Laurence Graff OBE established his Graff jewellery company in London during the 1960s. Hailing from the East End, it was at a jeweller’s bench in Hatton Garden that he became transfixed by gemstones. He was 15 when he began his first job as an apprentice in London’s famous jewellery hub. While working there, he also learned his trade at the Central School of Arts and Grafts. So the story goes, though, he was told he wasn’t any good.
But just three years later, aged 18, he launched his own company, repairing Victorian jewellery. He teamed up with a more experienced jeweller to do so. And would soon make his mark with a flashy diamond ring he created from 33 small diamonds.
The Graff business launched, and boutiques soon followed. In 1967, Graff – who was then 29 – started touring exhibitions around the world. Apparently, this included yachts and palaces. In 2000, it opened its first boutique in Monaco at Hotel de Paris. There are more than 50 boutiques operating today across the globe.
Graff, the man, has four Queen’s Awards to Industry and an OBE. And it remains a family-run business. What started out as a brand built mostly on diamonds became one known for its overall spectacular usage of stones.
The Wittelsbach, a 17th century blue diamond from the Golconda mines of India, is one of the most prestigious of Graff’s historic gems. The legendary 35.56-carat stone was acquired by Graff in 2008 for a whopping £16 million at Christie’s in London. After polishing it now weights 31.06 carats.
The Empress Rose, a large and internally flawless Fancy Light pink diamond, is another notable diamond to have passed through the hands of Graff. At 132.55 carats, the cushion-cut is thought to be the largest of this type of pink diamond in the world.
There is also such a thing as The Graff Ruby, a near perfect 8.62 carat Burmese ruby. It features the “pigeon’s blood” red and a high degree of transparency, which makes it very rare. Going up for auction at Christie’s, it had a pre-sale estimate of between $400,000 and $600,000. Over 20 minutes later, it reached $3.6 million.
Royal endorsements aside, celebrities too, have found favour with the brand. Angelina Jolie wore a pair of Graff diamonds weighing 32.98 carats in 2018 to the BAFTAs.
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