Graff Emerald Cut Diamond Ring
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Cluster Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
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21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
Vintage 1950s Unknown Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
2010s Turkish Modern Stud Earrings
Ruby, 14k Gold
20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Antique Early 1900s Brooches
Yellow Gold, Silver
Vintage 1940s Italian More Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold
Vintage 1980s French More Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary French Cluster Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Cluster Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
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21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Fashion Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s American Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Early 2000s British Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Emerald, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Wedding Rings
White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Wedding Rings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Italian Modern Engagement Rings
Emerald, Diamond, White Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Gold
Vintage 1980s American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Band Rings
White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Platinum
20th Century British Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
Graff for sale on 1stDibs
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.
Finding the Right rings for You
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.