Encountering ice in nature can be a magical experience. The transformation of water into solid form creates exquisite patterns and captivating translucence. Whether it’s a frozen stream or icicles covering a tree, ice encases a world of beauty—crystallizing moments of enchantment.
 

For Sybil and David Yurman, an ice storm made their first date in 1969 an unforgettable day. After meeting at sculptor Hans van de Bovenkamp’s studio in Manhattan, Sybil invited David to join her on a trip to Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County, New York. Their connection deepened as the two artists explored a winter wonderland, the branches of the trees glistening like a picture from a Russian fairy tale. 

Like his parents, Evan Yurman came across a scene straight out of a children’s book in upstate New York. Last year on a walk with his three children, he spied a hidden ice cave. Cascading water from a stream had frozen over its entrance. Inside, “each part of the cave had a different characteristic in the way the ice formed, creating beautiful textures and a magical play of light,” he recalls. “It was an amazing discovery for my children—they were immediately enthralled.” There was even an icy spider web, which scintillated in the wind like a tapestry of diamonds. “It was an experience that I wanted to share with everyone,” inspiring the Chief Creative Officer to evolve last year’s wildly successful paper forest concept with a new focus on this natural phenomenon.

Replicating the cool luster of ice in 45 flagship locations across the globe, hundreds of outposts in department stores and independent jewelry stores, a national ad campaign, a freshly redesigned site, shopping bags, a holiday mailer and greeting cards is no small feat. Fortunately, Evan found a creative—and natural—way to accomplish this massive endeavor. “In order to recreate the frozen cave, we used a material called selenite, a crystalline mineral that looks like ice.” Through our research and development specialists, David Yurman sourced selenite from a Utah mine “where a local team has dedicated their lives to excavating this material.” High in the state’s arid mountains, large shards of “Utah ice” shimmer in the sun like the extraterrestrial setting for a science-fiction film. “It’s truly a sight to be seen,” declares Evan.

Building upon last holiday’s theme of playful paper animals, this season’s campaign celebrates polar bears and arctic ice—two important issues close to the Yurmans’ hearts. Part of our commitment to preserving nature’s most precious gifts, our new windows and site raise awareness for Polar Bears International, the only non-profit with a sole dedication to conserving these mighty creatures and their fragile home. In December, we will also be donating a portion of the proceeds from our online Silver Ice® shop—a special selection of sterling silver designs with hand-set diamonds—to support the organization.

To give our polar bears the look of frozen sculptures, we worked with New York–based ice sculptor Shintaro Okamoto of Okamoto Studio to capture each carved detail in selenite. The David Yurman creative visual services team also collaborated with a local glassblower to transform glass into banks of snow. The result—an artistic vision of ice—is truly enchanting to say the least and best experienced in person at one of our boutiques.