italy, Switzerland, China - she checked 3 items for me and 2/3 were made in China - very, very disappointed....

Does David Yurman have an official statement? 

David Yurman has maintained in the past that its lines are crafted by skilled artisans around in world, including those in the country of China.

Does it matter that pieces from David Yurman collections are made in China?

Perhaps not but, as Paul Midler of The Telegraph asserts, the made-in-China label is "tainted with a huge number of shoddy and dangerous products." When most think made-in-China, they don't think high-end, luxury jewelry. They think toy cars with lead paint. They think contaminated milk. They think dollar-store miscellany that is designed to exist but not necessarily last.

Then, of course, there is the outsourcing-takes-American-jobs complaint, which HuffPost Super User RosieRetro put like this:

I love how some women are determined to spend money on designer shoes and purses with outrageous prices that are being made by cheap Chinese labor. I stopped buying some designer purses like Coach, due to their "Made in China" tags. Coach used to be made in New York until it packed up its manufacturing operations and moved to China, thus resulting in New York losing jobs. Designer goods are not worth the prices unless the product is actually being made by crafters in the designer's country of origin. Stop paying ridiculous [sic] prices for cheap designer assembly-line output.

Finally, should it matter David Yurman produces in China?

This is where I want to hear from you. What's your take on DY's decision to take much production to China? Is this something about which consumers should be concerned? Should it have no bearing on one's perceptions of David Yurman? Sound off, and have your say. Post a comment or write me an E-mail.

Dream in Color: Attend a David Yurman In-Store Shopping Event

David Yurman's latest collection has to be seen to be believed!

If you've been following this blog, you know already that David Yurman has officially launched its S/S '13 collection, which is titled Dreaming in Color. (If this is your first visit to the site, welcome and, hey, now you know.) To celebrate, Yurman boutiques and authorized retailers are hosting Dreaming in Color in-store shopping events at which guests feast their eyes on DY's latest tantalizing creations while treating (at select venues) their tastebuds to cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Although some events in this Dreaming in Color series have already come and gone (I know; I should have alerted you to their happening), several more are just around the corner. Here's the unofficial lineup:

Friday, April 12, 2013
David Yurman Trunk Show | RSVP
Neiman Marcus, 737 North Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL

Saturday, April 13, 2013
David Yurman Special Presentation
Neiman Marcus, 6 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL

David Yurman Trunk Show
Alson Jewelers, 28149 Chagrin Blvd, Cleveland, OH

David Yurman Trunk Show
Neiman Marcus, 2223 N. Westshore Blvd, Tampa, FL

David Yurman Trunk Show
Neiman Marcus, 2600 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX

Tuesday, April 16, 2013
David Yurman Dreaming in Color Event | FOR INVITE
David Yurman, 40 E Oak St, Chicago, IL

Thursday, April 18, 2013
David Yurman Dreaming in Color Event | RSVP
David Yurman, Lenox Square Mall, Atlanta, GA

David Yurman Event (4-7 PM)
Bloomingdales, Sherman Oaks Fashion Square, Sherman Oaks, CA

Thursday, April 25, 2013
David Yurman Trunk Show
Lee Michaels Jewelry, 6605 Youree Dr, Shreveport, LA

Did I miss an event or any specifics? Shoot me an E-mail or tweet me (@DavidYurmania), and I'll make haste to get the show listed. This page will be updated as correspondences come in and time elapses.

Did you attend a David Yurman Dreaming in Color event? E-mail me with your impressions or photos, and I'll post your contributions to the blog for all the world and the greater DY community to see. Happy spring to all! Now go get seduced by vibrance. ;)