Elite Traveler Summer 2023

LEADERS IN LUXURY JEWELRY

Fromright Gra ff has long acquired, cut and set some of the most beautiful and rare gems in the world

The fabulous four

Many of the world’s leading jewelry houses have a rich history and a fascinating heritage behind them. It is this legacy that shapes the present collections, innovative ideas and jaw-dropping designs. From Harry Winston purchasing an emerald for 25 cents and reselling it for $800, to Coco Chanel’s early days as a circus cabaret singer, we look at the four biggest names and delve into their past — as well as take a closer look at their most stunning pieces.

GRAFF Founded in 1960 by Laurence Gra ff in London, Gra ff has long acquired, cut and set some of the most beautiful and rare diamonds and gems in the world. The brand is also, though, a master at setting those stones into remarkable jewelry. Gra ff has, since its inception, followed a motto that quality comes fi rstand foremost — especially when setting a legacy stone. After all, the family-owned Gra ff operates at the pinnacle of the high jewelry realm and has procured some of the most famous jewels such as the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona rough diamond discovered in Botswana, which Gra ff cut to reveal the 302-carat Gra ff Lesedi La Rona diamond — the largest square emerald-cut diamond in history. Gra ff also procured the 47.39-carat brilliant yellow Star of Bombay diamond in 1974, the largest Flawless Fancy Blue diamond in the world in 1984 (a 39.31-carat Imperial Blue diamond), and the famed 603-carat Lesotho Promise diamond unearthed in 2006. Owning these rough stones is one thing, but knowing precisely what to do with them takes a master’s eye, a master cutter and a master polisher. Additionally, once those polished diamonds are in hand, the creation of magni fi cent jewelry designs takes a master artist, master craftsmen and master jewelers. Vertically integrated, Gra ff is all of this and more, and routinely creates spectacular pieces. Such is the case with the exceptional necklace the brand unveiled earlier this year at Paris Couture Week. The high jewelry piece is a superb three-row fancy-cut diamond necklace that culminates with a 50-carat D Flawless oval diamond — accented all around with more diamonds for one of the most scintillating works of wearable art. The incomparable piece features another 100 carats of pear-, emerald-, oval-, round- and baguette-cut diamonds. This necklace is a revolutionary expansion of Gra ff ’s Tribal collection. It utilizes di ff erent sizes and layers of diamonds, mixing unusual fancy-cut shapes and setting them in an abstract way so they capture and re fl ect the most light. According to Gra ff , the concept is to focus on that center 50-carat oval diamond that was discovered in Lesotho as a stone that, when tossed in water, evokes ripples outward. The majestic necklace is a work of geometrics, of tribal in fl uences that combine Gra ff ’s unique and visionary design ideas with its unparalleled craftsmanship. It displays the house’s passion for fabulous jewels and commitment to creating invaluable, visionary museum-worthy pieces. gra ff .com

by Roberta Naas

Family-owned Gra ff operates at the pinnacle of the high jewelry realm and has procured some of the most famous jewels

This high jewelry necklace utilizes di ff erent sizes and layers of diamonds, mixing unusual fancy-cut shapes and setting them in an abstract way so they capture and re fl ect the most light

PhotosGra ff Diamonds