GRAFF: The Book

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Going beyond legendary jewels of incomparable perfection. GRAFF is a new evocative book, edited by Rizzoli New York, set to retrace the fascinating story of Laurence Graff, founder of the legendary Maison, for a very good cause: all proceedings from the sales of this book will go to the charitable foundation FACET, to sustain education, health and well-being of the Sub-Saharian populations, where Graff sources so many of its superb gems.

Graff Coffee Table Book. Preface by Suzy Mendez. Interview with Laurence Graff, OBE. Texts by Vivienne Becker, Maria Doulton, Nina Hald, Joanna Hardy, Nicholas Foulkes, Joanne Harris. Book with slipcase. Rizzoli New York. Date of publication: November 2015.

For sure Laurence Graff always demonstrated, since the early start of his career, both an acute sixth sense for diamonds and a strong strategic mindset: gifts which have undoubtably helped him to found and manage a Maison which is today universally known and perceived as THE creator of unique jewellery pieces, and which stands for the most famous diamonds in the world.

“The sky’s the limit” quickly became the motto of this man, whose self-assurance and expert eye allowed the creation of unprecedented visuals, such as the iconic coiffure “Hair and Jewels”, a 1970 campaign representing a model whose elaborated coiffure was adorned with exceptional jewels valued one million dollars in total.

This same campaign was successfully revisited in 2013 to celebrate Laurence Graff’s 60 years in the industry with, this time, a total value in jewels of 500 million dollars.

In 1970, inspired by the court hair fashion of 18th-century Versailles, Laurence Graff created his famous $1m Hair and Jewel Coiffure.

The 2013 update of Hair and Jewel featured $500m worth of rare and valuable diamonds. Photographer's Credit: David Slipper. — The 2013 update of Hair and Jewel featured $500m worth of rare and valuable diamonds. Photographer’s Credit: David Slipper.

Sumptuously illustrated with beautiful pictures of those jewels for which Graff became famous worldwide, together with examples of communication campaigns which granted Graff its level of notoriety, the book highlights legendary gemstones, such as the Lesotho Promise, a diamond of 603 carats that Graff transformed into a necklace of 63 perfectly cut gems; or the Delaire Sunrise, which 118.08 carats make it the largest Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond in the world; and the Graff Constellation, that with its 102.79 carats is also the largest round-cut D colour Flawless diamond in the world.

The Delaire Sunrise

The Graff Constellation.

The Delaire Sunrise.

The Lesotho Promise Necklace.

Laurence Graff holds a selection of the world’s most valuable gemstones.

The book also includes original pictures belonging to Laurence Graff’s personal archives, which reveal his family’s debut in London, together with Francois Graff, his son and Graff’s current President and General Manager.

Laurence Graff has always taken a keen interest in the development and promotion of his brand, as seen here working on an early photoshoot.

GRAFF is a striking contribution and homage to the Maison Graff, showing the most spectacular, fascinating and exceptional jewels in the world. A book which is a real must-have for all those high jewellery amateurs and for all those able to appreciate the great story of a man whose life and passion are but one and only thing. CC

By Claudia Carletti, Jewellery Through Time. All material courtesy of Graff.