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More than 60 years after its founding, the House of Graff is still upholding the family values it was built on, creating some of the world’s most fabulous jewels
Born and raised in East London, Laurence Graff made his first foray into the world of jewellery at the age of 15 with an apprenticeship in Hatton Garden, widely regarded as the jewellery capital of the UK. Ignited by a passion for diamonds, the young and ambitious entrepreneur went on to establish Graff Diamonds in 1960, when he was just 22, and opened his first two retail boutiques two years later in London.
Today, the House of Graff has more than 60 boutiques globally and is renowned for some of the most fabulous jewels in the world. From the grade and preciousness of the gemstones to the impeccable design and craftsmanship of each creation, Graff jewels have the reputation for being of the highest quality, which can be largely attributed to the fact that Graff continues to be a family‑run business—with the “King of Diamonds”, as the founder is known, serving as chairman of the company, and his son François leading it as CEO, his brother Raymond directing its jewellery production, and his nephew Elliott taking care of its operational logistics, merchandising and design.
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Above Models (pictured from left) Qun Ye, Aya Jones and Grace Elizabeth are the modern‑day goddesses fronting the Graffabulous campaign (Photo: Graff)
Models (pictured from left) Qun Ye, Aya Jones and Grace Elizabeth are the modern‑day goddesses fronting the Graffabulous campaign (Photo: Graff)
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In addition to being one of the few jewellers in the industry that is directly involved in every stage of the jewellery‑making process, from sourcing to cutting, polishing, designing and crafting, a member of the Graff family personally selects every stone that passes through the house and oversees each stage in the journey of a piece of Graff jewellery. In this way, customers can be assured that there are no compromises in the making of a Graff jewel, and that each creation has met the highest standards of the founding family.
Throughout the years, Graff has also made headlines for acquiring some of the most rare and precious gemstones known to exist. These include centuries‑old stones as well as more recent discoveries such as the 1,109‑carat Lesedi La Rona—the largest rough diamond found in more than a century and the second‑largest ever discovered. In the skilled hands of Graff’s master cutters, the extraordinary brilliance of the Lesedi La Rona was revealed as a whopping 302.37‑carat diamond.
Named Graff Lesedi La Rona, it is the largest diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America as being of the highest colour and highest clarity, and is also the largest square emerald‑cut diamond in the world—testament to Graff’s excellence in cutting, polishing and handling the best gemstones.
Above Graff unveiled a show‑stopping necklace featuring a 50‑carat oval diamond at Haute Couture Week in Paris this year (Photo: Graff)
Graff unveiled a show‑stopping necklace featuring a 50‑carat oval diamond at Haute Couture Week in Paris this year (Photo: Graff)
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Beyond creating buzz with its sensational acquisitions, Graff strives to be just as inspiring and outstanding in its jewellery creations. Case in point: an exceptional new necklace featuring a rare 50‑carat D flawless oval diamond along with 100 carats of pear‑shaped and emerald‑, oval‑, round‑ and baguette‑cut diamonds, which was unveiled earlier this year at Haute Couture Week in Paris.
In order to further emphasise the beauty of the centre stone, emerald‑cut diamonds are set in a graphic frame around it, together with sleek rows of calibré‑cut diamonds that radiate outwards and create a depth effect, where the 50‑carat oval diamond appears to be floating upon the surrounding diamonds. The sizes of the sparklers on the necklace also graduate down from the centre stone to the back of the necklace—like ripples spreading out from a stone dropped in water.
Above One of the standouts in the Graffabulous collection is this necklace with alternating clusters of emerald beads and diamonds leading to an intricate centre motif (Photo: Graff)
Above The polishing of a Graff Tribal necklace with yellow and white diamonds (Photo: Graff)
One of the standouts in the Graffabulous collection is this necklace with alternating clusters of emerald beads and diamonds leading to an intricate centre motif (Photo: Graff)
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The fantasy continues in Graff’s Graffabulous campaign, which showcases more than 80 unique pieces of high jewellery over six chapters. A total of 3,600 carats of diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires feature in the collection, a display of some of the most audacious creations by the house to date. These jewels reveal a new level of intricacy with unprecedented layers of detail that demonstrate Graff’s unparalleled craftsmanship—a prowess honed through the years and which Graff has no doubt elevated to an art.
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
