When he started work as a 15-year-old apprentice in a Hatton Garden workshop, Laurence Graff OBE could not have imagined the global diamond and jewellery empire that would bear his name and occupy a revered, industry-leading position in the 21st-century jewellery world. Then again, his dreams were always big, his vision expansive, and the achievement of success non-negotiable. Founded in 1960, today the leadership of Graff Diamonds is still a family affair: Laurence’s son, François, has held the position of Chief Executive Officer since 2004, while his nephew Elliott is Managing Director in charge of sourcing and cutting.

Graff’s reputation for excellence and expertise is rooted in the mesmerising, magnificent diamonds that have been unearthed, cut, polished and brought to market by the House of Graff, as well as in the famous historic diamonds that have passed through the Graff family’s hands. Among the rollcall of record-breaking diamonds is the magnificent 102.79-carat Graff Constellation, unveiled in 2010. Cut from the Light of Letseng rough crystal, it became the world’s largest ever round brilliant cut, D colour and Internally Flawless. In the same year, the breathtaking Graff Pink was presented to the world; an extreme rarity, the 23.88-carat Natural Fancy Vivid Pink diamond, Internally Flawless and Type IIa (the purest, chemically, of all diamonds) masterpiece had been re-polished from a stone acquired by Graff at auction that year for a record price of $46m, making it the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction at the time. And in 2019, the majestic 302.37-carat Graff Lesedi La Rona was celebrated as the largest highest-colour, highest-clarity diamond ever certified by the GIA, and the world’s largest square emerald cut diamond. It had been cut and polished from an awe-inspiring 1,109-carat rough crystal discovered in Botswana, the second-largest gem-quality rough diamond ever unearthed.

Even more outstanding amongst the many historic, royal or noble diamonds acquired by Graff is the startling and storied Wittelsbach-Graff, a 31.06-carat Natural Fancy Deep Blue diamond that originated in the fabled Kollur mine of India’s Golconda region – the same mine that produced the Hope diamond – and had been part of the Bavarian Crown Jewels. Ensuring the gem was the very best it could be, Graff took the daring and controversial decision to re-polish the Wittelsbach to eliminate flaws and improve its colour and quality.

The mission to be the best of the best has been the driving force of Graff since its earliest days – an obsessive dedication to perfection that has propelled the jeweller into a new age of diamonds. It is also the daily challenge for Anne-Eva Geffroy, Graff’s Design Director, as she and her creative team of seven designers find new and relevant ways to perpetuate and honour the legacy, all the while channeling its stories and impassioned expertise into jewels that resonate with today’s audience.

The most striking element of Graff’s new way forward under François Graff’s leadership – Geffroy figures him as “the guardian of Graff’s incredible savoir-faire” – has been the introduction of more design-driven, thematic collections. Laurence Graff’s original vision for his jewellery was one of purity and classicism: designs and settings that would allow his beloved diamonds to shine supreme. Influences came primarily from Art Deco jewellery, and the forward-looking modernism of the 1920s and 30s, with its graphic, architectural aesthetic. Today, that modernist, classical influence still threads its way through Graff collections, but is joined by a fresh richness of themes and inspirations. Geffroy explains that when she joined the company 15 years ago, the emphasis was still very much on the stones themselves, on simple arrangements or so-called ‘layouts’ of gems.

Instead – and with François’s “instrumental” support – the designer set about building collections with everyday appeal, injecting them with storytelling and emotion, choosing themes relating to the diamonds themselves, the natural world, fashion and femininity, as well as enduring Graff inspirations: connections to the family, to art and to Africa. It was an exciting time, she recalls, when the brand was first growing and expanding into new markets – particularly China, Japan and Korea – and engaging with a new clientele who were in many cases younger and more fashion-focused. Her challenge was to capture and enhance the beauty of the stones through adventurous and, most importantly, wearable designs. “Graff clients appreciate both exceptional gemstones and original design,” she says. “They’re looking for a new way of wearing the stones. Often, especially in Asia, clients are more casual, mixing and layering jewellery of different styles.” She adds, “Clients today also like to change their style, their look, according to mood or occasion. One day they can be romantic, on another day more graphic.”

The Graff collections reflect this need for versatility and personal choice – a crucial element of individual self-expression. The Butterfly collection reimagines one of the most ubiquitous themes in jewellery history, and a favoured Graff motif; the familiar butterfly silhouette has been explored in different ways in each decade since the early days of the House. Regarded as a symbol of the soul since antiquity, the butterfly embodies the concept of metamorphosis – a reference perhaps to the transformation of a rough crystal into a perfect polished diamond, and the blossoming of Graff from humble beginnings into a global diamond Maison. In today’s collection, the butterfly is stylised, abstracted, its outline traced in diamonds, the wings either openworked or encrusted in pavé diamonds, as if glinting in the sunlight. As with all Graff collections, the motif is interpreted in a multitude of forms, some airy and delicate, perfect for stacking and layering, others more dramatic.

The lively Tilda’s Bow collection was inspired by Laurence Graff’s bond with his granddaughter, and, like the butterfly, contemporises one of jewellery’s most classic and evocatively feminine motifs. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the bow, or bow knot, was translated from fabric, silk and lace into gems and jewels, and has remained a favoured motif to reinterpret in each age. The bow knot symbolised union, the unbreakable bonds of love and commitment; here it evokes Graff’s close family ties and unwavering commitment to perfection. Tilda’s Bow – crisp, modern, yet lusciously three-dimensional, supple and silky, with just a touch of nostalgia and a hint of couture – appears as if tied just at that moment, with a flourish of energy and love, perhaps in expectation of a joyful surprise. Anne-Eva and her team have replaced the usual formality of the bow with a youthful, playful spontaneity, mixing round, custom cut and emerald cut diamonds to suggest the ripple of light over silk. All are meticulously set by Graff’s master artisans, in the atelier in Geneva, to ensure the stones dance with flirtatious light and life.

The flower is one of the earliest and most classic of all jewellery themes, interpreted by Graff in the Wild Flower collection to evoke the untamed natural beauty of an English country garden. The focus is on the lush abundance and unstoppable energy of wild flowers, celebrating the power of the natural world that gave birth to Graff’s exceptional diamonds. The flowers shine with fresh childlike simplicity, multi-petalled, some like daisies, others with a subtle hint of the antique, all arranged in different styles and sizes – individual blossoms, trios of blooms, clusters and trailing branches or exuberant bouquets. Echoing nature’s captivating imperfections, each flower is unique, and the clusters asymmetric, yet all work together in perfect harmony.

Talking through these collections, Geffroy describes the creative process. “My studio is muti-cultural, and we all bring different elements. We start with lots of different ideas, and gradually narrow them down and develop them until we find the right path to a particular theme. We always challenge ourselves, our minds and our skills.” She also emphasises the importance of understanding the social, cultural and stylistic zeitgeist. “Graff now has more than 70 boutiques around the world. We can’t navigate without knowing what’s happening around us.”

Once the design direction is decided, the team produces multiple prototypes, to be able to refine and perfect details, proportions, line, form and expression. There are 7 CAD technicians in the workshop, all of whom work closely and collaboratively with the design team. “The details have to be exactly right; a collection with a wider appeal takes longer to develop than a unique High Jewellery design. Each collection takes at least a year to develop.”

The Laurence Graff Signature collection is central to the new design-driven approach. This simple, graphic, rhythmic design replicates the facets of a diamond, perfectly potted and precisely fashioned to unleash the inner fire, life and brilliance of a Graff gemstone. It is an homage to Laurence Graff’s legendary sixth sense, and his unrivalled ability to see into the heart and soul of a diamond. Focused on band rings and bangles, the collection is made mainly in gold (yellow, white or rose), a major departure for Graff. Yet, as Geffroy was tasked to do, the contemporary Laurence Graff Signature collection combines key elements of the strong Graff identity with effortless wearability and versatility. Cross-generational and gender-neutral, it is perfect for all-day, everyday wear, and for stacking, layering and mingling.

Geffroy explains that alongside these collections, she and her team continue to work on classic designs and on one-of-a-kind High Jewellery creation; the latter is the essence of the House, capturing the Graff passion for stones. The themed collections, though, show how Graff is developing in all directions as an international jewellery Maison. As the design director states: “Evolving is key. Graff cannot and does not rely on the past.”

Laurence Graff himself, she says, never dwelt on the past during his career. He only looked forward, building a new future for himself, his family and his world of diamonds. It’s another facet of Laurence Graff’s mission to be the best, to look ahead and move forward – just as the House of Graff, a modern family diamond Maison, is doing today.