Diamonds Are Everyone's Best Friend at Harry Winston

This article is part of EDGE's Jewelers to the Stars series, sponsored by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company. To learn more about how you can protect your most valuable possessions, click here.

For glitz, glam and gorgeous rocks, no other jeweler can compare to the House of Harry Winston. Established in New York in 1932 by the fabled gemologist of the same name, Harry Winston continues more than eight decades later to create pieces inspired by its founder's revolutionary aesthetic. Gemstones guide the design rather than the settings surrounding them, an innovation that has long beguiled movie stars and heads of state, who clamber for the brand's baubles. Today, Harry Winston offerings include glittering rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, and other bedazzled accessories that embody timeless luxury and elegance.

Marilyn and More
Dubbed "Jeweler to the Stars," the House of Harry Winston has been a Tinseltown mainstay since the 1930s when Winston acquired his first major rough diamond, the jaw-dropping "Jonker." The 726-carat stone was photographed with Hollywood leading ladies like Shirley Temple and Claudette Colbert and was even the subject of a short film. But it was in 1944, when Academy Award-winning Best Actress Jennifer Jones wore Harry Winston diamonds on the red carpet that the brand became the stuff of legend.

Since then, Harry Winston jewels have been featured in films including "Notorious," "The Graduate," and "Everyone Says I Love You." In 1953, Marilyn Monroe namechecked Winston in her iconic song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" from "Gentleman Prefer Blondes," crooning "Talk to me Harry Winston! Tell me all about it!" Winston would go on to cut diamonds worn by Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Onassis; the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were also fans, purchasing several of the brand's jewels following their initial meeting with Winston in 1948.

Then and Now
In 1952 Life Magazine reported that Winston's collection of historic jewels (including the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond, once owned by Marie Antoinette) was second only to the Royal family in size. But Winston was more than a collector. He pioneered "clustering," the brand's signature style in which diamonds of different cuts are set together at varying angles, resulting in jewelry with unprecedented sparkle. Winston passed away in 1978, but the company continues its commitment to innovation and excellence.

The new Lotus Cluster collection, inspired by the aquatic perennial, tips its hat to Winston tradition by setting individual diamonds at an angle, creating a three-dimensional jewel that glows as if a light. The fresh floral theme, however, is undeniably forward-thinking. The Lotus Cluster line features necklaces, rings and earrings available in "large" and "small" versions.

Designers and innovators first introduced zalium, a lightweight and durable zirconium-based alloy that originated in the aerospace industry, in 2004, when Harry Winston introduced the world's first timepiece made from it. Some Winston watches, such as the Project Z, are still crafted from the material, but last year the brand debuted the Zalium Collection for men.

Boasting rings, shirt studs, cufflinks and a pendant, the sophisticated line is fashioned from zalium plates treated at high temperatures to produce a gleaming black surface resistant to chips and scratches. For added wow-factor, most pieces feature a Harry Winston diamond.

Sometimes What Glitters is Gold
Harry Winston tradition not only includes making the world's most fabulous jewelry, but also doing good deeds. From the touring exhibition "The Court of Jewels," which Winston organized in 1949 to raise money for worthy causes, to the company's Brilliant Futures Charitable Program, created in 2010, the brand has embraced philanthropy as a core value.

In addition to bettering children's lives with Brilliant Futures, Harry Winston continues to blaze trails by teaming up with amfAR, The American Foundation for AIDS Research. Announced in January, the venture represents the largest corporate partnership in the non-profit's history. As presenting sponsor of amfAR's 27 fundraising galas over the next three years, Harry Winston will provide critical support in the fight to end AIDS through innovative research. In September, the company debuted the Lotus Cluster earrings at amfAR Milano 2015, raising $50,000 for the organization through their sale.

"Harry Winston has long looked to the glamour of Hollywood and the allure of its most famous and important gemstones, as a way to raise awareness and funds for local charitable causes. amfAR's history of hosting some of the world's most prominent charity events to drive support for its pioneering work towards finding a cure for AIDS, mirrors the same philanthropic principles and beliefs the Harry Winston brand was founded upon," said Harry Winston CEO Nayla Hayek. "Through amfAR, we are proud to not only continue our commitment to bringing more healthy and brilliant futures to all, but also to support the organization's mission to ending a global epidemic, which continues to impact more than 35 million people worldwide."

All set to begin shopping? Before you slide a ring on that finger, tie a string on it to remind yourself to insure your Harry Winston masterpiece with Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company.