Graff Recreates ‘Hair & Jewel’ With Half-Billion-Dollar Diamond Bejeweled Hairdo

Famed diamond jeweler, Laurence Graff, recreated a legacy statement Tuesday that helped to propel his brand to the forefront of the luxury world.

Known as “Hair & Jewel,” Graff in 1970 unveiled a photo of a model wearing an ornate coiffure decorated with $1 million dollars of diamonds and precious gems. The photo received international attention and became a landmark promotion for Graff Diamonds, founded only 10 years earlier.

“Until this time, images showing fine jewelry were typically modeled in a more conservative style,” Graff said in a statement. “This image broke the mould by using a younger model and created the idea of diamonds being aspirational to younger women.”

The Graff name is now known throughout the world and to celebrate the man behind the brand’s 60th year in the jewelry industry he recreated Hair & Jewel, only this time using $500 million worth of precious jewels. It’s a clear statement by Graff using a memorable promotion to show the world how far he has come.

"It is more than 40 years since the original image of Hair & Jewel was captured," Graff said. "The recreation marks an important milestone in Graff Diamonds’ history and coincides with the opening of its 40th store globally."

The hair of model Dalia Gunther was crafted by Eamonn Hughes using 22 rare jewels created at Graff’s headquarters in London. The image was photographed by David Slijper. The jewels used for the recreation include the following:

* Graff “Sweethearts” earrings featuring 51.53-carat and 50.76-carat D color Flawless type IIA heart shape diamonds;

* A selection of jewelry crafted from the 550ct Letšeng Star, the 14th largest white rough diamond ever discovered;

* A 10.47-carat fancy vivid blue internally flawless briolette diamond pendant;

* A 52.73-carat fancy vivid yellow emerald cut diamond ring; and

* A 6.51-carat fancy intense pink internally flawless oval cut diamond ring.

Below is a promotional video from Graff Diamonds showing the Hair & Jewel recreation.



Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site

Read More

Old is New Again as F.P. Journe Recreates Groundbreaking Tourbillon Watch

F.P. Journe Historical Anniversary Tourbillon.

François-Paul Journe was in Manhattan recently as part of a world tour celebrating his 30 years as the founder and head watchmaker of F.P. Journe. He also was in the city to introduce the Historical Anniversary Tourbillon, a recreation of the watch that began his career as an independent watchmaker.

The tourbillon movement

Journe was barely in his 20s when he set about making a complex watch entirely by hand. It took him five years to create the tourbillon pocket watch, which launched F.P. Journe. Thirty years later the independent watch company based in Geneva, Switzerland, is now an international brand with nine boutiques around the world, including Manhattan, where Journe made his appearance.

The original pocket watch created by François-Paul Journe 30 years ago.

The anniversary wristwatch, limited to 99 pieces, is a reinterpretation of the original pocket watch, using some of the same materials, such as a guilloche silver case enhanced by two gold bezels in rose gold 4N.

The transparent sapphire back reveals the tourbillon movement of classic construction made in grained and gilded brass, identical to the original of 1983. Two parallel barrels distribute energy to a wheels train, arranged in the axis of the watch, which runs the tourbillon revolving in a minute. The lateral pallet escapement, which is more compatible with a wristwatch, replaces the detent escapement of the original, and the winding and time setting with a key have now been replaced by the 3 o’clock crown.

Made today in the company’s Geneva workshops, the movement features high quality components with modern polishing, beveling and finishing techniques that weren’t available 30 years ago. It encompasses a sobriety and a nobility of first generation tourbillon movements.

The movement is protected by a silver guilloche case back cover. The dial in grained silver is engraved with filled roman numerals and a steel hour circle, identical to the original tourbillon of 1983. The hours are indicated by blued steel Abraham-Louis Breguet hands, identical to those of the original pocket watch.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes website.

Read More