Harry Winston

Harry Winston is one of the most prestigious jewellers in the world, and a large part of its price reflects the name, heritage and prestige rather than a fundamentally different stone. Its diamonds are genuinely of very high quality, but a comparable stone can often be found for considerably less elsewhere. If owning a piece from the house known as the "King of Diamonds" matters to you, that premium is part of what you are buying. If you simply want a beautiful diamond, you can shop the stone itself and spend less.

Much of the premium comes from the brand's name, history and exceptional quality standards rather than a radically different diamond. The house is regarded as one of the most prestigious jewellery manufacturers in the world, a reputation built up since its founding in 1932. That prestige, combined with high standards applied to every stone, is what elevates the price even on a single-stone ring.

Both are top-tier diamond houses, but they come from different traditions. Harry Winston is an American jeweller founded in 1932 and known as the "King of Diamonds," while Graff is a British house founded in London in 1960. Collectors often describe Harry Winston's style as more classic and Graff's as bolder, though both build their pieces around exceptional stones. The right choice usually comes down to the individual diamond and the look you prefer.

Harry Winston was the American jeweller who founded the company, opening his first store as Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc. in 1932. He earned the nickname the "King of Diamonds" for his reputation as one of the most celebrated diamond jewellers in the world. The company changed its name to Harry Winston Inc. in 1936 and still carries his name today.

The company was founded in 1932 as Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc., and changed its name to Harry Winston Inc. in January 1936. It is an American house headquartered in New York City. From those New York roots it grew into one of the most prestigious diamond jewellers in the world.

Yes. Harry Winston was the first jeweller to loan diamonds to an actress for the Academy Awards, doing so in 1943. After dressing Best Actress nominee Jennifer Jones in his signature diamonds, Winston became popular with Hollywood celebrities. That moment is widely credited as the start of the red-carpet borrowed-diamonds tradition.

Harry Winston is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss Swatch Group, which acquired it in January 2013. Swatch bought the brand and all of its jewellery and watch activities, including the production company in Geneva, from the company then known as Harry Winston Diamond Corporation. The mining side of that former parent was not part of the deal and was renamed Dominion Diamond Corporation.

Yes. Harry Winston is described as an American luxury jeweller and a producer of Swiss timepieces, so watches are a core part of the house. When Swatch Group acquired the brand in 2013, the deal included its watch activities and a production company in Geneva, Switzerland. A Harry Winston timepiece is therefore backed by the same house known for its exceptional diamonds.

The house has a long history of acquiring extraordinary stones. One notable example is The Winston Blue, a flawless blue diamond the company bought in May 2014. Acquisitions like this reinforce the brand's standing as one of the leading names in exceptional diamonds.

Harry Winston operates its own retail stores across many countries, including the United States, France, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, among others. Buying through the house's own boutiques is the most reliable way to be certain of authenticity and quality given the value of the stones involved.