Laurence Graff

Laurence Graff is a British jeweler, diamond dealer, and businessman who built Graff Diamonds into a global luxury powerhouse. He is famous for his unparalleled eye for rare, flawless stones and his vertically integrated operations from mining to retail, handling some of the world's most significant diamonds. Graff Diamonds now operates over 40 stores worldwide, serving a discerning clientele including royalty, celebrities, and heads of state. He has been called the king of diamonds. Graff was appointed OBE for his contributions to the jewelry industry. As of 2026, his net worth is estimated at $4 billion, largely derived from his 60% stake in the company.[edit]

Laurence Graff was born on June 13, 1938, in Stepney, East London, England. He grew up in the working-class East End, within a tight-knit Jewish family whose grandparents had fled Kyiv after pogroms in Tsarist Russia. His father, Harry Graff, worked as a tailor and operated a small confectionery shop, while his mother, Rebecca Segal, managed a tobacco shop. From a young age, Graff displayed an innate entrepreneurial spirit, often collecting comic books and trading cigarette cards, an early indication of his future business acumen.

Graff’s academic performance was poor, and at the age of 14, he left school, urged by his family to find work. His mother guided him to Hatton Garden, London's historic jewelry quarter, where he secured his first apprenticeship with a jeweler named Schindler. Earning a modest one pound per week, his initial duties involved polishing rings on weekends, alongside the less glamorous tasks of scrubbing floors and cleaning toilets. After only three months, Schindler dismissed him, emphatically stating that Graff would "never make the grade" in the industry.

Far from being discouraged, this rejection hardened Graff’s resolve. He quickly found a second apprenticeship, dedicating himself to mastering the intricate skills of selecting, cutting, polishing, and setting stones. During this period, he also attended day-release classes at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, further honing his craft. Within three years, Graff had developed remarkable expertise, capably restoring antique pieces and creating original jewelry designs. By 1960, at the age of 22, his ambition led him to establish his own workshop. Just two years later, in 1962, he officially registered the company that would go on to become Graff Diamonds. [edit]

Graff's first major break came in 1972, when he acquired the 299-carat Imperial Diamond, a rough stone that he cut into a record-setting auction piece. The sale put his name on the map. In 1973, he received the Queen's Award for Enterprise. The next year, he opened his first jewelry store in Knightsbridge, London. During the 1970s oil boom, connections made at a Singapore exhibition with the Prince of Brunei brought wealthy Arab clients, fueling rapid growth.

In the 1990s, Graff moved his flagship store to New Bond Street. The 2000s saw his most audacious project: acquiring the 603-carat Lesotho Promise rough diamond, the fifteenth-largest ever found, and cutting it into 26 flawless D-color gems, mounted into one of the world's most expensive necklaces. He also handled the Star of Bombay and the Queen of Kalahari. Graff Diamonds expanded globally, opening boutiques on Fifth Avenue and in major capitals. In 2008, he founded the FACET Foundation for philanthropic work in sub-Saharan Africa. Graff remains active as chairman, with his son François Xavier Graff serving as CEO. [edit]

Graff is known as the king of diamonds and the new Harry Winston, a self-made billionaire who built an empire from humble East End beginnings. Media portray him as secretive and possessing extraordinary business instincts. His signature style involves sourcing the largest, highest-quality diamonds and crafting them into exquisite pieces. The Graff name itself signals the best in jewelry. He has no personal public social media, but the brand commands a loyal clientele of royalty, celebrities, and heads of state. Fans admire his rags-to-riches story and his eye for rare stones. [edit]

Laurence Graff commands a following defined by the clinking of champagne flutes and the hushed reverence of high-stakes auctions rather than the roar of stadium crowds or the digital fervor of online communities. His supporters are not fans in the traditional sense but a global constellation of royalty, heads of state, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals who view his creations as the apex of material achievement. There is no organized fanbase with a specific name, no grassroots campaigns, and no rituals where followers gather to celebrate his personal milestones; the relationship remains strictly commercial and brand-focused. While the Graff brand recently leveraged pop culture through strategic ambassadorships like that of BTS member Jung Kook, this serves as corporate marketing rather than the emergence of a devoted movement dedicated to the man himself. The mythology surrounding him is one of business mastery, rooted in the verified narrative of a self-made billionaire rising from cleaning toilets in London's East End to acquiring the Lesotho Promise diamond. This story of rags-to-riches success stands as the primary legend associated with his name, celebrated in profiles alongside kings and presidents. Unlike entertainers whose fame fluctuates with chart positions, Graff's reputation is anchored in the tangible rarity of his stones and the vertical integration of his empire. iFANN has evaluated Laurence Graff for its Global Fame Engine, but he does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings. He is not ranked within the Global Top 1,000 nor on any Top-100 scope list. Consequently, no numeric rank or score applies to his current standing in the system.[edit]

Before committing his life to the sparkle of diamonds, Laurence Graff briefly considered becoming a furrier, a pivot that never came to pass. He is a self-taught gemologist who possesses an extraordinary eye for rare stones despite holding no formal gemology degree. His grandmother, Katie Graff, served as the family's business brain, with the entire community seeking her counsel. Graff's art collection began in the 1960s with works by magician-painter Chan Canasta before expanding to masterpieces like Andy Warhol's Liz, which he purchased for $12.6 million. All proceeds from the GRAFF book support his FACET Foundation. His first apprenticeship paid a single pound per week, ending after three months when he was fired for allegedly not making the grade. A widely retold legend of his ascent details his rise from cleaning toilets in London's East End to becoming an OBE recipient and billionaire. Another pillar of his professional lore involves the acquisition and cutting of the Lesotho Promise, described as the 15th largest diamond ever found, cementing his status as a master of the trade.[edit]

Laurence Graff's father, Harry Graff, was a Russian-Jewish tailor who briefly ran a confectionery shop. His mother, Rebecca Segal, was a Romanian immigrant who operated a tobacco shop. His grandparents fled Kyiv after pogroms. Graff married Anne-Marie Ali in 1962; they later divorced. She holds a 40% stake in Graff Diamonds. They had three children: François Xavier, who is CEO of Graff Diamonds, Kristelle, and Stephane. Graff has two additional children from other relationships. He lives in Gstaad, Switzerland, and is an avid art collector, favoring Impressionist and contemporary works. [edit]

Graff's son François Xavier Graff serves as CEO of Graff Diamonds. His ex-wife Anne-Marie Graff Ali holds a 40% stake in the business. He has long-standing relationships with the Prince of Brunei and other royal clients. His first employer, Mr. Schindler, fired him as a teenager, a rejection that fueled his determination. [edit]

Laurence Graff married Anne-Marie Ali in 1962. She is French, and together they had three children: François Xavier, Kristelle, and Stephane. The couple later divorced, though the year is not publicly documented. Anne-Marie holds a 40% stake in Graff Diamonds. Graff has two additional children from other relationships, but no further public romantic relationships have been confirmed. As of 2026, Graff is divorced and not publicly known to be in a relationship. [edit]

As of 2026, Laurence Graff's net worth is estimated at $4 Billion according to research by the iFANN Editorial Team. The bulk of this fortune stems from his 60% stake in Graff Diamonds Corp., a Cayman Islands-based holding company. The business operates over 40 stores worldwide, including flagship boutiques on Bond Street and Fifth Avenue, and maintains vertically integrated operations from mining to retail. Graff also owns a valuable art collection, including Andy Warhol's Liz, purchased for $12.6 million. He resides in Gstaad, Switzerland. His wealth has grown steadily as Graff Diamonds expanded globally and acquired major rough diamonds like the Lesotho Promise. The company's annual revenues are estimated in the hundreds of millions, driven by high-net-worth clients and record-breaking auction sales.[edit]

Graff received the Queen's Award for Enterprise in 1973 for export achievement. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Birthday Honours for services to the jewelry industry. [edit]