In 1906, brothers Oscar and Nathan Heyman arrived in New York City from Latvia, bringing with them skills forged abroad. As teenagers—just thirteen and sixteen—they had been sent to apprentice at a Fabergé workshop, where they developed the discipline, precision, and mastery that would define their work.

Oscar Heyman was hired by Pierre Cartier as the first non-French jeweler employed at the House, helping to establish Cartier’s New York workshop and earning early recognition for his expertise. Nathan excelled working in a tool-and-die shop in Long Island City, experience which would serve his future company tremendously.

In 1912, Oscar, Nathan, and their younger brother Harry founded Oscar Heyman & Brothers. In the years that followed, six more siblings joined them in New York; ultimately, eight of the nine Heyman brothers and sisters would contribute their talents to the House.

More than a century later, Oscar Heyman remains independent and family-run, stewarded by the second and third generations and recognized worldwide for exceptional jewelry.

From the beginning, the House was defined by a profound devotion to craft, achieving standards few workshops could equal. Oscar and Harry were talented jewelers, while Nathan brought the skills of a trained tool-and-die maker. Together, their combined knowledge bridged artistry and engineering, leading to seven patents for jewelry design and construction filed between 1916 and 1942.

That commitment to technical excellence endures. Highly complex designs are embraced and celebrated. The House maintains its own tool-and-die shop—now a rarity in an industry increasingly reliant on casting and CAD. There, each setting and component is formed from solid plates of precious metal, producing pieces of remarkable durability and refinement.

Throughout the twentieth century, many of the world’s most celebrated jewelry houses entrusted Oscar Heyman with the execution of their most important creations. Working discreetly behind the scenes, the House crafted extraordinary pieces for names such as Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, and Cartier—pieces that entered history under those maisons’ signatures, while bearing the unmistakable hallmark of Oscar Heyman.

That collective influence was brought into full view at the 1939 World’s Fair. At the House of Jewels, Oscar Heyman-crafted pieces appeared in each of the five major exhibition cases, revealing a single workshop behind many of the era’s most extraordinary jewels. It was there that the House earned its enduring title: “The Jewelers’ Jeweler®.”

Over time, the quiet authorship behind many iconic jewels became increasingly apparent. When Oscar Heyman creations surfaced at auction, they were immediately recognizable for their unmistakable craftsmanship and design. It was through the auction world that Oscar Heyman became known by name to collectors globally, as pieces made on behalf of other houses consistently commanded premiums for their provenance.

Today, the House maintains meticulous paper archives dating back to 1912. Original job envelopes record the full history of each piece ever created, including gemstone counts and weights, metal specifications, individual artisans involved and their hours, costs, and retailers. Many works are further documented through hand-drawn gouache designs, a practice that remains central to Oscar Heyman’s design process today.

Clients seeking archival research on an estate piece are invited to inquire at concierge@oscarheyman.com.