Henry Dunay - Jewelry Designer and Philanthropist

Born in New Jersey, Henry Dunay is one the great American jewelry designers of our time. He has even been called a "legend." Legend or not, Henry Dunay is an exceptional jeweler and he always has been. Unbeknownst to him, he started his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice to a goldsmith in Manhattan, where he has been a resident for the last 25 years. His workshop and gallery are located in Rockefeller Center - where he started at 14. After the seven year apprenticeship was over, during which his talents were recognized by the master goldsmith, Dunay struck out at the youthful of age 21 to build his own reputation and name. His first designs featured meticulous pave setting techniques - one of the techniques he learned as an apprentice - in one-of-a-kind items. In 1965, he established Henry Dunay Designs which has grown to become a leading luxury jewelry brand.

Dunay jewelry is always created with the same philosophy in mind: balance and softness. Balance and line are part of every piece, regardless of size or materials, while the forms are softly rounded. Texturing is often added to create the illusion of movement and fluidity. Henry Dunay jewelry is eternal, regal and always grand.

His talents as a designer are unquestionable. His commitment to numerous philanthropic and educational activities is commendable. He is involved with the following causes: (1) American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFar), (2) Council of Fashion Designers seventh on Sale, (3) Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, (4) Make-A-Wish foundation, (5) the New York Philharmonic, (6) The Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, as well as his charitable work for Multiple Sclerosis. As part of his charity work with AmFar, he designed the world famous Lachrymosa Diamond Mask, an item put up for auction by Christie's as part of AmFar's "Glitter and Giving" campaign. The diamond mask featured 135 carats of diamonds and required 2,000 hours of manufacturing time for Dunay to complete.

Designer with incredible talent and skill, philanthropist with a big heart, Henry Dunay is a treasure in the luxury jewelry industry both for his designs and his efforts with these numerous organizations.