Brand history
Fawaz Grouzi went to work in a Florentine jewelry store without finishing school. His mother refused to give him pocket money, and the young man went to earn money himself. Work quickly became a real passion for the young man. However, his story is not fast paced. It will be a long time before Grosie can carry his creation like a child, present it to the world and create his own, unique style, and then found a company and cement his name as the best designer of expensive watches and jewelry.
Making his dream come true is the fruit of painstaking, dedicated work. Of course, the guy had incentives. He was highly valued by the jewelry companies where he worked for many years. Grosie was the main representative of Harry Winston and Bulgari. It was he who was involved in their worldwide promotion, which required maximum dedication and crazy ambitions.
He opened his company de Grisogono only in 1995. His brand literally burst into the world of high fashion. The focus is on extravagance. Wristwatches and jewelry were chosen as the main directions.
Advertising - Continued below
Gruosi's working style has always been fast and impulsive. First, a rough sketch is obtained. Then it is subject to criticism and modification. Fawaz has always been bold in his choice of materials: his favorite black diamonds, which became a real trend thanks to his efforts, were a real challenge to conventions and traditions; watch bracelets made of stingray leather, new shades of gold. He uses innovative technologies when processing diamonds, which allows him to achieve exclusive quality.
Grosie's design and style are a defiance of accepted standards of beauty, a challenge to generally known standards. Each de Grisogono collection is designed to excite and seduce, to evoke a burst of energy and emotion.
Major milestones of de Grisogono
- 1993 Geneva. Together with partners, he opens the first de Grisogono store.
- 1995 Fawaz Grozi becomes an independent entrepreneur and is the sole owner of the company.
- 1996 The world was presented with a collection that turned the world upside down. The concept of using black diamonds is revolutionizing the jewelry world.
- 1997 London. A new store has been opened.
- 1999 New collection of jewelry with black diamonds. Another branch has been opened in Switzerland.
- 2000 The first collection of Instrumento watches was released.
- 2006 The production of chocolate-colored gold jewelry began - de Grisogono's own design.
- 2012 Fawaz Gruosi sells a controlling stake in de Grisogono to the daughter of the President of Angola, Isabel dos Santos.
- 2016 De Grisogono acquire the 404-carat 4 de Fevereiro diamond. The Samsung Gear S2 smart watch was released jointly with Samsung.
- 2017 The sale of the 163-carat Art of de Grisogono diamond, cut from a 404-carat diamond, took place. The cost was 34 million US dollars.
- 2019 Gruosi leaves the walls of his company under the influence of external and internal factors in the company.
- 2020 De Grisogono declared bankruptcy. The company was involved in an investigation into a financial crime, which resulted in the lack of financial resources for further existence.
The history of de Grisogono was incredibly bright and noticeable; for almost three decades the company influenced the tastes and desires of connoisseurs of precious goods, set trends, and directed fashion. With the closure of the Swiss brand, a local, but still a real milestone in the world of jewelry ended.
LiveInternetLiveInternet
At the end of January 2022, the news about the bankruptcy of the iconic jewelry house thundered like thunder from a clear sky. Only two years ago this brilliant jewelry house celebrated its successful quarter of a century of work, and there were no signs of trouble.
De Grisogono ruby necklace: rubies, round diamonds, 18k rose gold.
It is unlikely that anyone today has not heard of black diamonds. These stones have forever entered the fashionable collections of jewelry houses, receiving their place of honor among precious stones.
However, few people know that black diamonds began to be used precisely thanks to the jewelry genius, and perhaps the cunning of Fawaz Gruosi, the founder of the De Grisogono jewelry house.
Excellent commercial vein
Fawaz Gruosi was born into the family of a Lebanese businessman. Fawaz's father died early due to health reasons, and his mother moved with her 10-year-old son to Florence in search of a new safe life.
Fawaz Gruosi
The young man did not have any inclination towards jewelry making since childhood. Rather, it was necessity rather than desire that led him in this direction. At the age of 17, Fawaz got married, at the age of 18 he became a father, and therefore the issue of supporting the family was very acute. When a vacancy appeared as a salesperson in a jewelry store on a nearby street, Fawaz agreed without hesitation.
On the left is a ring with a Kashmir sapphire and briolette-cut diamonds, on the right is a ring with a cabochon emerald, onyx and diamonds.
After 7 years, business began to improve at the Florentine jeweler, where the hardworking Fawaz worked as a salesman. Fawaz was invited to open a new boutique in London for his excellent business skills.
Get to know your competitors from the inside
Fawaz achieved the main thing - he was noticed, and a year later the first interesting offer was to work for the Harry Winston jewelry house in Saudi Arabia. There, Fawaz developed the necessary connections and made the right acquaintances.
Necklace with the famous diamond weighing 163 carats (after cutting), bought from the mines in Africa. Its peculiarity is that, despite such an impressive size, the stone is crystal clear!
The jewelry world saw stunning sales results from the enterprising Libyan. A real hunt began for Fawaz, and the Bulgari jewelry house won this battle.
It is at Bulgari that Fawaz has access to exclusive high jewelery collections. Over the past 10 years, the number of Bulgari boutiques has grown tenfold thanks to Fawaz and his business skills. Now, without a doubt, Fawaza knows the entire jewelry world by sight.
One of Fawaz Gruosi’s techniques is jewelry with briolette-cut precious stones.
Having learned all the intricacies of the jewelry business from the inside and having an impressive list of necessary acquaintances and business connections, Fawaz, at the age of 41, decides to set off on his own.
Birth of a brand
It would seem, what's special? Calculate everything, create a successful business plan and move forward to achieving your goals. However, the jewelry business has its own very important laws.
Fawaz Gruosi started his business only at 41 years old.
How old are the European jewelry houses that everyone knows and their brands have been around for a long time? 10, 20, 30, 50? No and no again. They are well over a hundred years old, and some have worthily passed the mark on their 150th anniversary. This is a separate closed world with continuity of generations and traditions. It is not an easy task to develop a permanent audience, and to receive recognition and love from them that lasts for centuries.
But Fawaz was convinced that only he could excite the bored audience. In 1993, Fawaz opened his own jewelry brand in Geneva and named it after an ancient aristocratic family in Italy.
Amazing De Grisogono cocktail rings: on the left is a ring with amethysts and “icy” (actually cloudy) diamonds, in the center is a ring with pear-cut diamonds and onyx sticks, on the right is a ring with peridots, coral and pink sapphires.
Among the many innovations in the jewelry collections created by Favor Gruosi over a little more than a quarter of a century, there are several extremely significant ones that have influenced the jewelry reality around the world.
Collection of jewelry with black diamonds
Until the moment Fawaz Gruosi turned his attention to black diamonds, none of the jewelers needed them even for free. Black diamonds were of substandard quality, were always rejected and were never used in jewelry.
Earrings with akoya pearls and black diamonds
Fawaz thought so. If I need to always surprise, then it will be 100 points. Having bought substandard black diamonds for pennies, six months later he released his first sensational collection with black diamonds. And in order for the public to appreciate the jewelry at its true worth, among the black diamonds there were also the most ordinary, colorless ones. Therefore, such a collection was doomed to success.
Needless to say, the price of black diamonds soared 20 times thanks to the efforts of the cunning Florentine.
Earrings with pink and lavender sapphires and coral drops “angel skin”.
Stingray skin
Of course, now many jewelry brands have succumbed to real creative madness and began to use not only precious metals, but also concrete, copper, and wood.
Watch with black and white diamonds, stingray leather (strap).
However, it never occurred to anyone to encrust diamonds and other precious stones into stingray skin. When Fawaz Gruosi was asked by journalists what life means in your opinion, the designer answered without hesitation: “Life is a holiday, so let’s celebrate.” What are we waiting for?"
Amazing De Grisogono bracelets: on the left - diamonds and cognac diamonds, yellow and orange briolette-cut sapphires, on the right - rubies, diamonds and emerald cabochons.
It is from De Grisogono that we see an amazing combination of precious stones with each other and the desire to create a bright, memorable image. It’s as if the heady mood of summer and the light Mediterranean breeze made life simple and fun every minute.
Collection "Boule"
One of my favorite collections from Fawaz is the “Bul” collection with beautiful precious “balls”.
Eva Longoria wearing diamond earrings from the “Boule” collection
Amethysts, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, twinkles or rubellites - each piece of jewelry creates a feeling of triumph and tenderness. Fawaz is an amazing designer; he works on each of his collections for only a few weeks. The design of each piece of jewelry is born as inspiration, instantly and quickly. That is why jewelers can only realize the violent and irrepressible genius of Fawaz Gruosi.
Melody of Colors Collection
The melody of color in De Grisogono is not at all a variety of colors. This is a real animated world of colors, other horizons and a whirlpool of exuberant life.
What are the earrings with amethysts and a swimming school of fish worth? It seems that if you touch them, they will begin to move their fins.
Earrings with amethysts and sapphire and diamond fish.
In this collection, I consider the most striking thing to be the successful combination of the deep purple color of amethysts and rounded turquoise cabochons of a soft blue hue. The combination, on the one hand, of the brightness of cocktail rings, and on the other hand, of the antique severity of rings with cabochons, led to the creation of amazing jewelry.
Collection “Melody of Color” - turquoise cabochons, emeralds, amethysts.
Or, for example, a ring that seems to have been created by the precious stones themselves. Outside and inside there are round-cut diamonds all over the surface of the ring, and the main secret is the overwhelming number of briolette-cut diamonds hidden inside and sparkling with a thousand facets.
Diamond ring with round and briolette cut diamonds, rubies inside.
I can say that De Grisogono does not have the concept of “many diamonds.”
For example, earrings made in Indian style with diamonds and emeralds.
Earrings from the “India” collection with rose-cut diamonds and emeralds.
The diamonds here are used in an antique rose cut, so there is no excess shine, and the jewelry itself does not sparkle, but gently attracts attention. Emeralds harmoniously complement the entire look.
Collection "Vera"
The Veera collection attracted the attention of even the most desperate lovers of strict jewelry to this Swiss jewelry house.
Fan bracelet with amethysts and pink sapphires.
And this time, Fawaz Gruosi added brilliance and elegance to the severity of the image. This is one of the most successful and most durable collections of the master, in my opinion.
The fate of the De Grisogono jewelry house, like any brightest and most enchanting holiday, is coming to an end. The brand's bankruptcy, which occurred in January 2022, is primarily due to the financial difficulties of the main shareholders - the Angola Diamond Company - and a scandal with the government.
Ring from the “India” collection with a luxurious Burmese pigeon’s blood ruby and rose-cut diamonds.
And despite the fact that six months have passed since the brand’s bankruptcy took place, I’m sure Fawaz Gruosi still has a lot of trump cards up his sleeve for the end.
from here
