Harry Winston’s reputation for handcrafting fine jewels began before the company that bears his name did. When Harry Winton opened its doors in 1932, Mr. Winston had already begun to make a name for himself by offering the most exceptional diamonds. Relying on his innate instinct to decipher what made good diamonds great, Mr. Winston began to assemble his own collection of precious gemstones by purchasing some of the most prominent American jewelry estates of the time. Removing the diamonds from their ornate, heavy deco settings, Mr. Winston had them refashioned in more contemporary, delicate styles that allowed the gems to stand out as the heart of each creation.
Of all the early estates, however, one in particular helped to solidify Mr. Winston’s place as an authority in exceptional jewels: the estate of Arabella “Belle” Huntington. Known for its impressive array of pearls and diamonds, Mr. Winston purchased the entire headline-making collection in 1926 for $1.2 million, marking the beginning of the Harry Winston legacy as we know it today.
Named in homage to the estate that started it all, Belle by Harry Winston pays tribute to our enduring love affair with brilliant jewels, and commitment to the highest quality craftsmanship and design, through a line of exquisite engagement rings, wedding bands, pendants and earrings.
Echoing the antique charm of estate jewels, the collection’s stunning geometric bezel is hand-set with diamond micropavé and elegantly frames a round brilliant center stone. Each diamond is selected by hand and graded by the company’s discerning experts to ensure it meets the same quality standards as the center stone (D-E-F in color, and VS2 or higher in clarity). Ensuring the grace and harmony synonymous with Harry Winston standards, every setting is constructed by hand from platinum using a minimal amount of metal in order to maximize the fire, brilliance and scintillation of each individual stone.
© 2013 Bal Harbour Shops. All rights reserved.