Personal ornaments, such as necklaces, rings, or bracelets, that are typically made from or contain jewels and precious metal. From a western perspective, the term is restricted to durable ornaments. For many centuries metal such as gold used in different carats from 21, 18, 12, 9 or even lower, often combined with gemstones, has been the normal material for jewelery. Jewelery may be made from a wide range of materials. Gemstones and similar materials such as amber and coral, precious metals, beads, and shells have been widely used, and enamel has often been important. Despite sky-high prices, the demand for high-end designer men and women’s jewelry brands only continues to grow. With billions of dollars spent in this market annually, you may be considering making your first luxury jewelry purchase or adding to your ever growing collection. Ornamental pieces that are made of materials which may or may not be precious such as gold, silver, glass, and plastic, are often set with genuine or imitation gems, and are worn for personal adornment. It is often made of a valuable metal such as gold, and sometimes decorated with precious stones. Here are the top 10 designer jewelery brands in the World in the year 2020.
1.Tiffany & Co.
It is an American luxury jewellry and specialty retailer. First called Tiffany & Young, Tiffany & Co. began as a stationery and fancy goods store in New York. It sells jewelry, sterling silver, china, crystal, stationery, fragrances, water bottles, watches, personal accessories, and leather goods. Tiffany is known for its luxury goods, particularly its diamond and sterling silver jewelry. Initially with the help of Charles Tiffany’s father who financed the store for only $1,000 with profits from a cotton mill. The store initially sold a wide variety of stationery items, and operated as “Tiffany, Young and Ellis” as of 1838 at 259 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. Today, however, it is a household name that has been in business since 1837. Awarded for its silver craftsmanship, Tiffany and Co. remains America’s leading silversmith. The brand showcases their more extravagant and rarest of pieces in their annual Blue Book collection that started in 1845. Some of their most popular and famous pieces include the Return To Tiffany, Tiffany Key and Tiffany Soleste and of course, their signature 6 prong engagement rings. Tiffany & Co. is famed for their little blue box, synonymous with quality, luxury and style.
The name was shortened to Tiffany & Company in 1853. In 1878, Tiffany won the gold medal for jewelry and a grand prize for silverware at the Paris Exposition. In 1879, Tiffany purchased one of the world’s largest yellow diamonds which became known as the Tiffany Diamond. In November 2019, LVMH announced its purchase of Tiffany & Co for $16.2 billion. At the time, the deal was expected to close in June 2020. The deadline, however, had been extended twice. First to August 24, 2020 and later to November 24, 2020, but, in early September 2020, LVMH stated that the purchase would not be concluded; Tiffany filed a lawsuit in response. In late October 2020, LVMH agreed to purchase Tiffany & Co for reduced price of $15.8 billion Tiffany operates 326 stores globally in countries such as the United States, Japan, and Canada, as well as Europe, the Latin America and Pacific Asia regions. Range of price is $15,500-$15 million. Most expensive Tiffany & Co. piece sold at auction is A platinum round 3.09-carat diamond solitaire ring with VS1 clarity, sold at $60,000 in 2016.
2.Harry Winston
Mr. Winston’s innovative design philosophy in which the individual gemstones, rather than the metal settings, would dictate each design helped to revolutionize fine jewelry designs, and remains at the cornerstone of a timeless aesthetic that continues to inspire all Harry Winston creations. Winston’s father Jacob started a small jewelry business after he and Winston’s mother immigrated to the United States from Ukraine. While growing up, he worked in his father’s shop. When he was twelve years old, he recognized a two-carat emerald in a pawn shop, bought it for 25 cents, and sold it two days later for $800. Winston started his business in 1920 and opened his first store as in New York City in 1932 with Harry Winston itself, as the founder. Winston was among the most noted jewelers in the world, well-known to the general public. He was soon crowned the “King of Diamonds” and “Jeweler to the Stars” for his high-end creations. Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade.
He also traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963 in exchange for 3,800 carats of small diamonds. From the acquisition of some of the world’s most famous gemstones, including the Jonker, Hope, and Winston Legacy Diamonds, to adorning generations of famous faces, from Hollywood legends to international Heads of State, for over eight decades, the Harry Winston name has been synonymous with the best that there is. One of the most notable pieces he acquired was the 45.42 carat Hope Diamond, a heart-shaped greyish-blue diamond crown centerpiece, which was passed along to King George IV of the United Kingdom. Today, it is found in Washington DC as part of the Smithsonian Institution displays. the House of Harry Winston continues its tradition of creativity, rarity, and quality without compromise in its retail salons around the world, including: New York, London, Paris, Geneva, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Range of price is $4,000-$20 million. Most expensive The Gulf Pearl Parure, a 325-carat natural pearl and diamond parure sold at $4,189,165 in 2006 by Harry Winston.
3.Cartier
Founded in 1847 by Louis Francois Cartier, the brand earned its reputation as “The Jeweler of Kings, the King among Jewelers,” pioneering the combination of platinum and diamond. House of Cartier is identified with quality, prestige, and history, and has served as crown jeweler to 19 royal houses. Cartier is one of the world’s leading luxury goods companies. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes jewelry, watches, fragrance, pens, lighters, silver, and crystal. Their most notable lines include the Love collection, Juste un Clou and Panthere. These distinctive collections are widely popular with celebrities with variations available in different color golds and with or without diamond embellishment. Although wristwatches had been in stock since 1888, they became popular only with Cartier’s introduction of the Santos watch in 1911.
The prototype model was a gift from Louis Cartier to Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Other products introduced by Cartier were the Tank watch and the “Love Bracelet.” Cartier was extremely creative during Louis’s management. For its “Jewels of the Nile” exhibition in New York, the store was completely decorated in an Egyptian theme, complete with a pyramid and two live peacocks. This jewelry collection was a more modern version of Louis Joseph Cartier’s designs from the early 1900s. Most expensive Cartier sold at auction A 25.6-carat Burmese Ruby, called the Sunrise Ruby. It was dubbed as the most expensive ruby, gemstone, and non-diamond gemstone in the world, and sold at $30,335,698 in 2015. Range of price is $1,000-$2.76 million.
4.Chopard
Louis-Ulysse Chopard is the son of a farmer from Sonvilier, quickly conquered Switzerland and the world at the age of 24. The artisan watchmaker created works of art with innovative designs, which early on helped him export to such illustrious places as the court of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Qualities like precision and reliability were very sought-after characteristics in watches, dating all the way back to the 19th century. With unique chronometers and pocket watches, Louis-Ulysse Chopard aimed to fulfill and exceed these “desires”. Chopard is a Swiss brand started by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in the 1860s, originally known for creating watches and pocket watches for women. Chopard’s Independence allows it to support crafts with a glorious past that are a source of great pride today. The company is headquartered in Geneva and has a site in Fleurier, Canton of Neuchatel, that manufactures watch movements. When Chopard was sold to Karl Scheufele in 1963, the brand was noted for its Art-Deco inspired timepieces and Happy Diamonds line. The Maison’s independence has guided its development strategy since its founding, an approach made possible by a family shareholding structure.
Chopard has become more well known for its red carpet appearances and A-lister connections in terms of its stunning jewellery, its watch division is where the brand first started and gained its reputation. This is expressed through the watch industry’s highest level of vertical integration. Everything sold by Chopard is made in one of its three production sites, a unique phenomenon within the profession. This policy goes hand in hand with a culture of craftsmanship. The brand’s signature free floating diamonds behind the watch glass was created in the mid 1970s. It is now the corporate partner the Cannes Film Festival, official timekeeper of the Grand Prix of Monaco and the Mille Miglia. Chopard prides itself on the use of ethically sourced gold and aims to eventually use sustainable gold across all pieces that they produce. Range of price is $2,000-$16.26 million. Most expensive suite of Emerald and Diamond jewels, sold at $1,171,932.51 by Chopard.
5.Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French luxury jewelry, watch, and perfume company. After their marriage in 1895, Alfred van Cleef and Estelle Arpels started a luxurious line in 1906 that still exists today. Opening their first store in Place Vendome in Paris, in the 1940s Van Cleef and Arpel in Palm Beach followed by New York. On 2 December 1933, this company received French Patent No. 764,966 for a proprietary gem setting style it calls Serti Mysterieux, or “Mystery Setting”, a technique employing a setting where the prongs are invisible. Each stone is faceted onto gold rails less than two-tenths of a millimeter thick. The technique can require 300 hours of work per piece or more, and only a few are produced each year. Diamonds were still used, but only as highlights. These attractive and wearable jewels were very popular in the 1950s, as confidence returned to a world.
Initially it was only possible to use this new setting on a flat surface such as a box or minaudiere but as the ‘Mystery Set’ technique evolved it was used on more challenging curved surfaces. Emeralds are particularly difficult to cut and match in colour compared to sapphires or rubies, and are thus used more rarely. Among some of the exceptional accomplishments of this maison is their patented, innovative creation called Mystery Set. Van Cleef and Arpels are renowned for their playful use of animals, flowers and nature in their designs. The iconic Ballerina brooch was first conceived in New York in 1940, inspired by Louis Arpels and his nephew Claude, who were friends of George Balanchine, co-founder of the School of American Ballet. Range of price is $1,500-$490,000. Most expensive Van Cleef & Arpels sold at auction 8.24-carat Ruby and Diamond ring, sold at $4,226,500 in 2011.
6.Graff
Graff origins began in England in 1960, when Laurence Graff founded the company. Graff is a British multinational jeweller based in London. The brand is famous for its large diamond designs and also widely known for buying and resetting prominent diamonds. Graff has over 50 stores around the world including New York, Las Vegas, Melbourne, Monte Carlo, Courchevel, Kiev, Beijing and Taipei. Graff has corporate offices in London, New York, Geneva, Hong Kong and Tokyo. A member of the Graff family oversees every stage of a diamond’s journey, from the sourcing of the rough stone through to the cutting, polishing and final setting of each bridal jewel. Believed by many to be the bearer of good fortune, the butterfly is a signature motif at Graff from which countless creative visions take flight. In 1973 Graff became the first jeweller to receive the Queen’s Award to Industry and Export.
Some of the most famous Graff diamonds have included the Graff Pink, a pink emerald cut diamond of over 20 ct, and the Delaire Sunrise, the largest emerald cut Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond in the world. A vertically integrated company, Graff operations comprise the design, manufacture and retail distribution of jewellery and watches. Graff adheres to the Kimberley Process, never knowingly buying or trading rough diamonds from areas where this would encourage conflict or human suffering. The majority of Graff diamonds are laser engraved with unique Gemological Institute of America (GIA) tracking numbers, which whilst invisible to the naked eye, allow for their origin to be traced. Range of price is $1,350-$46.2 million. Most expensive Graff sold at auction The Graff Pink, a rare 24.78-carat pink diamond is sold at $46 million in 2017.
7.David Yurman
David Yurman Enterprises is a privately held American designer jewelry company. This line was founded by David and Sybil Yurman in 1980. It has been known to sculpt designs reminiscent of the American Craft Movement. One of the popular designs is their signature cable bracelet in sterling silver and gold, embellished with colored gems. The brand uses bright colors and playful, structured designs. Great for everyday wear and especially for stacking bracelets, David Yurman is a popular choice for men and women of all ages. In 1983, Yurman introduced what became his signature piece, the cable bracelet: a twisted helix adorned with gemstones on its end caps. He called the bracelet and related designs “Renaissance,” and it has become one of his most enduring collections. Created through an innovative process Yurman pioneered, the cable motif was awarded two rare design trademarks in the United States since it was instantly recognizable as his signature form. His cable design evolved to become the thread that connects all of his collections.
In the early 1970s, Yurman and Kleinrock moved to Carmel in upstate New York and formed a company called Putnam Art Works which specialized in sculptural jewelry. Throughout the next decade they exhibited their jewelry designs, sculptures, and paintings at various galleries and craft fairs. They became key figures in the American craft movement. Through Putnam Art Works, the Yurmans learned the marketplace for fine crafts and artisanal jewelry. During the 1980s and 1990s, the David Yurman company was at the forefront of the emerging category of American designer jewelry. There are currently 33 David Yurman boutiques in the United States and 11 international boutiques. The Yurmans formalized a lifelong commitment to charitable causes by establishing the David & Sybil Yurman Humanitarian and Arts Foundation in 2001. David Yurman also created a pin for the Silver Shield Foundation benefitting the families of New York City firefighters and policemen. Range of price is $300-$50,000. Most expensive David Yurman sold at auction18K Gold, Diamond, and Citrine interchangeable necklace is sold at $7,380.
8.Buccellati
Buccellati Holding Italia is an Italian jewellery and watch company formed by the merger of two previous companies with existing brands Mario Buccellati and Gianmaria Buccellati, which corresponded to the names and surname of two master goldsmiths: father and son. They use their unique engraving skills. In the mid eighteenth, century Contargo Buccellati worked as a goldsmith in Milan. In 1909, at the age of 12, Mario Buccellati apprenticed with the highly respected firm, Beltrami & Beltrami, in Milan. In 1919, Buccellati took over the firm and renamed it Buccellati. Buccellati designs Italian jewels in gold, silver, and platinum. The brand has grown globally and is known for its pieces that reflect Old Hollywood design that takes inspiration from animals and insects. By the 1950s Buccellati had expanded to the US with stores in New York and Florida. Their first watch collection is launched in 2001 in Geneva.
In 1949, Mario Buccellati was commissioned to create an icon by Pope Pius XII for Princess Margaret to mark the extraordinary power of the first visit of a British Royal to Vatican City in hundreds of years. This magnificent work of art can be admired today at the Chianciano Art Museum in Tuscany. In December 2016, China’s Gansu Gangtai Holding Group bought a controlling 85% share in Buccellati. In September 2019, Compagnie Financière Richemont acquired 100% of Buccellati from Gangtai. Family run house Buccellati was founded in 1919 and still uses centuries-old Italian techniques to create its fine jewelry. Inspired by Renaissance and Venetian designs, each piece is uniquely engraved as a mark of the artisans’ meticulous hand-craftsmanship. Katerina Perez also visited the Buccellati boutique in Paris to talk to the designer about her passions, inspiration and the Buccellati brand and to find out what role jewellery plays in her life. Range of price is $2,000-$50,000. Most expensive Buccellati sold at auction Gold Buccellati bracelet, sold at $72,100.
9.Bvlgari
Bvlgari, also spelled Bulgari, is famed for its colored gemstones and diamonds. Bulgari is an Italian luxury brand known for its jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories and leather goods. Since its creation in 1884, it has been a crowd favorite among clients seeking brightly-colored, large pieces with chromatic effect. It’s also because of this brand that the cabochon cut, a popular gemstone cut in antique times, was reestablished. Bulgari was founded in the region of Epirus, Greece, in 1884 by the silversmith Sotirios Boulgaris. During the 1970s, Bulgari stores opened in New York, Geneva, Monte Carlo and Paris.
Bulgari has about 300 stores. The largest is the 10-storey Bulgari Ginza Tower in Tokyo, 940 square meters of retail floor space. The Bulgari Art Award is an annual art award in partnership with the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. At that time it was only the jewelery shop over the years and become an international brand. Bulgari produced with Luxottica, and Bulgari formed a joint venture with Marriott International in 2001 to launch its hotel brand, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, a collection of properties and resort destinations around the world. Range of price is $1,000-$12 million. Most expensive Bvlgari sold at auction 57.72-carat Bvlgari Sapphire Suitor sold at $5,906,500 in 2011.
10.Boucheron
Boucheron is a French luxury jewellery and watches house located in Paris, 26 Place Vendome, owned by Kering. Finishing off our list of the top 10 designer jewelry brands is Boucheron. Founded by Frederic Boucheron in 1858 in Paris, France, his designs were influenced by Egyptian and Asian art, thus, creating unfamiliar stone combinations such as onyx and diamonds. He was also first to merge bronze, ivory, and gold. In 1879, Boucheron developed a clasp-less necklace, which was part of its show which won a Grand Prix for Outstanding Innovation in a Jewellery Collection at the 1889 World’s Fair. In 1878, the Russian Prince Felix Youssoupoff purchased a corsage decorated with 6 detachable diamond bows during one of his visits to Paris. In 1921, Boucheron was commissioned to make a tiara for Lady Greville which was later given to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Queen Elizabeth also has a collection of Boucheron jewels.
It has 34 boutiques worldwide and an online e-commerce website launched in 2007. Boucheron makes watches, and jewellery, and licenses its marque for perfumes. In a joint venture with the mobile phone brand Vertu, Boucheron created the world’s first High Jewellery limited edition cell phones out of gold and precious stones. There are only eight pieces of the Cobra model in rose gold set all round with rubies and a pear-cut diamond and emerald eyes. Range of price is $1,000-$285,000. Most expensive Boucheron sold at auction Diamond, Emerald, and Enamel Brooch, sold at $55,974.57.
