Graff Briolette Diamond Ring

The British jeweler Sir Laurence Graff (b. 1938) became utterly mesmerized by diamonds when he undertook his first apprenticeship at age 15 in London’s Hatton Garden jewelry district. It wasn't long before he established his now-celebrated eponymous brand, which produces engagement rings, necklaces, rings, earrings, stand-alone jewels, watches and more — all entirely in-house.

Graff had enrolled in classes at Central School of Arts and Crafts, and while he initially showed promise and was highly regarded, the shop owner, Mr. Schindler — who had his apprentice scrubbing floors and toilets — soon changed his tune, deeming him subpar. Undeterred, Graff learned to repair rings and designed small jewels at a humble workbench in his bedroom. He opened a 24-hour ring-repair service with a business partner and, in 1960, founded his luxury house. Two retail locations followed in London in 1962. Graff would go on to become one of the finest diamantaires in the world and was appointed an OBE in 2013 by Queen Elizabeth for his services to the jewelry industry.

Graff is known for handling some of the most famous diamonds in the world, including the Windsor Yellows, the Paragon, the Lesotho Promise and the Wittelsbach-Graff. He also purchased the 302.37-carat Graff Lesedi La Rona, which, at the time, was the largest diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America. The GIA certified the diamond — then the second-largest gem-quality rough diamond on record — as being of highest color and highest clarity. Lucara Diamond Corporation workers discovered the 1,109-carat rough diamond in 2015 at the Karowe mine in Botswana, and after Graff purchased the diamond in 2017, his gemologists and craftsmen spent more than 18 months polishing its final facets.

While many jewels, such as the Graff Lesedi La Rona, remain in Graff’s collection, he does sell extremely high-quality stand-alone jewels. Gems in his showrooms can reportedly fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars on average. Although these stones are perhaps slightly out of the budget of a typical Graff jewelry client, the house does work with more reasonably priced, but no less exceptional gems for its collections.

Naturally, diamonds feature prominently in Graff jewelry, which is known for being more avant-garde than traditional, although Graff does create classic engagement rings, too. The jeweler’s ready-to-wear collections integrate naturalistic motifs like butterflies, bows and sunbursts, as well as striking silhouettes like the crisscrossed Kiss, the clustered Threads and the swirling Inspired by Twombly line, which pays homage to the work of American painter and sculptor Cy Twombly. And while diamonds are the main focus for Graff, his jewelry occasionally features other precious and semiprecious stones.

Browse Graff watches, rings, earrings and other accessories on 1stDibs.

Antique and vintage cluster rings are timeless accessories. While they might have been considered more popular in certain eras than in others, they’re versatile and belong in any jewelry box.

Featuring a diamond or other central gemstone surrounded by smaller stones, the cluster rings’ distinguished look makes them a popular choice for engagement rings or, for a fancy night out, an accent piece for jewelry lovers everywhere.

The style of cluster rings has changed over time even if the defining attributes have remained intact.

Georgian-era jewelry — named for the monarchies of the four King Georges — features cluster rings that are often characterized by a grouping of central stones into rose-like shapes. (The stones are set off by the setting’s blackened metal.) Diamonds came into fashion during the late Victorian period, and late Victorian cluster rings were most often set in yellow gold. Jewelers of the Art Deco period embraced geometric shapes, and Art Deco cluster rings feature emeralds, sapphires and other colorful stones.

Cluster rings for future brides have been in and out of the spotlight, but cluster-style engagement rings have been experiencing a consistent revival of sorts since at least 2011, when Kate Middleton began wearing Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond ring, which was made by Garrard in the 1980s. For your special day, whether you prefer vintage engagement rings or contemporary pieces, a cluster ring can deliver some sparkle if a diamond solitaire is out of your budget. (See our engagement ring buying guide for insight and expert tips to help you find the perfect ring.)

On 1stDibs, find many ruby cluster rings, gold cluster rings and an extraordinary range of other antique and vintage rings today.