For a collection that honors and reflects back on 110 years of family business, there’s something inherently modern and whimsical about the jewelry created to celebrate the century-plus anniversaries of jeweler Oscar Heyman and its retail partner M.S. Rau.
The 110 Collection feels like it could be worn both by the immaculate Elizabeth Taylor as well as the charming Tina Fey, both of whom Oscar Heyman has worked with on previous pieces. Something about the collection’s blend of remarkable color, dynamic shapes, and over-the-top craftsmanship make it both respectable and drool-worthy at the same time.
Tom Heyman is used to such compliments, as the historic jewelry company has always gone for showstoppers, he says. Yet he agrees that there is something sweet and special about using his family’s historic designs to come up with today’s classics that makes the 110 Collection a standout.
“There are three facets to our business: The quality of the design, the quality of the gemstones, and the quality of the manufacturing,” Heyman says. “The fourth is the quality of our retail partners.”
That is why Heyman says he’s delighted to work with New Orleans–based jewelry expert M.S. Rau as the exclusive partner for this set of 12 pieces, all of which will be revealed to the public for sale starting Oct. 22.
The two companies are both celebrating 110 years in business, although they just started working together recently, says Heyman and Rebecca Rau, who is part of the fourth generation working at her family’s fine art, antiques, and jewelry gallery on Royal Street.
The 110 Collection is inspired by Oscar Heyman classic designs, which the two partners pulled from its huge archive of drawings—pretty much everything the jeweler has ever done has been preserved. Here’s what collectors or anyone who loves old stuff will appreciate the most: Each person who becomes the next caretaker for the pieces in this collection will receive a signed, hand-drawn rendering of the original design—something Oscar Heyman has never done before.
Each drawing will include a 110 Collection logo on it as well, making it truly singular for those who go gaga over archival materials.
Rau says M.S. Rau traveled to New York to the Oscar Heyman studio to go through its archive, which was thrilling enough. But to work alongside its jewelers to come up with the 12 designs and see them come to fruition in the 110 Collection was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she says.
For her, the 110 Collection is “substantial yet easy and fresh” as well as “wearable across generations,” something that is evocative not only of Oscar Heyman but also of M.S. Rau as companies that want to both serve their customers but preserve a gentile, elegant way of doing business. The 110 Collection, which ranges in price from $50,000 to $700,000, will be available exclusively at M.S. Rau’s gallery or through its website.
“It was an opportunity to do something unique to us from a collecting perspective,” Rau says. “We’ve always seen each other at shows, and [our companies] have a lot in common, so this collection speaks to our mutual respect for one another.”
Heyman agrees. “We pay attention to all of the little details,” he says of both companies. “We take the better rather than the quicker fork in the road.”
Top: The 110 Collection is a partnership between “the jeweler’s jeweler” Oscar Heyman and venerable jewelry retailer M.S. Rau, both celebrating 110 years in business. One of the 12 pieces in the collection is this 13.55 ct. cushion-cut green tourmaline ring with 1.07 cts. t.w. baguette and round diamonds; price on request (photos courtesy of Oscar Heyman and M.S. Rau).
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