Description

Specialties

1898

• Messenger at Marcus & Co.
• Took jewelry-making classes at night and trained at Marcus & Co. during the day.

1902

• Began to string pearls for Marcus & Co.

1906

• Promoted to Salesman working his way to General Manager

1920s

• Established his own firm.
• Created his own distinctive style.

1930s

• Extensive use of platinum.
• High-quality gemstones i.e. Kashmir sapphires and Burma rubies.

1940s

• War years resulted in a change to yellow gold and palladium with semiprecious stones.

1950s

• Return to platinum.
• Used some imported French yellow gold mountings for brooches and bracelets.

1958

• Raymond Yard retired. He turned the firm over to 3 of his employees.

1960s

• Moved the firm to 580 Fifth Ave.
• Introduced baguettes set with claws.
• More French mountings used.
• Classic Yard styles and new styles made the firm prosperous.

1970s

• Abstract designs, metal featured.

1989

• Firm taken over by Robert Gibson Jr. (son of one of the 3 Yard employee successors.)