SomeOne develops new monogram and visuals for diamond brand Graff

The London agency's designs for diamond specialists Graff masterfully balances its exclusivity with its ethical underpinnings.

Written By: Tom May

4 December 2023

Pear-shaped diamond solitaire ring with platinum setting displayed against a dark green background with the Graff monogram above it

Founded by British jeweller Laurence Graff in 1960, Graff is probably the most prestigious brand in diamond jewellery worldwide today.

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 tracking numbers, which, whilst invisible to the naked eye, allow for their origin to be traced.

The brand turned to SomeOne, a design agency with offices in London and Sydney, to help build on their legacy, to develop a cohesive visual brand world that would work internationally and across all branded touchpoints.

Brand research

"We looked through the entire Graff brand archive, interviewed staff and met with the craftspeople who work on every piece to uncover new visual aspects and themes we could bring to life for the new brand world," explains SomeOne founder and ECD Simon Manchipp.

Large fabric banner featuring Graff's new lattice pattern monogram in cream and green, suspended against the ornate facade of Graff London headquarters

Graff luxury jewellery boutique storefront with green awning and signage on a European street with historic architecture

"On visiting the Graff London HQ, we met with the artisans behind the jewellery and were shown the magic behind the incredible gemstones: the precious metal work that holds everything tantalisingly in place," he adds.

It was the unique Graff lattice found on the back of most signature pieces which served to inspire the new Graff brand pattern.

"This pattern uniquely balances strength, elegance and the ability to suspend diamonds and gemstones above the skin, enabling light to shine through with even greater allure," explains Simon. "The process of becoming a Graff master craftsman is akin to being entrusted with a book of secrets, gaining access to skills and techniques that simply could not be learned elsewhere."

New monogram

Inspired by the artisans at Graff – and based upon the development of the brand pattern – the SomeOne team developed the structure of the new Graff monogram.

"An entirely new symbol, this new signifier now acts as a shorthand for all that Graff stands for," says Simon. "Timeless in aesthetic and taken from the design DNA of its most extraordinary pieces."

"The entire team at SomeOne took great pride and enormous care in the design, development and deployment of a new visual design system across many channels," he adds, "from print to pixel to places."

A full suite of assets, from photographic sets, 3d modelling, typographic systems, colour palettes, imagery and animations, is now available for the company to use on branded touchpoints worldwide.