Harry Winston, Inc. Explained

Harry Winston, Inc.
Type:Subsidiary
Foundation:1932 (Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc.)
1936 (Harry Winston, Inc.)
Founder:Harry Winston
Location City:New York City, New York
Location Country:United States
Key People:Nayla Hayek, CEO[1]
Harry Winston, Founder
Industry:Jewelers, watchmaking
Products:Jewelry, watches
Parent:The Swatch Group
Homepage:harrywinston.com

Harry Winston, Inc. is an American luxury jeweler and producer of Swiss timepieces.[2] [3] The company was founded in 1932 as Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc. and changed its name to Harry Winston Inc. in January 1936.[4] [5] The company is named after its founder, Harry Winston, who was called by many as the "King of Diamonds".[6] [7] [8] [9]

Harry Winston is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious jewelry manufacturers in the world.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] The company has its headquarters in New York City, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss Swatch Group, which acquired it from the Toronto-based Harry Winston Diamond Corporation (now known as ACDC) in January 2013.[15]

History

Early history

American jeweler Harry Winston opened his first store under name Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc. in 1932. In 1936, the company changed its name to Harry Winston Inc..

Harry Winston was the first jeweler to loan diamonds to an actress for the Academy Awards, in 1943; after dressing Best Actress nominee Jennifer Jones in his signature diamonds, Winston became popular with Hollywood celebrities.[16]

Recent development

After the death of the company's founder, Harry Winston, the company went to his two sons, Ronald and Bruce, who then entered into a decade-long battle over the control of the company.[17] In 2000, Ronald, along with new business partner, Fenway Partners, bought Bruce out from the company for $54.1 million.[18]

In 2010–2011, the company's sales were €246 million in total sales and €36 million in watches.[19] The company also got a new CEO, Frederic de Narp, formerly of the Cartier North America. He succeeded Tom O'Neill.[20]

On January14, 2013, Harry Winston, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its luxury brand diamond jewelry and timepiece division, Harry Winston Inc., to the Swiss Swatch Group. The transaction included the brand and all the activities related to jewelry and watches, including the 535 employees worldwide and the production company in Geneva, Switzerland.[21]

Boutiques

Currently, there are Harry Winston retail stores in ‌China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macau, Monaco, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.[22]

Noted acquisitions

The company bought the flawless blue diamond The Winston Blue on 15May 2014.[23]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: It's Official, Nayla Hayek Becomes CEO Of Harry Winston . 10 May 2013 . Forbes . 7 August 2013.
  2. Web site: The "diamond king" now wears a Swiss crown – FHH Journal. journal.hautehorlogerie.org. en-US. 2019-03-25.
  3. Web site: Harry Winston – History. www.hautehorlogerie.org. Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. 2 December 2015.
  4. Web site: Company Overview of Harry Winston, Inc.. www.bloomberg.com. 2019-03-24.
  5. Web site: Harry Winston - Swatch Group. www.swatchgroup.com. 2019-03-24.
  6. Web site: Three of a Kind: Larger-than-Life Diamonds. Sotheby's. 2019-03-24.
  7. Web site: 5 minutes with… A Harry Winston wreath necklace Christie's. www.christies.com. en. 2019-03-24.
  8. News: Heritage, history and Mr Harry Winston. 2016-11-17. The Telegraph. 2019-03-24. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  9. Web site: Harry Winston Unveils Revamped Flagship in Beverly Hills. Meers. Carolyn. 2017-12-08. Robb Report. en. 2019-03-24.
  10. Web site: Harry Winston Most Prestigious Jeweler. JCK. en-US. 2019-03-24.
  11. Web site: Harry Winston Diamond Corporation: Exhibit 4 - Prepared by TNT Filings Inc.. www.sec.gov. 2019-03-24.
  12. News: Why Harry Winston fine jewellery is a timeless gift. Thorp. Clare. 2017-11-30. The Telegraph. 2019-03-24. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  13. Web site: This Flawless 101-Carat Diamond Just Sold For $26.7 Million. Presse. Agence France. Business Insider. 2019-03-24.
  14. Web site: Harry Winston - Jewelry Artists - Artist Biographies - Macklowe Gallery. www.macklowegallery.com. 2019-03-24.
  15. Web site: Koltrowitz. Silke. Swatch Group acquires Harry Winston for $750 million. Reuters UK. 14 January 2013.
  16. Web site: How Movie Stars Pick Oscars Jewelry For The Red Carpet . Forbes. 25 February 2011 . 7 August 2013.
  17. Web site: The Trouble with Harry Winston. Burleigh. Nina. www.nymag.com. New York. 2 December 2015.
  18. Web site: Pristin. Terry. New Partners Hope to Expand Harry Winston. 22 December 2000. The New York Times. 2 December 2015.
  19. Book: Luxury Brand Management . John Wiley & Sons . Chevalier, Michel . 2012 . Singapore . 978-1-118-17176-9.
  20. Web site: Harry Winston. www.worldtempus.com. WorldTempus. 14 December 2009. 2 December 2015.
  21. Web site: acquires the jewelry and watch brand Harry Winston Inc. . Swatch Group . 2013-01-14 . 2014-05-16.
  22. Web site: Find a Nearby Harry Winston Salon .
  23. Web site: Harry Winston Renames World's Largest Flawless Vivid Blue Diamond, 'The Winston Blue. Forbes. 16 May 2014.

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