In celebration of Fashion Week, London-based Graff Diamonds showcased the Maison's heritage and carefully maintained reputation for the art of carving yellow diamonds and creating jewelery designs dedicated to stones of this sunny hue. At the Sunrise: A Celebration of Graff Yellow Diamonds exhibition, the brand presented the High Jewelry creations of the Sunrise collection. The exhibition took place at the Graff flagship store on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris.
Founder Lawrence Graff's passion for gemstones has been the driving force in the history of Graff Diamonds. Over the years, Lawrence Graff has amassed an impressive collection of diamonds, which includes not only rare colorless specimens, but also stones of fancy colors. A special place in the collection is given to yellow diamonds, which are very popular in the jewelry industry today, thanks in part to Lawrence Graff's attention to this shade.
Since the company's founding, yellow diamonds have fascinated its founder. The first piece in the collection of sun stones was the yellow diamond The Star of Bombay weighing 47,39 carats. In 1974, L. Graff purchased and repolished this stone, enhancing the natural color of the square emerald cut stone.
Yellow diamonds from the Graff collection: Graff Sunflower weighing 107,46 carats, Delaire Sunrise weighing 118,08 carats and Golden Empress weighing 132,55 carats
The Star of Bombay was followed by the 107,46-carat Graff Sunflower, the 118,08-carat Delaire Sunrise, and the 132,55-carat Golden Empress. These three exceptional stones cemented Graff's reputation for fine craftsmanship in yellow diamonds over the ensuing years. “We are the proud custodians of the most famous yellow diamonds in the world,” says Laurence Graff.
Jewelry from the Sunrise collection
At the show, Graff presented a range of high jewelry necklaces, chokers, earrings, rings and jewelry inspired by ethnic motifs. All the pieces in the exhibition testify to Graff's unique stone-based identity. Francois Graff, the company's CEO, called the exhibition "the most significant collection of yellow diamonds ever assembled in one place."
Sunrise necklace with 30 carat bright yellow diamond
The centerpiece of the Sunrise collection is the necklace of the same name, a creation of High Jewelry. The necklace is designed around an extremely rare 30-carat bright yellow pear-cut diamond. The stone sparkles surrounded by 138 carats of yellow and white diamonds.
Each element of the necklace was designed to highlight the elegant silhouette of the central stone.
Anne-Eva Geffroy, Graff Design Director, said: “Before we begin designing, we carefully study each diamond to uncover the secrets hidden in its depths. Only then do we engage in design, while trying to emphasize the natural beauty of each stone.”
In brilliant halos of radiance, yellow and white diamonds radiate outward from a central bright yellow fancy stone, mimicking the rays of the sun. The setting for each stone in the necklace was carefully designed and handcrafted by Graff craftsmen.
