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.
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