Winston, Harry

(1978-1896)

   Born the son of a New York jeweler, Harry Winston began collecting and selling stones at a young age. He opened his own company at age nineteen, buying estate-sale jewelry, resetting them in modern settings and then selling them to wealthy clients. Probably his most famous purchase was the Hope Diamond, a 45.52 carat dark-blue diamond dating from 1642, which was smuggled out of India and later sold to King Louis XIV in 1668. Winston gained possession of the Hope in 1949 and donated it to the Smithsonian Institute in 1958. He also took possession of the Lesotho Diamond (originally 601 carats and discovered in 1967) which was eventually cleaved into eighteen pieces, one of which he sold to Aristotle Onassis as his 40-carat diamond engagement ring for Jackie Kennedy. Other famous diamonds that Winston bought and sold are The Jonker (726 carats), the Star of Independence (204 carats), the Deal Sweetner (181 carats), The Lal Qila (72.76 carats), The Taylor-Burton (69.42 carats), and the Mabel Boll (46.57 carats). Known as the jeweler to the stars and the King of Diamonds, Winston has provided Hollywood stars with more then $200 million of precious gems to be worn at the Oscar Awards.