Gemfields collaborates with Backes & Strauss for the Harrods Princess

A diamond and emerald ‘pièce unique’ watch, the Harrods Princess, has been created by two leading gem and jewellery companies collaborating for an exclusive project for Harrods. The two companies, Backes & Strauss, the world’s oldest diamond company and Gemfields, the leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, partnered to create this timepiece, hand-set with 80 Gemfields Zambian emeralds and 241 natural diamonds for a total of 23.5 carats. It will be unveiled at Harrods in the Fine Watch Room for the Biennale des Antiquaires exhibition.

The pièce unique was crafted in Switzerland, each Gemfields emerald has been carefully selected, and cut specifically for the Harrods Princess, ensuring depth and consistency of colour, combined with Backes & Strauss’ signature diamonds. The white gold case is set with Ideal Cut diamonds to match the dial, and a bracelet created from a series of hand-crafted links adorned with a further 136 diamonds and emeralds, alone weighing 18.6 carats.

Ian Harebottle, CEO, Gemfields, “It gives me great pleasure to see our Zambian emeralds being used in such diverse ways and set by such fine craftsmen and who are so clearly able to showcase the inherent value contained within each and every gemstone.” He further added to look forward to creating future masterpieces with Backes & Strauss.

The watch is a part of the Princess collection and is inspired from the Blue Velvet suite and the Red Rose drawing room at Carlton House, the palatial London residence of the Prince Regent.

“Backes & Strauss uses only the finest natural conflict free diamonds and it was of the utmost importance for us to find an equally discerning partner. Their Zambian emeralds are among the finest responsibly sourced coloured gemstones and the perfect complement to create the Harrods Princess. This ‘pièce unique’ underlines our credentials as bespoke craftsmen ready to rise to the challenges of our most demanding clients,” comments Vartkess Knadjian, CEO, Backes & Strauss.