Graff
Graff Diamonds (Graff family) · United Kingdom
Graff is a London jeweller founded in 1960 by Laurence Graff and controlled by the Graff family, with the founder as majority shareholder and his son François as chief executive. Known for cutting and selling some of the world's most important diamonds, it operates its own boutiques worldwide.
| Founded | 1960, London |
|---|---|
| Founder | Laurence Graff |
| Owner | Graff family (majority: Laurence Graff) |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| CEO | François Graff |
| Boutiques | More than 50 |
| Website | graff.com |
What is Graff?
Graff, also known as Graff Diamonds, is a British luxury jeweller headquartered in London. It designs, manufactures and sells high jewellery and watches and is particularly associated with exceptionally large and rare diamonds. The company is family controlled: founder Laurence Graff holds a majority stake through a holding company, and his son François Graff is chief executive.
History
Laurence Graff founded the business in London in 1960. He built a reputation for sourcing important stones and selling them to private clients. The first store outside the United Kingdom opened in 2000 in the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, followed by an international network of boutiques.
Graff has acquired several famous diamonds. In 2008 it bought the 31.06 carat Wittelsbach diamond for 16.4 million pounds and recut it as the Wittelsbach-Graff. In 2010 it acquired the pink diamond that, after recutting to 23.88 carats, became the Graff Pink, and in 2017 it bought the Lesedi La Rona, from which it cut a 302.37 carat D colour emerald-cut diamond in 2019.
Products and positioning
- High jewellery set with rare white and coloured diamonds
- Bridal and diamond jewellery collections
- The Laurence Graff Signature collection
- Watches
Business model and distribution
Graff is vertically integrated, covering sourcing, cutting, design, manufacture and retail. Cutting and polishing take place in Johannesburg through the South African Diamond Corporation, a Graff division. The company sells only through its own boutiques, of which it operates more than 50 worldwide, with corporate offices in London, New York, Geneva, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Its largest boutique is on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris. The company does not routinely publish revenue figures.
Why it matters
Graff is one of the few remaining jewellers that control the chain from rough diamond to retail client. Its acquisitions of historic stones keep it at the centre of the high-end diamond market, and it remains an important independent alternative to the jewellery maisons owned by LVMH and Richemont.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Graff?
Graff is controlled by the Graff family. Founder Laurence Graff holds a majority stake through a holding company, and his son François Graff is chief executive.
What is Graff known for?
Graff is known for exceptional diamonds, including the Lesedi La Rona, the Graff Pink and the Wittelsbach-Graff. The company cuts many of its stones itself and sells them through its own boutiques.