HARRY WINSTON: THE KING OF DIAMONDS
‘I love the diamond business. It’s a Cinderella world. It has everything! People! Drama! Romance! Precious stones! Speculation! Excitement! What more could you want?’ said Harry Winston, known as the King of Diamonds, the Jeweler to the Stars, and the man who stands behind the most famous diamonds in the world. His devotion to precious stones resulted in often daring actions and bold decisions that we don’t usually associate with the meticulous and arduous work at the goldsmith’s table.
The history of the brand began in 1932, when Harry Winston founded his first jewelry store, Harry Winston Inc. Winston, however, had proven that precious stones and business were his elements much earlier than that. He was merely twelve years old when he purchased an inconspicuous looking green rock in a box with cheap jewelry for $0.25 at a nearby pawnshop. Two days later he sold it for $800. It turned out that among the shiny pieces of glass, Winston had spotted a 2-carat emerald. Back then he already knew that precious stones were his future. At 15-years-old, he dropped out of school to help support the family jewelry business, but soon discovered that it was not his path to take and started working on his own jewelry brand.
The 718 Marble Marquetry sapphire and diamond necklace echoes the graphic pattern on the floor of the flagship seen in the postcard and found in every Harry Winston boutique today. Photo Andrew Werner
An eye for perfection
To fulfill his dream, Harry Winston went through the 1920s buying out entire jewelry collections. He would then remove the precious stones from their settings to give them new life. Finally, in 1932 he opened his own store under his very name. But that didn’t mean that Winston slowed down at all. On the contrary: he quickly made his brand renowned thanks to his extraordinary flair for stunning gemstones that enriched his collection. Thus, he deservingly established himself as the King of Diamonds. His first acquisition was the Jonker, a 726-carat uncut rough diamond, which Winston decided to ship to his headquarters in New York … via regular registered mail for $0.64. Fortunately, the stone made its way to the destination safely and inaugurated a real collection of exquisiteness. His collection contained such gems as the 726.6-carat piece of rough named Vargas, the Star of the East, and the acclaimed Diamond Hope. By 1952, Harry Winston already had the second largest collection of precious stones in the world; second only to the Royal Court of England.
Kate Holmes wearing the City Lights necklace at the party in the Rainbow Room on September 20, 2018, celebrating the launch of The New York Collection by Harry Winston. Photo courtesy
Hollywood razzle-dazzle
Winston wasn’t just a superb gemologist with a knack for the tracking down and lapidary processing of precious stones. He was also Hollywood’s favorite jeweler. Winston was the first to lend his designs out to actresses; offering them the most appropriate frame for the red carpet. As well, his works made history while being featured in iconic films. Harry Winston diamonds added extra shine to Hollywood productions, having been appreciated by such movie directors as Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen. You might remember the famous song ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Marylin Monroe sings: ‘Talk to me Harry Winston! Tell me all about it!’ It was in this way that, for years, the Winston brand would reinforce its position among aficionados of precious stones; creating iconic motifs such as Sunflowers, or enhancing their portfolios with decorative watches. The Winston Legacy diamond featured by Christie’s auction house in 2013 and described as ‘the most perfect diamond ever offered for sale at auction’ validates that the Winston’s renown continues to this day. Every magpie should identify Harry Winston with perfection captured in the form of a diamond.
An image taken of the Harry Winston flagship in 1969 shows the chandelier and emerald-shaped vitrines with bows. The inset image is the 718 Chandelier necklace. Photo courtesy
