What do David Yurman, Van Cleef, and Arpels have in common?
Well, despite being widely successful jewelry houses, they also are two brands who have experienced a spike in popularity within recent years. However, one major difference is while Van Cleef is on its way out, David Yurman is on its way in.
Clashing brands and changing trends
As an admirer of both brands, I wonder why such different brands are in such high demand within the same demographic. And what creates this shift in trend?
Some have attributed this shift to economic recession. What do economic recession and fashion have in common? Apparently a lot, according to Vogue. Depending on the amount of fabric used, colors trending, and the location the item is worn, all can be symbols of economic recession.
Masterworks, an art investment platform, mentioned the idea of a hemline index. This is an economic study Marjolein van Baardwijk and Philip Hans Franses published (2010), showing that hemline and market conditions are negatively correlated. When one goes up, the other goes down.
For example, during the prosperity of the 1920s, hemlines on skirts and dresses became shorter. This contrasts with the 1930s, when mid-length dresses and skirts made a comeback. In conclusion, we can say that the transition back to basic and practical silhouettes, as well as muted colors, are all signs of an economic downturn.
How does this relate to jewelry?
One can also apply this theory to the jewelry industry. In 2024, we saw the Van Cleef boom. While always a popular brand, Van Cleef saw a huge spike in popularity this past year. Being worn on everyone from basketball players, to models, to your favorite influencers, all having at least one Van Cleef Alahambra bracelet in their stack.
However, as time has passed, the Van Cleef craze has subsided, leaving a sense of an overdone feeling for the majority of the fashion community. According to the discourse on TikTok, David Yurman is expected to be the next most popular jewelry brand. You might be asking yourself, why not Cartier or Tiffany?
Cartier is tricky because although its ever-present popularity still looms, especially with their iconic love bracelet, it seems the general discourse online for why you shouldn’t buy it is two things: 1) there are too many replicas on the market (similar sentiment to Van Cleef after its spike); 2) people feel uneasy with Cartier after their fairly recent decision to stop the authentication of bracelets brought into their store.
Tiffany is another solid choice. However, their prices for their pieces (both gold and silver) are higher. In some cases, excessively heightened for the material you’re paying for. Especially when it’s charging thousands for a sterling silver piece. The value of the material and the price just do not match. The value would plummet on the resale market. This makes some of their pieces not a smart investment.
How David Yurman compares
Pricing
This is where David Yurman comes in. Not only is their pricing considered quite fair (see Bethenny Frankel, who talks about this on her TikTok), but they’re also good quality. David Yurman’s classic cable, arguably their most popular product, is priced at $395 for sterling silver with an accent of 18k gold on the ends.
This is compared to another sterling silver powerhouse like Tiffany, which charges $550 for their Tiffany 1837® Cuff in Silver, Narrow. This is comparable in size and material to the classic cable by DY, but without the additional material or gold. Tiffany’s two-tone Return to Tiffany tag bracelet is around $750, roughly $300 more for the same materials.
Functionality
Now we know that David Yurman is cost effective, can we also consider it practical? I decided to test this out myself. Having always been partial to the Sculpted Cable collection when it came out in 2023, I decided to buy one of their new releases this summer from that line.
I purchased the DY Mercer Two-Row Cuff Bracelet (pictured below) and have been wearing it for the last month. I have owned David Yurman pieces in the past, but not a bracelet, so I was intrigued by the wear and tear it might endure. I’m very rough with my jewelry.
However, after wearing it among my stack, clicking and clacking with other bracelets and hard surfaces, it has totally kept its shape. There is one minor scratch along the smooth part of the cuff. Other than that, there are no visible scratches. It also went with everything, was easy to throw on, and was surprisingly very comfortable for a cuff bracelet. For reference, I got a medium size.
Aesthetic
And finally, we have the style of each piece. Van Cleef was once considered the epitome of quiet elegance, but after its recent surge in popularity, the Alhambra is now very recognizable. The “if you know, you know” idea that used to be at the heart of the brand has slowly slipped away with its resurgence in public. While this doesn’t deny the beauty of the bracelets, it has left some people to turn to subtler alternatives.
This is another reason why people who value quiet elegance will not be turning toward Cartier’s Love Bangle anytime soon. David Yurman certainly has very recognizable styles, but as stated before, the return of the Sculpted Cable collection has added a classic, understated, and wearable option to the everyday jewelry stack.
With its minimalist style and classic look, the DY bracelets certainly fall into the category of a return to minimalism during an economic recession. This leaves one to wonder if this change really is coincidental or economically related. After what we’ve seen today, I would say this trend shift is definitely rooted in recent economic outcomes. Or at least after noticing a wave of more intentional spending by the public: buying based on value of material, investment value, and functionality over a trendy symbol or logo.
What now?
In this way, the shift from Van Cleef to David Yurman isn’t just about fashion trends. This shift is really about how consumers re-evaluate value during uncertain economic periods. Just as hemlines have reflected historic periods of prosperity, jewelry serves as its modern index counterpart. Consumers lean toward designs that balance luxury and usefulness, making fashion a living barometer of the economy.
Whether we are in an economic recession or not, one thing will always remain the same. While people may look for unique and classic looks, neither fashion house is going anywhere anytime soon. It all boils down to one’s own personal style and taste.
Personally, I will always admire both jewelry houses for different reasons and different collections. Keep in mind, we’ve only compared two out of the many collections each house possesses. However, one cannot deny that the connection between the fashion industry and a country’s economic outcomes is tied to one another.
