Well-known British jeweler Laurence Graff visited the US/International Diamond Week (March 19) where he was given a tour by Israel Diamond Exchange President Yair Sahar and Diamond Dealers Club of New York President Reuven Kaufman.
"The Diamond Week is very impressive, Graff says. "When was the trading hall this busy? It is a tremendous idea. Really excellent." He declined to comment on whether he planned to buy any diamonds.
Graff is a leading global buyer of large special diamonds who specializes in the top end of jewelry retailing. He has set a series of record for prices paid for exceptional diamonds sold at auction.
'King of Diamonds'. Photo: Fucs.
Known as the 'King of Diamonds', the London-based jeweler last December bought a 50-carat, rectangular-cut, D-color, potentially flawless diamond ring for US$8.37 million at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction.
The month before, he bought a 10.48-carat fancy deep blue briolette-shaped diamond for US$10.9 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva, or slightly more than US$1 million per carat. The flawless diamond set the world auction record for price per carat for a fancy deep blue diamond and the world auction record for a briolette.
In 2010, he bought a rare pink diamond weighing 24.78 carats for a record-breaking US$46 million at auction, and immediately named it The Graff Pink.
In 2008, he bought the famous Wittelsbach Diamond for US$24.3 million.
Graff has more than 20 stores worldwide, including new outlets in Hong Kong, Hanghzhou in China, Macau, Gstaad and Dubai.
Among Graff's clients are the Sultan and Queen of Brunei, Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump.
