The History of Henry Dunay

The influential jewelry designer Henry Dunay began his swift rise to success at just 14 years old, when he began serving as a jewelry apprentice for a master goldsmith in New York. He quickly developed his own talent and passion, working his way up the ranks to become a master model maker and setter in his own right. In 1956, at the remarkably young age of 21, Dunay started his own company and began designing and selling his own jewelry. He built a team of the world’s finest artisans and stone cutters to implement his designs.

Dunay’s works included the Faceted Collection, which consisted of gold pieces with many surfaces, achieved by creating deep cuts into the metal. His Cynnabar Collection was a tribute to Eastern Art. And he released a collection featuring semi-precious gemstones of various colors called Color-Me-Henry. But Dunay is perhaps most famous for his Sabi finish. Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, which emphasizes simple elegance, Dunay’s Sabi motif consisted of finely hand-etched lines in brushed gold that required remarkable precision and skill to create.

To see our selection of striking Henry Dunay estate designs, visit Eiseman Jewels at NorthPark Center in Dallas.