1958 & 1961
Birthdays
In 1958, Isaac Levy is born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the second of three children. Three years later, Orna Eliav is born halfway around the world in Jerusalem. Her mother, a descendant of the famous Moussaieff pearl merchant family, owns and operates the luxury jewelry shop in Jerusalem’s famed King David Hotel. According to family anecdote, Orna knew how to string pearls even before she could walk.
1963
A New Start on Life
At the tender age of four, Isaac immigrates with his parents and siblings to Israel. The family settles in Jerusalem where they attempt to adjust to an unfamiliar new life. Isaac contends with many social and economic challenges but it is these same hardships which inspire him to become a successful entrepreneur.
1981
A Fateful Meeting
Isaac and Orna both happen to be invited to a pool party at the Hilton Hotel in Jerusalem. In the parking lot of the hotel Isaac swoops in and takes Orna’s parking spot. On the way into the hotel, she confronts Isaac for his brazen behavior. From that moment on, Isaac and Orna begin their partnership both in life and business.
At 1982, Always a free thinker, when Isaac proposes to Orna he surprises her with a pair of diamond earrings in lieu of a traditional engagement ring. Their joyous wedding is celebrated at the same Jerusalem hotel where they first met two years previously.
1986
A New Generation of Jewelers
The young married couple is unemployed, short on cash, and not sure what to do with their lives. One day, while lounging on the mattress that stood in as a bed in their one bedroom apartment, Orna shows Isaac how to string pearls. Isaac is so captivated by the luminous gems and the artistry and skill required to create jewelry that he persuades Orna to start a jewelry business with him. Hence, the brand is created under the name Isaac Levy Jewelers.
1987
The First International Exhibition
Isaac and Orna present their designs at their first international exhibition only one year after founding their jewelry company.
1989
An Iconic Collection
In the 1970’s, the high pollution levels in Lake Biwa virtually eliminate the production of Biwa pearls, the flat coin-shaped pearls exclusively found in the ancient lake in Japan. Isaac and Orna purchase the last remaining inventory of Biwa Pearls and create from them one of their all-time most popular collections, the feminine Biwa Collection.
1991
A Change of Name
The brand changes its name to Yvel, the Levy surname spelled in mirror image.
2005
Industry Recognition
Yvel receives a succession of prestigious awards for its innovative designs including The Golden Apple Award and Town & Country Magazine’s “Best in Pearl Design,” among others.
2008
Introducing a New Trend in Pearl Jewelry
The sensual Golden Brown Collection emphasizes the beauty of the unusual shades and colors of South Sea Salt Water Pearls complemented with 18k yellow gold and adorned with diamonds.
2010
Social Responsibility
The socially minded Levys decide to launch a corporate responsibility program for Yvel. They open the Megemeria School of Jewelry & Art to provide immigrants from Ethiopia with professional training and employment opportunities. The life-changing initiative is called Megemeria which means new beginning in Amharic, the native language of Ethiopia.
2010
Grand Opening
With 100 employees, Yvel is thrilled to move into its new permanent home—the state of the art 50,000 square foot Yvel Design Center charmingly built to incorporate a 160 year old preserved winery.
2011-2014
Award Winning Designs
Yvel is presented with more design awards including three consecutive Centurion Design Awards for its masterful one of a kind creations.
2015
The First USA Boutique
Yvel’s first boutique in the United States opens in the Miami Design District. With its nature inspired interior design, the boutique is fashioned to reflect the organic aesthetic of the brand’s jewelry.
2016
30 Years of Cultivating Beauty
Yvel marks its milestone 30th anniversary with a string of year-long celebrations and exciting initiatives including a luxurious new booth at the Baselworld 2016 exhibition, and four fresh jewelry collections – Reef, Almog, Peacock and Sunset Collections.