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32 26 Cover photography Paul Zak Styling Annette Masterman On the cover The Graff Pink, 23.88ct, Natural Fancy Vivid, Internally Flawless, Type IIa
Published for Graff by Show Media Ltd 1-2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP +44 (0) 20 3222 0101; www.showmedia.net Editor Joanne Glasbey Creative Director Ian Pendleton Art Director Dominic Bell Managing Editor Zai Shamis Chief Copy Editor Chris Madigan Picture Editor Juliette Hedoin Copy Editor Tanya Jackson Managing Director Peter Howarth For Graff Katherine Roach, Joanne Hill, Lily King, Adam Norton, Jessica Lansley, Charlotte Dauphin Advertising Penny Weatherall, Joanne Hill and Katherine Roach at Graff; +44 (0)20 7584 8571; graffiti@graffdiamonds.com Colour reproduction by FMG; www.wearefmg.com Printing by Taylor Bloxham; www.taylorbloxham.co.uk
CONTENTS 14 PERFECT PINK The sheer risk of increasing the colour intensity and clarity of an unparalleled diamond, while losing less than a carat, makes the Graff Pink a sensational feat
32 gEms oF ThE dEEP The
66 masTERs aT woRK The
finest diamonds and emeralds, skilfully crafted into exquisite rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, adorn nature’s marine treasures
fascinating story of the intricate process that brings together the finest gems and beautiful designs in captivating jewellery
20 JEFF KooNs The artist who encapsulates the essence of our age, linking a disposable culture with art history, explains how he just wants to make everyone happy
38 FINE VINEs An unrivalled appellation combines with high investment and a non-interventionist approach to give Graff Delaire Estate wines a unique complexity
72 a BRIghTER FUTURE With a new Graff Leadership Centre in Botswana and sculpture workshops in South Africa, the work of Laurence Graff’s charity FACET continues
26 ThE LUXURY oF TImE
50 goLdEN CITY San Francisco,
74 showCasE A breathtaking
Horology reaches new levels of technical and aesthetic brilliance, finds Simon de Burton, with the new range of exemplary watches by Graff
the Paris of the West, has long been the most European of American cities, with a deep cultural heritage and a history of philanthropy
suite of necklace and earrings made with diamonds and sapphires perfectly illustrates Graff’s excellence in design, as well as craftsmanship
raff’s promise of diamonds and gems of unparalled rarity is amply fulfilled by our latest treasure. The story of the Graff Pink is also one which brings to the fore the supremacy of our master craftsmen as they embarked on a mission to repolish this incredible stone. We took a daring risk by placing such an incomparable diamond on the polishing wheel, increasing its colour intensity to Vivid and its clarity to Internally Flawless while losing less than a carat in weight – a sensational feat, described by Vivienne Becker as she traces the stone’s incredible journey. The unrivalled skill and experience of the Graff workshop, in the Mayfair headquarters, is highlighted by Maria Doulton, who looks in detail at the extraordinary work carried out there, from design, to sourcing stones, through all the many intricate hand-crafted processes of fashioning jewellery of exceptional quality. Another creative environment we explore is the ‘serious funhouse’ that is Jeff Koons’ studio. The artist, interviewed by George Pendle, talks about how he manipulates the timeless and the throwaway to collide effervescently, and how connections spanning millennia are forged in a single indelible image. Koons also describes the power of art and why his work remains consistently optimistic and open. Optimism is a very powerful force and one we see at work at the Graff Leadership Centre and associated projects where Graff gives its support back to the countries where its diamonds are sourced by partnering with local charities. We are pleased to report on the progress that is being slowly but steadily made, and are very happy to hear from some of the local people whose lives have been changed for the good. I look forward to many more heartening stories to emerge. I hope you enjoy this issue.
G
Laurence Graff Chairman of Graff Diamonds Holdings
faBulous florida On 3 February, Graff Bal Harbour hosted a cocktail reception for Miami City Ballet’s founding Artistic Director, Edward Villella, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the company. (3) Michele Herbert and Lora Drasner; (4) Linda and Edward Villella; (5) Diane Irving Siegel and Rosalind Richter; (6) Mr and Mrs Rodgers with Susan Pullin (manager of Graff Bal Harbour)
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9 tokyo triumPh The Graff boutique in Tokyo played host to a Christmas party on 19 November, 2010. It was a celebration of the holiday season as well as the third anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo boutique, with champagne, music and a special display of Graff jewellery to enjoy. Among the guests were (1) Mr Nakashima and Mr Nozawa (Tokyo sales executive); (2) Ms Emi Asahina (Tokyo sales associate), Mrs Maiko Minami and Mr Katsuhide Tsuruta
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chicago celeBration On 15 April, Graff Diamonds sponsored an evening hosted by the Woman’s Board of the Art Institute of Chicago to thank Mayor and Mrs Daley for their enormous contribution to public life and support of the arts. (7) Christopher and Anne Reye; (8) Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Richard M. Daley; (9) Julie Latsko, Stephanie Harris and Susan Canmann; (10) MK and JB Pritzker; (11) Leslie Bluhm and Caryn Harris
glamour in china To celebrate the imminent opening of Graff’s latest salon in Hangzhou, a High Jewellery exhibition was held at the Hyatt Hotel Hangzhou on 11 March. Over 100 Graff VIPs attended the exhibition and private dinner. (12) Graff VIPs with models; (13) Christopher Lau (sales director of Graff Shanghai) and Ms Pu Yu; (14) Mr Zhu Mingqiu, Ms Li Ying, Ms Wang Xunfang, Ms Sun Yanqiu, Ms Wu Yanyan, Ms Lu Yan
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Palm Beach Parties Graff served as the ‘King of the Jungle’ sponsor for the Year of the Tiger dinner dance to support Palm Beach Zoo at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach on 21 January. Graff Palm Beach hosted a pre-event cocktail party in the store on 16 December, and welcomed over 150 guests who were greeted by models adorned in Graff jewels and waiters dressed in tiger tails. (15) Don and Nancy Carter; (16) Toni Holt and Robert Kramer; (17) Henri Barguirdjian (CEO of Graff USA) with Bridget and Bill Koch; (18) Michael Reiter and Janet Pleasants (Director of Graff Palm Beach); (19) a Graff Model
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PERFECT PINK With the Graff Pink, LaUrenCe Graff tOOk a darinG risk With a sensatiOnaL diamOnd, saYs VIVIENNE BECKER. he emBarked On a ChaLLenGinG and COmPLeX missiOn tO inCrease its COLOUr intensitY and its CLaritY WhiLe LOsinG Less than a Carat in WeiGht – an inCrediBLe feat he Graff Pink is the latest breathtaking diamond to join the Graff panoply of the world’s most fabulous jewels. Set into an exquisite rose gold and white diamond ring, the Fancy Vivid Pink, Internally Flawless 23.88 carat diamond is staggeringly rare and deeply, emotively beautiful. ‘It is without doubt the finest pink diamond I have ever seen,’ says Laurence Graff, a bold statement considering the wealth of superlative stones that have passed through his hands over the years. Its stunning appearance is testament to a daring gamble by Graff’s master polishers – could they increase the colour and clarity classification of an exceptionally rare gem without sacrificing valuable weight? When Laurence Graff acquired the diamond that was to be transformed into the Graff Pink, it had been hidden from view in a private collection for over 60 years. This magnificent pink diamond,
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Laurence Graff was prepared to take an enormous risk to make a superb Gem the very best it couLd possibLy be
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a rectangular step-cut diamond with rounded corners, was probably first polished many years before it was cloistered away, although its past remains mysterious. The diamond was graded Fancy Intense Pink by the Gemological Institute of America, one step below the finest colour, Vivid. Its clarity was rated VVS2, similarly not quite the ultimate flawless rating. But when Laurence Graff first looked into the depths of the exceptional gem, his unerring instincts and unrivalled eye told him that this diamond had the potential to be clearer and deeper in colour. He named the sublimely beautiful stone the Graff Pink. Quintessentially feminine, pink diamonds are among the most exceptional of coloured diamonds, the rarest of rarities. Their tender tones, from soft powder and blush champagne, through cherry blossom to sweet candy, are romantically seductive, triggering emotions and stirring life-enhancing energy; pink is the colour of passion and happiness, and when combined with the fire and life of a diamond, the visual excitement is hypnotic, intoxicating. No wonder pink diamonds are particularly sought after by collectors, connoisseurs and discerning international women of style, who love its sophisticated glamour. Coloured diamonds have become the focal point
Seeing iS believing When Laurence Graff first saw the pink diamond, he could see the potential to achieve a clearer diamond with a stronger depth of colour. It was a risk of enormous proportions and would take weeks of painstaking work by Graff’s highly skilled team in Antwerp, above and left
of the highest of high jewellery around the globe, representing the ultimate possession, the masterwork of nature. As the great mineralogist René Just Haüy said: ‘Gemstones are the flowers of the mineral world, and the Fancy coloured diamond is the orchid.’ While each important diamond has its own personality, a coloured diamond possesses the strongest character of all, each intensely individual and expressive. It is said that for every natural coloured diamond, there are some 10,000 colourless specimens. Part of the attraction of the coloured diamond is the almost unfathomable randomness of natural phenomena that come together to create these extraordinary crystals. An appreciation of pink diamonds, the subtle nuances of tone and hue, demands an extra dimension of sensitivity, a cultivated aesthetic and eye. While some colours in diamonds are caused by the presence of trace elements in their carbon make-up, pink diamonds are the result of distortion of the atomic lattice,
caused in turn by tremendous heat and pressure deep in the earth, during the formation process over millions of years. The Graff Pink is categorised as type IIA, the rare classification attributed to less than two per cent of the world’s gem diamonds. Type IIA diamonds are chemically pure and famed for their particular limpidity, for a compelling mix of exceptional clarity and softness and an extraordinary inner luminosity. Treasured in the heyday of the Indian mines, pink diamonds have been prized as rare specimens through history. Recently, pink diamonds have enjoyed a surge of popularity and Graff has spearheaded this vogue, giving the thrilling sweet-toned gems a modern creative expression and relevance. With the Graff Pink, Laurence Graff was prepared to take an enormous risk to make a superb gem even better, the very best it could possibly be. The diamond displayed some 25 inclusions close to the surface, which, with careful polishing, could possibly be removed. Still, one miscalculation, or wrong move, could shatter and destroy one of the world’s most valuable gems. The challenge was irresistible. A risk-taker by nature, Graff knew he had the support of the
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most skilled and gifted cutters and polishers and the benefit of today’s technology and vastly improved cutting techniques. If anyone could pull this off, it was the House of Graff. After weeks of careful observation and planning, Graff’s team in Antwerp, considered the best in the world, began the painstaking, nerve-racking process. Only a handful of artisans in the world are capable of working appropriately on important coloured diamonds and they guard their skills and secrets fiercely. The stratospheric value and rarity of the diamond meant that the utmost care was taken at each step, so the entire process, which might have taken a few days for a 20 carat emerald-cut diamond, lasted several weeks. However, other cutters would have taken longer, possibly several months. For each flaw the stone had to be set on the polishing wheel at exactly the right angle, to avoid unwanted additional facets that would not only compromise symmetry and polish but also cost valuable weight. While some flaws were fairly superficial, others needed to be studied minutely with the latest scanning technology, although the cutting itself was done by eye. A few new facets were added, and existing ones refined so as to
Sheer Brilliance It’s a serendipitous quirk of nature that while some colours in diamonds are caused by the trace elements in their carbon make-up, pink diamonds are the result of distortion of the atomic lattice, caused by intense heat and pressure during the diamond’s formation over millions of years
enhance the centre of the diamond. In most cases, explains the polisher, colour is concentrated in the corner facets of a diamond, and while every effort is taken in white diamonds to eradicate the presence of colour, the opposite approach has to be adopted in coloured diamonds to enhance saturation and intensity. With the Graff Pink, the lower corner facets or pavilions were manipulated to bring out the colour within them, allowing the pink hue to be diffused more evenly, all without sacrificing caratage, and maintaining a supreme elegance of form and symmetry. The result of this painstaking work was to raise the colour classification to Vivid, the highest category, while the removal of surface flaws saw the diamond’s clarity rating soar to Internally Flawless. The repolishing of the stone is regarded as an awe-inspiringly audacious, virtuoso feat that could have been achieved only by the Graff team under the guidance of Laurence Graff, with his expert eye, nerves of steel and a heart that responds to the profound beauty of a captivating diamond. It is hard not to be moved by the Graff Pink; soft yet intense, ethereal yet earthly, with its utterly perfect infinite depths and the intrigue of its scintillating play of light and colour, it is truly one of the most fabulous jewels in the world.
www.candyandcandy.com
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WELCOME TO THE FUNHOUSE o find Jeff Koons’ studio you’ve got to head north from New York’s Chelsea art district and into one of Manhattan’s last remaining hinterlands. As the ubiquitous white cube galleries drop away and the High Line (a stretch of elevated railway transformed into a park) reverts back to its original unreconstructed self, scrap metal yards rub shoulders with Rolls-Royce dealerships, seedy strip clubs sit shoulder-toshoulder with new high-rise condominiums. It is an area of luxury and rust, of excess and dearth, of the high and the low. In short, it’s all very Jeff Koons. Inside Koons’ studio, a similar incongruity is at play. Classical depictions of Venus share canvas space with inflatable monkeys. Ancient priapic statues rub up against contemporary movie starlets. Porcelain ballerina tchotchkes are
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blown up to monumental size, and prehistoric fertility symbols are cast in dazzlingly modern stainless steel. The timeless and the throwaway collide effervescently, and connections spanning millennia are forged in a single indelible image. Even Jeff Koons himself appears slightly incongruous as he approaches you with a smile on his face, dressed in a navy blue Zegna polo shirt, dark pants and sneakers. Considering he is, perhaps, the most loved, and most hated, living artist in the world, his manner is less that of a divisive grandstander than that of a mild art teacher. Indeed he suggests his fascination with the incongruous stretches back to his own school days: ‘In my art history class when a Manet image of Olympia came on the screen and my art history teacher started to speak about the symbols there that have meanings more than you may just take for granted when you first look at it, I really started
to understand the power of art. That is the power of making connections. Things become much vaster than they are just on their own.’ To some Koons is a creator of a modern iconography that not only encapsulates the essence of our consumerist age but draws out symbolic links between disposable culture and the history of art. To others he is a demonic maker of kitsch baubles with the mind and morals of a cash register. What is not in question is his financial success: his sculpture ‘Balloon Flower (Magenta)’ sold in 2008 for $25.8 million, a record for a living artist. Yet, as he shows you around his studio, pointing out references and allusions in his works like a tour guide at the Metropolitan Museum, it is hard to see a flicker of the demonic Koons anywhere about him. He seems somewhat bemused by such criticism, and responds to it with a glib but sincere detachment that one can
Harry Borden/Countour By Getty ImaGes
combining an understanding of fine art allusions and a love of pop art illusion, Jeff Koons has created a body of contemporary worK which, says GeorGe Pendle, maKes the new yorKer both the most successful and most contentious living artist
only imagine infuriates his critics even more. ‘I think that I’m trying to be engaged and in the moment with my work. But I think that, whenever you make your work, you’ve just got to be honest with the way you respond to things. When I was younger, I’d respond to the information I was absorbing and create works, and I’m doing the same thing today.’ Of course today his resources are vast. His studio is large and airy and light and is filled with some of the 100 or so assistants – seemingly all young, good-looking, hipster varietals – who pore over three-dimensional models of soon-to-bemade sculptures on high-powered computers. In stark contrast to the internet start-up air of the sculptural design room, the room adjacent to it is reminiscent of the studio of a Renaissance artist. Paintings hang from the walls on an intricate pulley system. In front of each one is set a crossshaped wooden scaffold, with an assistant – earbudded and intense – poised in each of the scaffold’s four corners, meticulously working the canvas. In an adjoining room, still more whitesmocked assistants are working on sculptures nearing completion. At present these are the inflatable pool toys seen in Koons’ ongoing ‘Popeye’ series. The room is awash with multi-coloured caterpillars crawling through stepladders and garish seals enmeshed in wire trash cans. Koons goes up to an inflatable dolphin and taps it. It rings out loud. In an astonishing trompe l’oeil effect, the seemingly weightless plastic sculptures are made of aluminium. Koons looks over the shoulder of an assistant who is working minutely at perfecting the telltale creases of inflated plastic on a horse pool toy. Koons’ studio is a very serious funhouse, and he surveys the scene with the air of a concerned manager. Koons has long relied on others to fabricate his work. Born in York, Pennsylvania in 1955, he studied as a painter at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but downed brushes in the late Seventies to concentrate on ‘readymades’, the modified found objects championed most famously by Marcel Duchamp. Koons’ earliest series of work, ‘Inflatables’ (1979), consisted of store-bought inflatable flowers and rabbits, placed on mirrors in his New York apartment. None of the pieces sold, but they announced an ongoing fascination. There was something about the visual intensity of these inflatable toys that Koons separated and harnessed to his own ends. Filled with human breath, the inflatables became metaphors for the human body. As Koons has said, ‘When you take a deep breath, it’s a symbol of life and of optimism, and when you take your last breath, that last exhale is a symbol of death. If you see an inflatable deflated, it’s a symbol of death. These are the opposite.’ ‘Inflatables’ was followed by the ‘Pre-New’ (1979) and ‘The New’ (1980) series, in which pristine
Jeff Koons’ debt to PoP and surrealist artists is clear but his wholesale oPtimism is unique
pleasure palace Jeff Koons has been one of the most sought-after artists of the past 25 years. Opposite, ‘Balloon Dog’ on display at the Palais de Versailles; above, from top, a Dalíesque lobster inflatable pool toy from the ‘Popeye’ series, and ‘Puppy’ at Versailles. Previous page, the artist in his Manhattan studio
household goods, most notably vacuum cleaners, were encased in plexiglass. It was once again a tip of the hat to Duchamp, but also to Pop Art’s fascination with consumerism and novelty. As with ‘Inflatables’, there was something about the items’ very ‘newness’, their virginal unused state, that gave the viewer a frisson. Again there was the suggestion of caught breath, of life held in state within the vacuum cleaners. Again, few pieces sold, although people kept coming in off the street wanting to buy one of the beautifully displayed vacuum cleaners to clean their houses with. At the time Koons was working at the Museum of Modern Art, but as his vision for his art grew more expansive, he realised he would need more funds to realise it. His decision to work as a commodities trader for Smith Barney quickly became art folklore, especially as he turned out to be successful at it. He specialised in cotton, telling his clients, ‘Cotton is light… it’s fluffy… you can’t get hurt by cotton!’ It was a mantra that could equally be applied to Koons’ work, which would remain consistently optimistic and open. The result of his Wall Street stint was ‘Equilibrium’ (1985), in which he cast aqualungs, basketballs, snorkels and an inflatable raft in solid bronze. The visual conundrum of a light object being cast in a heavy material would return time and again in his work. But while ‘Equilibrium’ hinted at death (anyone strapping on the bronzed aqualung would immediately sink to their doom) it also seemed a way of capturing the temporal and preserving it. It was a joyous reach for the eternal using the temporary throwaway structures of everyday life. The Equilibrium sculptures sold for a loss, but Koons’ name had been made. By the time of his ‘Banality’ series in 1988, Koons had become one of the biggest names in American contemporary art. The series’ assimilation of what most people would call kitsch and its triumphant reassessment of these items as a new iconography for the age, was both shocking and yet seemingly inevitable. A porcelain statue of Michael Jackson and his pet chimp Bubbles became a touchstone not just for contemporary art but for Koons’ own philosophy of his work. ‘I think I started to communicate very specifically that art is something that can either empower or disempower,’ he says of ‘Banality’. ‘And it empowers by communicating to people that their own history is perfect, it’s about removing judgments. For other people, it’s all about a certain aesthetic, a correct way, a wrong way. And there’s another way of viewing things with absolutely no judgment at all. Where you’ve arrived at this moment is perfect.’ Although Koons’ debt to antecedents in the Surrealist and Pop movements were made
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clear by his constant references to Salvador Dalí’s lobster and Roy Lichtenstein’s comic book characters, his wholesale optimism was unique. Using stainless steel (‘the precious metal of the proletariat’ as he calls it) Koons began to create immediately affecting modern-day totems that people could embrace directly and uncynically. Whether it be ‘Rabbit’, his iconic 1986 sculpture of an inflatable rabbit, or ‘Balloon Dog’ (1994-2000), his 10-foot-tall metal sculpture of exactly that. Most beloved of all was ‘Puppy’ (1992), a 43-foot topiary sculpture of a terrier puppy, transformed through painstaking engineering, into an icon of the age. These sculptures were not intended to mock the viewer’s taste, or even judge consumerist society. Instead they were meant to get the viewer to empower themselves, to enjoy their own enjoyment. Koons sought something akin to transcendence in the viewer. In the midst of an ironic age, he was preaching a new sincerity. Of course Koons isn’t above the visual pun or double entendre. Sexuality infuses his work, in the phallic snouts of innocent-seeming balloon animals and in the creases and openings of his balloon flowers. ‘Dalí said, if you put two pieces of corn together, you have an ass,’ he says, explaining the omnipresence of sex in art. But when, in 1989 he released ‘Made In Heaven’, his collection of photo-realist paintings and sculpture of his having sex with his then-wife, the Italian porn actress Ilona Staller (better known as La Cicciolina), the implicit became explicit. Koons saw the series as an extension of the self-empowerment manifesto of ‘Banality’: ‘I tried to continue that theme but also remove this sense of guilt and shame a lot of people develop about their bodies. Even aspects of procreation, how we exist, what human life is, how it flourishes how it functions, people distance themselves from. So I just tried to have a direct dialogue.’ Direct it was, and thrust Koons from being an art world star into being a real world celebrity. Ultimately Koons’ marriage to Staller ended in divorce and the loss of Koons’ son to his ex-wife in a prolonged custody battle. But the series remains one of his bravest acts, with Koons placing his marriage and life on a pedestal as a work of art, for everyone to stare at, laugh at or criticise. Nevertheless Koons’ stature as perhaps the pre-eminent contemporary artist in the world today was heralded by his audacious show at the Palais de Versailles in 2008. He was the first contemporary artist allowed to show there and his gleaming stainless steel hearts and shimmering rabbits sat comfortably amidst the baroque splendour of Louis XIV’s palace. And with the mammoth work ‘Train’ planned for installation at
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animal magic Koons inspects ongoing work at his studio, above, where teams of assistants will work on each painting produced under his direction. Below, ‘Stacked’, a photo lithograph which was donated in 2009 by Koons to be auctioned in aid of Laurence Graff’s charity, FACET
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2014, Koons is seeking something on a grander scale than anything he has accomplished before. ‘Train’ is intended to be a working, life-size replica of a steam engine, suspended vertically from a 161-foot-tall construction crane. It is expected to cost in the region of $25 million to manufacture. Koons sees it as a piece to bring communities together, and as he describes looking at the sculpture from beneath it in ever-quickening tones, the work’s sheer excess, its concerns with mortality and sex, and most of all its ability to create a simple moment of rapture, seem quintessentially Koons: ‘It slowly goes faster and faster, on a bell curve, and every second you feel your own heart pumping because each second it’s going faster than the moment before. And it hits this plateau – “woo-woo… woo-woo… woo-woo” – and then it descends back, each second going a little slower than the moment before until it slows completely and gives off this last puff of smoke. I think it keeps you very much in contact with being alive at that moment, that amazement of life energy.’.
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THE LUXURY OF TIME the drive for precision was paraMount in brinGinG these exquisite tiMepieces to fruition, as Simon De Burton reveals photoGraphY Lionel Deriaz
MasterGraff skeleton liMited edition
Graffstar ladies 38MM
The crafts of gem setting and horology join at the highest level in the new MasterGraff Skeleton, a wristwatch that contrives to be both a work of art and a functional object. The skeleton dial, pared down to the absolute minimum, enables the intricate, hand-wound tourbillon movement with 72-hour power reserve to be appreciated in full – it is even possible to watch the barrels recharge while winding the mechanism. The 48mm case is set with no fewer than 164 of the finest diamonds, weighing over 21 carats. Also remarkable is the fact that the movement can be cased only when the gem setting is complete, leaving no margin for error whatsoever. Just 10 examples of the MasterGraff Skeleton will be made, five in rose gold and five in white gold.
Graff responded to the recent trend of women coveting larger-sized watches and introduced the GraffStar Ladies 42mm. Now, Graff has launched a new, 38mm size designed for the feminine wrist, which combines a wafer-thin, mother-of-pearl dial in blue, powder pink or pure white complemented by numerals and hour markers that are set with 43 brilliant-cut diamonds. A version is also available with an inner bezel set with a mosaic of 113 trilliant-cut diamonds and 11 baguette emeralds. Cases can be specified in rose gold or white gold and all models are supplied on crocodile straps in a choice of colours to match the dial, fastened by a buckle set with a further 12 diamonds.
babyGraff
ScubaGraff
Playful, colourful, beautiful and exquisitely constructed, the latest addition to the BabyGraff collection demonstrates Graff’s legendary gem setting skill in a range of coloured stones. Each one, be it a ruby, emerald, sapphire or diamond, is painstakingly cut and set around the 21mm faceted bezel to ensure a perfect fit and flawless finish. In order to achieve this, Graff’s craftsmen utilise a variety of different shapes – including trapeze, trilliant, triangle, baguette and princess – and, while some models feature dials that are fully pavéd with trapeze-cut diamonds, there will also be a limited number that are fully set exclusively with diamonds, rubies or emeralds. A choice of crocodile or stingray straps and also gem set bracelets is available.
The adaptability of Graff’s unique faceted case design is demonstrated in the arrival of the ScubaGraff, which is both a highly attractive wristwatch and a functional piece of diving kit. Water resistant to 300m, the ScubaGraff features ultra-luminous dial markers for optimum underwater visibility, a helium decompression valve on the side of the case and an all-important 30-minute countdown indicator for managing dive times. Available in white gold, rose gold and black DLC, the ScubaGraff has a 47mm case and features an intricately engraved octopus motif and luxurious aqua blue high fire enamel finish on the reverse. The straps on all models are made from a technical combination of crocodile leather and rubber.
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GEMS OF THE DEEP THESE bEwiTcHing STonES wiTH inTriguing DEPTHS HavE bEEn Skilfully crafTED inTo jEwEllEry To TrEaSurE PHoTograPHy Graeme Montgomery | STyling Annette Masterman
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28.54ct Emerald-cut D Flawless Diamond ring with white Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 29.46cts). 23.61ct Round D Flawless Diamond ring with Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 25.01cts). 17ct Marquise D Flawless Diamond ring with white Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 19.17cts). Photographed on a Nautilus shell Pearshape Colombian Emerald earrings set with white round Diamonds (Emeralds 75.29cts, Diamonds 5.73cts). Photographed on a royal thorny oyster shell Marquise and Pearshape D Flawless Diamond bracelet (Diamonds 81.02cts). 40.90ct Pearshape D Flawless Diamond ring set with white Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 44.11cts). Photographed on a tonna shell White round, pearshape and emerald-cut Diamond necklace (Diamonds 242.18cts). Photographed on Cornish sea urchins White multishape Diamond double ower brooch (Diamonds 61.31cts). Photographed on a Ramosus Murex seashell
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fine vines An intrinsic devotion to quAlity combined with one of the finest AppellAtions in south AfricA plAces delAire GrAff estAte AmonG the most prestiGious modern winemAkers in the southern hemisphere, sAys John Stimpfig ‘When I first saw Delaire in 2003, I was taken aback by the most incredible view,’ says its proud owner, Laurence Graff. ‘The Simonsberg mountains can be seen from every point on the Estate and the view reaches across to Table Mountain and the Winelands. As with a rough diamond, I could see the potential.’ High up on the crest of the Helshoogte Pass, just outside Stellenbosch, Delaire benefits from high altitude, excellent soils and cooling sea breezes. Shortly after its acquisition, Graff began to transform the Estate, determined to create one of the Cape’s greatest names. Now, after eight years of assiduous polishing and serious investment, his bold vision is unquestionably coming to fruition. For a start, you can’t help but notice the brand new, 230-ton winery, which is one of the most cutting-edge in the whole of the Southern Hemisphere, let alone South Africa. According to Morné Vrey, Delaire’s talented young winemaker since 2007, ‘it’s aesthetically stunning. But it hasn’t been built for show. Everything here, from the rows of expensive stainless steel tanks to the sorting tables, presses and barrels, is all about the relentless pursuit of quality.’ The wine cellar’s design, inspired by gravity-fed principles, operates on three levels. ‘We can minimise handling and avoid pumping, which can damage the grapes. It means we can make genuinely handcrafted wines every single vintage.’ The transformation going on in the vineyard is less obvious, but no less significant. In 2008, the Estate took the decision to replant half of the existing vines to raise quality a notch or two higher. Now
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about 18 hectares are planted mainly with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Vrey is clearly thrilled with the results. ‘As the vines get older, the fruit continues to improve. Already, you can taste a dramatic step up in quality coming out of Delaire’s most recent vintages, especially those made in the new winery.’ This winemaking approach can be described as classically non-interventionist: ‘When you have such fantastic raw material to work with, you really want the grapes and the terroir to express themselves. Great wine is all about purity of fruit. Without it, it’s almost impossible to create really complex, elegant and delicious wines.’ Delaire’s benchmark Chardonnay is a case in point. ‘We crop at incredibly low levels – four to five tons per hectare – so you get tiny, ripe and concentrated berries that have the most fantastic acidity and freshness.’ New World flavours are eschewed in favour of the more classical, refined Burgundian style. Although the wine is aged in French barrels, 50 per cent of which are new, you can barely taste the oak amid the stunningly precise mineral and citrus fruit. Sadly, only a tiny amount is made each vintage. Fortunately, though, the focus at Delaire isn’t just on Estate wines. Delaire is also buying in top-class grapes to make a Cabernet Franc Rosé, a Shiraz and two stunning Sauvignon Blancs. The latter are sourced from five different appellations in order to capture a vibrant panoply of flavours that has to be tasted to be believed. Not surprisingly, the Estate has rapidly attracted the attention of South Africa’s leading critics and commentators with the result that Delaire has already picked up copious medals and awards. Just last year, the Delaire Sauvignon Blanc 2009 was one of only two varietal Sauvignon Blancs to collect a maximum five-star rating from South Africa’s Wine magazine. Then, in November, the Delaire Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2008 also secured a maximum five-star rating from the prestigious 2011 Platter’s Guide. Significantly, this was the first vintage made in the new winery, allowing the ultimate in haute couture treatment – hand sorting, whole berry fermentation, gentle extraction and 100 per cent new French oak. ‘Personally, I think our 2008 Botmaskop Bordeaux blend wasn’t far behind the 2008 Cabernet,’ says Vrey. ‘Both wines really show what we are capable of and just how committed we are to producing this level of quality.’ Yet the really good news is that Vrey believes the 2009 wines are even better. ‘The reds have got more structure, depth and extract, combined with phenomenal fruit. Also, 2009 was pretty good for the whites. So what we have in the cellar right now is really quite incredible and very, very exciting. The same goes for 2010, while the new 2011 crop is also looking promising. With each vintage, we just get better and better.’ www.delaire.co.za
TASTING NOTES Delaire Coastal Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 2010 A proper, grown-up Sauvignon Blanc with tropical passionfruit and restrained gooseberry flavours. What also marks this out from the pack is the minerality and freshness, counterbalancing the ripe mouthfeel and lingering finish. Benchmark winemaking.
FROM GRApE TO GlASS Around 18 hectares of vineyards thrive in the intense South African sunshine, left. Every piece of equipment, including the vast stainless steel tanks, helps to achieve top-quality wines, above. Delaire’s superb vintages may be sampled in the ultra-stylish tasting lounge, below, and enjoyed in the luxurious environment of the Delaire Graff Estate restaurants
Delaire Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2008 A beautifully harmonious Cabernet chock-full of seductive, sweet, black cassis fruit leading on to hints of tobacco and cedar. Richly layered and textured, the tannins are silky and ripe. This well-structured wine with plenty of acidity is good to go now but will keep for a decade and more. Delaire Botmaskop 2008 Botmaskop is the name of the peak on which the Delaire Graff Estate is situated. This is a rich, vibrant and sumptuous Bordeaux blend exuding exquisite cherry and blackcurrant fruit intermingled with spice and mint. Complex, ripe and full, with deft tannins and fine acidity, this wine has elegance, poise and depth. Delaire Chenin Blanc 2010 Unquestionably a world-class Chenin Blanc with bright acidity, complex sweet pear, melon and apple fruit and the most exquisite kiss of oak to round off its seductive texture. Bewitchingly good with a great finish.
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BATHED IN BRILLIANCE RADIATE FABULOUS BEAUTY AnD POOLSIDE PERFECTIOn wITh ThE mOST ExqUISITE jEwELS UnDER ThE SUn PhOTOGRAPhY Matthew Shave | STYLInG Jessica Walsh
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White multishape Diamond necklace with a 47.68ct emerald-cut Colombian Emerald centre (Emeralds 47.68cts, Diamonds 115.95cts). 20.26ct Emerald-cut Colombian Emerald ring with tapered baguette Diamond shoulders (Emeralds 20.26cts, Diamonds 1.82cts). Lycra head band by Lanvin at Harvey Nichols. Lycra swimsuit by Seafolly. Belize outdoor lounger, Habitat White round and marquise and yellow radiant Diamond wave bracelet (Diamonds 95.87cts). Yellow and white multishape Diamond earrings (Diamonds 59.549cts). 20.14ct Fancy Vivid Yellow cushion-cut Diamond ring with white trilliant Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 37.23cts). Straw hat with linen trim by Kokin at Fenwick. Lycra ruched swimsuit by Clube Bossa at Net-a-porter.com White pearshape and round Diamond earrings (Diamonds 42.57cts). Multishape D Flawless Diamond necklace (Diamonds 71.81cts). 19.23ct Pearshape D Flawless Diamond ring with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 21.23cts). Lycra swimsuit by Lenny. Silk skirt by Bodyamr
White round Diamond and round Ruby Galaxy necklace (Rubies 65.21cts, Diamonds 55.56cts). White round Diamond Galaxy watch (Diamonds 27.87cts). Straw hat by Kokin at Fenwick. Lycra swimsuit by Eres. Printed silk scarf by Duppoini 20.79ct White round Diamond drop earrings (Diamonds 28.61cts). White round Diamond drop necklace (Diamonds 46.57cts). 20.79ct Round D Flawless Diamond ring with white round Diamonds (Diamonds 24.04cts) Linen turban by MĂźhlbauer. Cotton and Lycra bikini by MB Beach Couture. Acetate sunglasses by Chanel 21ct Emerald-cut D Flawless Diamond earrings set with round Diamonds on pavĂŠ swan hooks (Diamonds 48.55cts). Multishape D Flawless Diamond three row necklace (Diamonds 133.31cts). 30.26ct White round Diamond ring with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 33.50cts). Printed silk scarf by Duppoini. Acetate sunglasses by Dior. Lycra swimsuit by Moschino Mare. Satin sandals by Dior Hair Maarit Niemela at D+V Management Make-up Phyllis Cohen at DWM Manicurist Lucie Pickavance at Caren, using Dior Le Vernis Set Builder Matt Duddleston at Caren Model Andrea Kremrova at Premier
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GOLDEN CITY the success of san francisco, that most european of american cities, is based on a history of entrepreneurial spirit, exclusive tastes and philanthropy. and, says RobeRt Ryan, all three are as strong as ever in the modern age The guidebooks to San Francisco will tell you that it is built on 44 hills, covers about 47 acres and occupies a promontory surrounded on three sides by water. But what they often fail to mention is that historically the cultural bedrock of the City By The Bay, the material that underpins the social fabric of this most distinctive of ports, has two main ingredients – it’s one part entrepreneurship and one part philanthropy, a winning mixture of give and take. Unsurprisingly, in its early years, entrepreneurs outnumbered philanthropists. During the Californian Gold Rush of 1848-9, the city saw a 25-fold increase in population in just two years. Fortunes were made in that heady period – but mainly by the city’s merchants, rather than the gold-diggers and panners. The first Gold Rush millionaire is believed to be Samuel Brennan who, legend has it,
bought up every shovel in San Francisco and pounded the streets with a vial of glistening filings proclaiming: ‘Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!’ The price of shovels, apparently, went through the roof. Others followed in his wake to supply the burgeoning population, most notably Levi Strauss, who arrived in 1853 to sell dry goods, branching out into sturdy denim overalls 20 years later. A year earlier than Strauss, Domenico Ghirardelli opened his eponymous chocolate shop at Broadway and Battery, proving that even gold miners had a sweet tooth, and Wells Fargo also arrived in town, offering express delivery, assay and banking services. Within a few short years, what had been an unruly city of tents quickly gathered airs and graces and a high society. People wanted to display their new-found wealth and the latest European
Neil emmersoN/Getty imaGes; DaviD mueNch/corbis; corbis; alamy; aFP/Getty imaGes
fashions. In 1856 Maguire’s Opera House opened and newspapers reported that the first-night audience arrived in splendid horse-drawn carriages and that ‘the ladies were in diamonds and furs, the men in silk hats and capes.’ San Francisco was on its way to becoming ‘The Paris of the West’, a transition assisted by the legendary quartet of investors (Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, Collis Huntingdon and Charles Crocker) who created the Central Pacific Railroad. This was the first transcontinental service, and it meant you could travel coast-to-coast in a headspinning eight days. The line was completed in 1869, the same year that the California Theatre on Bush Street became a favoured venue for the city’s elite. This enterprise was funded by William Ralston, treasurer of the Bank of California. The grand theatre – the first on the West Coast to be lit by limelight – with its marble floors, Corinthian columns and red-and-gold silk wall hangings became an important social hub. It opened in early 1869 with a performance of Bulwer-Lytton’s play Money, a title which proved highly prescient – the theatre made a healthy profit in its first year. And where did all these suave theatre-goers get their finery? From The City of Paris, of course. This was a department store that stocked the finest silks and laces (and equally fine wines and brandies), imported from France by Felix Verdier, who had arrived in 1850. The first store was on Kearney Street, but eventually he built his flagship BeauxArts building at Geary and Stockton, on the site of what is now Neiman Marcus, where the rotunda and the wonderful stained glass ceiling survive to give a taste of the old store’s Gallic opulence. Gump’s is another historic name in San Francisco retail. Its initial business (from 1861) was supplying ornate mirrors, frames and cornices, quickly followed by furniture and objets d’art to decorate the grand mansions springing up across the city. And its first wave of clients? Why, those four gentlemen who built the railroad who, like other equally successful bankers, mining magnates and merchants, had colonised Nob Hill, the lofty, monied enclave whose desirability increased when the iconic cable cars began running up the slope, replacing the more hazardous horse-drawn version. These stately homes were built without heed to cost. The Flood Mansion, for instance, was constructed of reddish sandstone from Portland, Connecticut, and shipped around Cape Horn and up to the Bay. The house is estimated to have cost James C Flood, who made his cash from silver mines, around $30 million in today’s money. But then, Mr Flood did have the equivalent of $20 billion in the bank. In 1880 The New York Times was able to say that ‘one characteristic of [the San Franciscan] millionaire is his ability to hold on to the proceeds
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of his speculation’. For the most part, San Francisco avoided the boom and bust of investors on the East Coast. Until, just after the turn of the century, nature brought a roller coaster of its own. When the 1906 earthquake struck, San Francisco was established as the sole cultural beacon west of the Mississippi, with the likes of Nellie Melba regularly performing. In fact, on the day of the Big Shake, none other than Enrico Caruso was in town to sing at the Grand Opera House: ‘I was stopping at the Palace Hotel… and very comfortable it was. I had sung Carmen and went to bed feeling happy and contented. But what an awakening!’ Caruso ran outside in time to witness ‘buildings toppling over and masonry falling’. But not from his hotel – the Palace still exists and its gilded ballroom is the venue for the traditional Cotillion Debutante Ball (this December’s gathering will be the 70th), a riot of ballgowns and white ties, where 24 of Northern California’s most eligible young ladies will ‘come out’ into society. The city’s reconstruction was remarkable and the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition told the world San Francisco was very much back in business. Later, the 1939 World’s Fair introduced two new bridges – The Golden Gate and the SF-Oakland, both the largest in their class at the time, although only one is an internationally renowned heart-stopper these days. The Flood Mansion was one of just two structures on Nob Hill to survive the earthquake,
Golden Greats San Francisco landmarks, the Transamerica Pyramid and Golden Gate Bridge, previous page; ‘America’s crookedest street’, Lombard Street, opposite; above, from left, the new Graff store on Post Street will open later this year; the Museum of Modern Art, with the Twenties Russ Building in the background; Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe in the city in 1950
along with the storied Fairmont Hotel – where JFK secretly entertained Marilyn Monroe in the penthouse – which is well worth investigating over a dry martini. The Flood Mansion, though, retains its connection to San Francisco’s top echelon, for these days it is home to the venerable Pacific-Union Club, which regularly hosts discreet fundraisers. Cultural institutions such as the San Francisco Ballet and Opera, which share the same Beaux-Arts building on Van Ness Avenue, the Symphony Orchestra and the Museum of Modern Art all rely heavily on generous patronage. In fact, their hugely popular gala balls and dinners still make up the core of San Francisco’s social calendar. From this year these events will have extra sparkle – the new Graff store on Post Street, will doubtless be supplying elegant pieces to grace more than a few beautiful necks and delicate ears. The latest cause célèbre for fundraisers is AC34 (the 34th America’s Cup, arriving in 2013) and organisers are anticipating having to raise $300 million to refurbish several piers and supply security and transport for the event. It says something about the city that nobody thinks this is an impossible dream, certainly not with the heavy hitters they already have onboard. As President Taft put it a century ago: ‘San Francisco is the city that knows how.’ The new Graff store, opening later this year, will be located at 237 Post Street, San Francisco
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MAKE AN ENTRANCE ElEgant, bEautiful jEwEls that EnsurE that your arrival is always mEmorablE PhotograPhy Lorenzo Agius | styling Ursula Lake
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Multishape Colombian Emerald and Diamond chandelier earrings (Emeralds 17.15cts, Diamonds 13.67cts). Multishape Colombian Emerald and Diamond chandelier necklace (Emeralds 13.59cts, Diamonds 14.02cts). 14.41ct Emerald-cut Colombian Emerald ring with white tapered baguette Diamond shoulders (Emeralds 14.41cts, Diamonds 3.17cts). Fine wool trouser suit by Brioni. Rectangular clutch bag by Jimmy Choo. Sunglasses by Michael Kors. High-heeled leather sandals by Sophie Gittins. Luggage by Globe Trotter and Bottega Veneta. Photographed in the Lobby Lounge Vivid yellow and white emeraldcut Diamond bracelet (Diamonds 50.04cts). Yellow radiant and white multishape Diamond earrings (Diamonds 41.40cts). White round and pearshape Diamond flower brooch with a Fancy Vivid Yellow radiant Diamond centre (Diamonds 90.73cts). 12.69ct Yellow pearshape Diamond ring with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 14.12cts). 22.84ct Yellow round Diamond ring with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 24.81cts). Mandarin silk gazar dress by Victoria Beckham. Photographed in Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Corinthia hotel london The Corinthia Hotel, London, is located on the corner of Whitehall Place and Northumberland Avenue. It’s a historic landmark but with 21st-century luxury and among the most spacious rooms and suites in the capital. Dining is offered in The Northall and Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar. The Bassoon bar serves innovative cocktails created by a team of highly skilled mixologists. In addition, the pioneering Spa by ESPA presents state-of-the-art thermal facilities in an impressive spa located over four floors. 020 7930 8181; corinthia.com/london
White multishape Diamond butterfly motif earrings (Diamonds 21.24cts). White multishape Diamond butterfly motif necklace (Diamonds 42.72cts). 20.79ct White round Diamond ring set with white round Diamonds (Diamonds 24.04cts). Gold silk strapless pantsuit and rope belt, both by Gucci. Snakeskin crossover sandals by Christian Louboutin. Raffia and tan leather clutch bag by Roger Vivier. Photographed in The Northall White round and yellow radiant Diamond bracelet (Diamonds 35.85cts). Yellow radiant Diamond earrings set with white Diamonds on pavé swan hooks (Diamonds 47.19cts). Yellow and white multishape Diamond necklace (Diamonds 133.75cts). 33.53ct Fancy Vivid Yellow
cushion-cut Diamond ring with white trilliant-cut Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 37.23cts). Cream silk V-neck dress with cap sleeves by Alexander McQueen at Matches. Nude leather sandals by Tabitha Simmons. Photographed in Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar Pink briolette, pearshape and round Sapphire earrings set with white pavé Diamonds (Sapphires 59.85cts, Diamonds 3.19cts). Pink briolette, pearshape and round Sapphire necklace with white round and pearshape Diamonds (Sapphires 34.91cts, Diamonds 12.13cts). 10.61ct White pearshape Diamond ring set with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 12.01cts). Black waterfall dress by Roland Mouret. Photographed in Bassoon Emerald-cut Colombian Emerald and Diamond bracelet (Emeralds 32.71cts, Diamonds 40.16cts). Cushion-cut Colombian Emerald earrings set with white pearshape and marquise Diamonds (Emeralds 25.08cts, Diamonds 17.59cts). 26.69ct Marquise D Flawless Diamond ring with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 30.43cts). White silk jersey backless dress by Max Mara. Photographed in Bassoon White oval Diamond bangle (Diamonds 29.24cts). White oval Diamond earrings set with white round Diamonds on pavé swan hooks (Diamonds 18.44cts). Multishape D Flawless Diamond necklace (Diamonds 68.78cts). 10.88ct Oval D Flawless Diamond ring with white pearshape Diamond shoulders (Diamonds 12.78cts). Triple oval D Flawless Diamond ring with white round Diamonds (Diamonds 14.49cts). Red silk ballgown by Oscar de la Renta at Harrods. Photographed in the Lobby Lounge
hair Maarit Niemela at D+V Management, using L’Oréal Kérastase. Make-up Liberty Shaw at Frank, using Sisley Cosmetics Manicurist Lucie Pickavance at Caren, using Dior Le Vernis Model Nadejda Savcova at Select
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MASTERS AT WORK Maria Doulton gains a rare insight into the elite craftsmanship behind a sublime graff creation, during an exclusive tour of its artisan workshop photographY Jonathan Glynn-Smith
Great jewels, like swans, should be effortlessly breathtaking. Never mind the hard work going on below the surface, all that should be visible is serene beauty. But just how do cascades of yellow diamonds hang so casually on a pair of earrings that evoke hazy, sunny days, or hundreds of diamonds settle on a quivering golden flower as easily as water drops on a leaf? The simple answer is hundreds of hours of work by highly skilled craftsmen bringing together the finest materials and the most magnificent diamonds. To achieve this level of perfection, no corners can be cut. Each step in the process from mine to final finished piece is vital in an elaborate matrix that brings together the skills of the cutter and grader, the eye of an artist and the steady hand of the jeweller. So labour-intensive is the work of making a Graff jewel that a craftsman could spend several months at his bench working on just one piece. To understand the complexity of the work involved, I start by taking a close look at the back of a piece of Graff jewellery. It is best appreciated with a jeweller’s loupe, and as I bring the piece up to my eye a mechanical marvel comes into focus. A miniature web of bridges, links, hinges, claws and honeycomb settings appears before my eyes: a Lilliputian structure, which vies with the Eiffel tower in complexity, gracefully holds in place the most valuable stones. Convinced that I need to know more, I find myself in Graff’s workshops in London. I am one of the lucky few to see for myself just how these jewels are made. Eyes wide open, I drink in every detail of my tour of Graff’s Mayfair headquarters. It is in this building
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that all the jewels to bear the Graff mark are made, from initial sketch to finished piece. The visit starts in the area where all the diamonds and other precious stones are checked, sorted, matched and allocated to a jewel. It can also take months to source matching diamonds for earrings or a necklace. With so many factors to take into account, from colour to cut and clarity, it is rare to find two closely matched stones. Imagine trying to do the same for a necklace with dozens of them. I am shown the all-important ‘diamond box’, where the sorted diamonds are stored. No bigger than a biscuit tin, the hinged lid opens and inside are dozens of little folded white parcels, the size of business cards. Neatly stacked in rows, each parcel contains different variants and cuts of stone and bears a hand-written, cryptic description of the contents. Next to the box, on a white pad of grading paper, lies a diamond scoop that is used to lift diamonds and a pair of tweezers for picking up the smaller stones for closer inspection with a loupe. The white paper is of a standard and consistent shade to facilitate grading the colour of diamonds. A lamp that shines out blue light identifies diamonds that fluoresce and are
NATURAL BEAUTY A master craftsman makes the finishing touches to the brooch, above left. Diamonds are sorted by hand and only those of the finest quality, both in colour and clarity, are selected, above right. The finished piece has more than 800 diamonds, all set by hand, and features over 90 carats of diamonds. The 4.11 carat Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond centre stone catches the light from the spring-set centre flower, creating a tremblement effect, above
therefore not up to Graff standards. Round stacking sieves the size of confiture jars used for sorting the stones are on the shelf behind. This is all the equipment the diamond expert uses – the rest is all about the eye and the skill of the grader. One of these diamond parcels is carefully opened and hundreds of diamonds dance like fireflies with the slightest movement of the paper. In another corner of the room are rods of gold the length of spaghetti strands. The process of bringing together these precious materials starts with a watercolour, hand-painted on grey paper. It is still done in this traditional way because no other technique gives such a realistic impression of what the final piece will look like. This sketch is used to source the stones, though often the diamonds are the starting point for a design. A copy of the drawing is ‘set’ with real stones that are temporarily secured before being sent down to the workshops. This design will guide the different craftsmen through the long process of turning the sketch into a piece of jewellery. At this point, it’s over to the 70 craftsmen who take the design, stones and rods of gold and convert them into the jewellery that we see
We dined in the vineyard, Which Wasn’t open to a soul.
hadn’t been for over 100 years. and yet there we were, the eight of us, laughing, with the sun on our shoulders and the most exquisite Bordeaux on our tongues.
if Jane hadn’t known luc, our gracious host, we’d be out strolling along another part of the Gironde. But instead, luc filled our bellies with lamb and truffles and our heads with tales of his 70 years cultivating grapes and wooing women.
With a sweet aria playing in the background, we finished our dessert, and luc led us down a creaky stairway into a damp, private cellar, where he handed me a reserve bottle to remind me of our time there.
six weeks later, i watch the rugged coastline creep past our living room window, and open the bottle. i am immediately whisked back to the thick cellar air and gravelly vineyard soil. But the cool gusts coming in from the veranda pull me back, reminding me of the arctic adventure that lies just over the horizon...
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coolly sparkling in the windows of Graff’s 36 boutiques around the world. The heavy doors swing open into the workshop and the smell of gas burners is accompanied by the whine of drills and tapping of hammers. Rows of men sit at chest-height wooden benches, with a leather apron over their knees to catch falling specks of gold or diamonds. Each jeweller has his own set of tools that they never share. Depending on the skill and stage of work, dozens of tools can be out on the workbench. Graff jewellers are an elite team who have earned their coveted place in this workshop. On my visit, I am introduced to an apprentice who is being guided into the world of jewellery making at Graff. The company has a commitment to training young people to ensure the continuity of skilled craftsmen capable of working to Graff’s exacting standards of perfection. It can take years to become a fully fledged Graff jewellery maker, even for those who have experience elsewhere, and each man at his bench has acquired the skills necessary to make the most complex jewels, such as the swan watch with its plumage of diamonds that swings back to reveal a miniature dial. In the first workshop, metal is beaten, cast, cut, sawed, soldered, stretched, hammered, filed, nudged and coaxed into shape. As the raw metal relents, hour by hour, the metal bars morph and slowly mimic the watercolour sketch pinned to each workbench. The pieces of metal, or mounts, are set into wooden sticks, secured with heat-resistant pink plaster. The pieces of metal used for soldering are called ‘pallions’ and are no bigger than grains of sand. Each jeweller cuts his own, painstakingly positioning them using a paintbrush dipped in borax. A Bunsen burner flame at each workbench provides the heat to solder together each part of the jewel with a pallion. Platinum is melted at a higher temperature in white crucibles. The process leaves mysterious opal-hued stains inside the little crucibles. Slowly, links, collets and eventually claws create a complete frame that is then polished before moving on to the setting stage, which is carried out in a separate workshop. The smallest nooks that will never be seen by the human eye are buffed up with cotton thread to maximise the reflection of light on the stone. A jewel can be polished dozens of times before it sees the light of day. At this stage, the mount looks like a skeleton with claws wide open, ready to surround its prey. Binocular microscopes are used to set the smaller stones while the larger ones are treated like divas and have their mounts fitted to their exact shape, much like a couture gown caresses
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TRUE CRAFTSMANSHIP In Graff’s Mayfair workshop, each stage requires the finest skills and a meticulous eye, from the creation of individual diamond settings, shown here, to the final polish of the completed piece, top. Every design is beautifully illustrated by hand by a Graff designer, above
its wearer. The diamond setters use a glossy red shellac to hold the mounts in place without distorting the metal as they work on setting the stones. Sometimes, where jewels have been already set, shellac is put over the top to protect the work. Once the stones are all set, the necklace is removed from the holder and the fall of the jewels is tested on a wooden bust that looks like it has been around for a few decades. Once again, the piece is polished and it is finally ready to go. Without all this meticulous work, diamonds would be just pretty stones sitting in white paper parcels in the Graff ‘diamond box’. The skill is in selecting the best diamonds and making the most of them – that and the incredible skill of the mounters, polishers and setters. So, just as you don’t have to look for brush strokes on the Marc Quinn canvas to appreciate the art, neither should you feel compelled to examine the intricate web of gold that underpins each Graff jewel. But rest assured it is there. How else could cold metal rods and mounds of loose stones possibly be transformed into a bracelet that drapes around the wrist like silk or a pair of earrings as light as dew on a cobweb?
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A BRIGHTER FUTURE The FACeT ChAriTy, wiTh iTs ACTiviTies And pArTnerships providing ground-breAking progrAmmes For CommuniTies in sub-sAhArAn AFriCA, is sTeAdily improving The lives And opporTuniTies oF mAny people And reAChing ouT To numerous oThers
When a letter arrived for Laurence Graff from Alina Hakane in Lesotho, her opening words sounded like those of any 15-year old girl: ‘We are going to sit for our examinations. We assure you we will be working very hard.’ But Mr Graff understood quite how extraordinary it was for Alina to be taking those exams. In Lesotho, only eight per cent of young adults graduate from high school. Alina is one of the lucky ones, thanks to her participation in a groundbreaking leadership programme for girls. It has grown to over 100 particpants, all high-risk vulnerable girls including Alina, who are now enrolled on courses to improve literacy, employment and leadership skills, and to tackle health issues around HIV and self-esteem. Over 50 of those girls have received help with school fees, uniforms and shoes. Thirty-seven of them, including Alina, have been given hostel accommodation too. All this, and more, has taken place at the Graff Leadership Centre in Lesotho, the first major project funded by Laurence Graff’s charity FACET (For Africa’s Children Every Time). The Centre’s full programme of over 150 activities, which targets local residents from teenagers to grandmothers, reached out to over 8,000 participants in 2010, with activities set to expand even further this year. At present, these include anti-AIDS clubs, six-day leadership camps, and three-day gender conferences, aimed at both women and men. A significant activity is the youth leadership training programme, which prepares youths for community leadership and then helps the participants move on to tertiary schools and jobs. Thirty youths are selected for an intensive three-month training programme, which runs twice a year. The Graff Leadership Centre has been hugely beneficial for the surrounding community. It is the intensive girl’s leadership programme, however, that holds the greatest potential to truly transform lives. It will be fascinating to see what the future holds for these girls. But already, as Alina herself says, ‘Our lives have improved more than we had ever imagined.’ The successes of the Graff Leadership Centre in Lesotho have provided an inspiring blueprint for FACET’s work across sub-Saharan Africa. So it was with great delight that, in May, Laurence Graff announced the opening of a brand new Graff Leadership Centre in Botswana. It is set to host its own ‘Finding the Leader Within’ programme, which targets orphaned and exposed youth, particularly girls and their care-givers. The programme will include leadership training, computer skills, tutoring, and income-generating activities. The computer centre to be located in the Graff Leadership Centre is a key element; training the participants in computer skills will enable them
power of hope South African children, opposite and top, on a visit to
sculptor Gerhard Deetlefs’ foundry, facilitated by FACET. Above: The new Graff Leadership Centre in Mochudi, Botswana. Top right: Alina Hakane’s letter from Lesotho to FACET charity founder Laurence Graff
to present themselves as stronger candidates when applying for jobs. The aim for the initial leadership programme is to attain employment and improve quality of life for the 500 participants. The Centre’s outreach work hopes to benefit an additional 6,500 children, grandmothers and community leaders. While the leadership programmes in Lesotho and Botswana continue to grow and expand, FACET has been involved in an altogether more creative initiative in the South African Cape Winelands. FACET has facilitated a series of sculpture workshops sponsored and run by South African artist Gerhard Deetlefs, to benefit children whose lives have been blighted by alcohol. Deetlefs decided to open up his foundry once a fortnight to groups of 15 children. Not only would they witness a bronze sculpture being made, they would be given the chance to make their own sculptures in wax, which Deetlefs would then cast in bronze and give back to the
children to take home with them. The workshops, which have been running for some months now, have provided a novel and wonderful experience for the children. ‘The sights, sounds and smells of a working foundry are fascinating for the children,’ says Deetlefs. He admits that making a sculpture can be a daunting task for the inexperienced, but says some of the children have been energised by it – in turn inspiring the artist: ‘What has impressed me most is the unusual ways in which the children approach the making of a sculpture object. I have seen some really out-of-the-box thinking that has astounded me at times.’ The continuing sculpture workshops have illustrated a wider point about FACET’s work. Because, even as FACET and all its partners in sub-Saharan Africa give time, resources, and opportunities to children who are in real need, the children themselves give back just as much. www.facet-foundation.org
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SHOWCASE An exquisite suite, beautifully designed to display the finest sapphires and diamonds As ever, the House of Graff lives up to its promise of jewellery that is of ‘unforgettable beauty, unparalleled rarity’, with this spectacular sapphire and diamond creation. This new design showcases the finest diamonds and sapphires in the world in a stunning necklace and matching earrings. With over 140 hand-selected diamonds and 11 of the highest-quality Burmese sapphires, the necklace features an elegant and intricate diamond swirl design which perfectly frames the breathtaking sapphires. Matching multishape diamond earrings, set with eight exquisite cushion and oval Burmese sapphires, complete the look. The designers and master craftsmen in Graff’s London studio took many months to create this important suite, which began as a hand-drawn illustration, from sourcing and selecting the perfect stones, to the final polishing, producing an exceptional suite of incomparable beauty. Multishape Diamond and Sapphire necklace (Diamonds 82.01 carats, Sapphires 111.67 carats) Multishape Diamond and Sapphire earrings (Diamonds 12.44 carats, Sapphires 37.45 carats)
GRAFF StORES WORldWidE EUROPE
NORTH AMERICA
THE MIDDLE EAST
UK London UK flagship store 8 New Bond Street London W1S 3SJ Tel: +44 20 7584 8571
new York 710 Madison Avenue New York New York 10065 Tel: +1 212 355 9292
dUBai Atlantis Hotel The Palm Jumeirah Dubai Tel: +9714 422 0063
Bal Harbour 9700 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour Florida 33154 Tel: +1 305 993 1212
The Dubai Mall Dubai Tel: +9714 339 9795
chicago 103 East Oak Street Chicago Illinois 60610 Tel: +1 312 604 1000
cHina Beijing The Peninsula Beijing 8 Goldfish Lane Wangfujing Beijing 100006 Tel: +86 10 6513 6690
11 Sloane Street London SW1X 9LE Tel: +44 20 7201 4120 Monaco Monte carlo Hôtel de Paris Place du Casino Monte Carlo 98000 Tel: +377 97 70 43 10 France courchevel Rue du Rocher 73120 Courchevel 1850 Tel: +33 479 24 59 12 Also at: Hôtel Les Airelles Chalet de Pierres Hôtel Palace des Neiges Tel: +33 680 86 20 39 SwitzerLand Geneva 29 Rue du Rhône 1204 Geneva Tel: +41 22 819 6060 rUSSia Moscow Tretiakovsky Proezd, 6 Moscow Tel: +7 495 933 3385 Luxury Village Barvikha Moscow Tel: +7 495 933 3385 TSUM department store 2 ul. Petrovka 125009 Moscow Tel: +7 495 933 3399
Las Vegas Wynn Las Vegas 3131 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas Nevada 89109 Tel: +1 702 940 1000 Palm Beach 221 Worth Avenue Palm Beach Florida 33480 Tel: +1 561 355 9292 in selected SaKS stores: SAKS 5th Avenue, New York Atlanta, Georgia Beverly Hills, California Naples, Florida San Antonio, Texas San Francisco, California Tyson’s Corner, Virginia
AFRICA SoUtH aFrica Stellenbosch Delaire Graff Estate Helshoogte Pass Banhoek Valley Stellenbosch 7600 Tel: +27 021 885 8160
Hong Kong The Peninsula Hong Kong Salisbury Road Kowloon Hong Kong SAR Tel: +852 2735 7666 Shanghai The Peninsula Shanghai Shop L1 O 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road The Bund Shanghai 200002 Tel: +86 21 6321 6660 JaPan tokyo The Peninsula Hotel Tokyo 1-8-1 Yurakucho Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0006 Tel: +81 3 6267 0811 taiwan taipei The Grand Formosa Regent Taipei 2FL, 41 Chung Shan North Road Section 2 Taipei Tel: +886 2511 5865
ON BOARD ‘THE WORLD’ Tel: +1 646 996 4794
UKraine Kiev 12/2/3 Gorodetskogo Street 01001 Kiev Tel: +38 044 278 7557
ASIA
Graff in Taiwan Graff Diamonds’ first boutique in Taiwan has just opened at The Grand Formosa Regent Hotel in Taipei. Monte Carlo-based designer Jean-Pierre Gilardino drew on inspiration from Art Deco motifs to create a new concept for the interior, with oak panels, hand-engraved with gold leaf, creating a luxurious effect. Fan-shaped metal panes and ornate chandeliers echo the look of Graff’s other sumptuous Asian stores, while new features including a bronze arch with a hidden pattern create a unique and feminine feel. Every attention to detail has been considered, creating the perfect atmosphere for displaying the finest diamonds in the world.
STORES OPENING IN cHina Hangzhou USa San Francisco SwitzerLand Gstaad
GRAFF, UKRAINE The new Graff sTore in The Ukraine is now open, locaTed on GorodeTskoGo sTreeT in kiev
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