Cats, Colors, Carats: 8 New Jewels From Oscar Heyman

On some level you know what you’re going to get at an Oscar Heyman press preview: an edited but completely staggering selection of the highest-quality colored stones in beguiling platinum and diamond settings.

On another you don’t. For example, today, while I was casually chatting with third-generation company partner Tom Heyman in one of the jeweler’s Madison Avenue meeting rooms, he started rifling in his pocket and then pulled out a Hall’s cough drop. Just kidding—it was actually the most vivid butterscotch-yellow Asscher-cut diamond, which has not yet found a home. Not huge—it was maybe about the size of a peanut M&M—but its sunshine-colored sparkle was a marvel just the same. And the few of us who got to palm and paw it knew we were getting a rare treat.

As for the official product menu, several enticing options presented themselves. I was particularly enchanted with the brooch pictured above, which is a redo of a custom design for a client who commissioned the piece once upon a time, complete with a photo of his kitties snuggled up together just so as a reference point.

Here in New York, today’s a great day to warm up to the idea of cats snoozing on your lap—make that lean, long-limbed cats clad in 18k yellow gold and diamonds with a pair of emerald eyes each. The seven other Oscar Heyman jewels that caught my eye aren’t too tabby, either.

All prices on request.