Sara Sampaio Launches Graff's Green Lady Diamonds Campaign. Will Sara Also Take On The 'Peace' Diamond Project?
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Portuguese model and VS Angel Sara Sampaio is the new face of Graff Diamonds. Lensed by Patrick Demarchelier for Graff's Green Lady campaign Sara shines wearing a pair of 50 carat emerald cut diamond earrings as well as a 35 carat emerald cut D Flawless diamond ring.
In November 2015 How To Spend It Magazine interviewed Laurence Graff, chairman of Graff Diamonds, in advance of the sale of an exceptional diamond called Blue Moon, in advance of its Sotheby's sale for $48.5m.
Vivienne Becker amplifies the impact Laurence Graff has had on the fine jewelry business with his pioneering mine-to-market business model. Graff brought together "the disparate sectors of the traditional fragmented diamond supply chain, with its total disconnect between the miners at the source, the cutters and dealers and the artistry of the finished jewels."
The 'Peace' Diamond From Sierre Leone
AOC hasn't written about diamonds and blood diamonds for several years, but the journey to market of the 'Peace' diamond caught our attention.
It was Laurence Graff who won the Dec. 2017 bidding in New York, acquiring the so-called 'Peace' diamond from the government of Sierra Leone.
The stone is the third largest diamond in the country's history and the 14th biggest ever discovered worldwide, according to the Rapaport Group, the jewelry auction organization that helped bring the stone to auction. Note that the Rapaport Group is also a leader in fair trade and ethical diamond mining.
The sale of the 'Peace' diamond at $6.8 million disappointed many, and we explain the reasons why in our in-depth story on how the diamond came to market from Sierra Leone.
AOC is writing about the diamond, because it feels like there is a brilliant marketing story in the making here.
A quote from top model Toni Garrn in the new issue of The Editorialist caught our eye. Garrn is very active in Africa with her Toni Garrn Foundation. "I love combining charity with fashion," Garrn says. "Now I'll say 'Sure, I'll do your campaign, but can you donate $100,000 to this project? I want my work to stand for something, which right now is sustainable projects to educate women in Africa."
“We make more sales to newer money,” says Laurence Graff, shown above with a 20-carat, emerald-cut white diamond ring. CreditMichael Falco for The New York Times
The New York Times wrote in 2011 The King of Really Big Diamonds Heads to China, noting that jewels from Laurence Graff, perhaps the biggest dealer in "seriously big stones" were rare at the annual May gala of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute.
“The people who wear Graff jewelry own it,” says Henri Barguirdjian, who heads Mr. Graff’s United States sales operation. “I think it is a bit of an insult to our clients who actually purchased our jewelry,” he adds, referring to the notion of non-owners wearing Graff jewels. “If you spend $1 million, that is a lot of money. Do you want a little model wearing it?” Ouch!!
(Note, Mr. Barguirdjian left Graff Diamonds in 2016 and we follow the story in Women's News with the story of Graff's wonderful relationship with Donald and Melania Trump. Hmmmm, I may be running out of gas with this grand diamond activist vision of mine. This is how goddesses work. Carry on, Anne and have faith. Suddenly Trump enters our conversation, but having watched Martin Rappaport's TED Talk, he is as good as gold on my idea. This man sends chills up and down my spine with his truth serum about fair-trade gems. Except that I just researched Martin Rapaport and Donald Trump and all my hopes are dashed. Read on (soon) in Women's News.
Women are increasing attached to the totality of issues about the products that we are buying. There are countless women who could care less that the money from the sale of the 'Peace' diamond is very disappointing to the people of Sierra Leone, because a large percentage of the proceeds from the sale will finance projects for them. But today I believe there are more women than ever who would pay top dollar for diamonds that carry the message of Peace as part of its DNA. And the story behind the 'Peace' diamond is priceless.
Let's Rewrite This Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend Story
Just think of all the great PR -- even a documentary about the villagers -- that could fuel the marketing story behind the sale of the 'Peace' diamond. Graff Diamonds would have Hollywood women begging to buy one of the people-precious 'Peace' diamonds.
Graff has such a stellar reputation for innovation and perfection in its fine jewelry business, that it seems the company should tie up these loose ends around the sale of the 'Peace' diamond and turn it into a brilliant global story that unites humans worldwide in money well spent. The Peace Diamond project actually has a website dealing with the intersection of social justice and diamonds, maintained by the Rapaport Group.
It would be so great if Sara Sampaio could get behind such a campaign to promote the 'Peace' diamond collection and the people of Sierra Leone. If she reaches out to Toni Garrn, I'm sure Sara will get lots of advice on just how to put the venture in motion. After all, she is a muse and that's what Graff muses do. ~ Anne
