The Harry Winston brand portrays one of the world’s biggest as well as highly recognized jewellery and watch companies. The company is headquartered in Fifth Avenue, New York. It is a known brand among the elites and the super rich. Most of their exclusive clientele are the wealthiest potentates, powerful industrialists, celebrated stars and prominent royal families.

Harry Winston is one of the most prestigious luxury jewellers in the world. The corporate name of his business is Harry Winston Inc. but it is globally known as The House of Harry Winston. The company operates worldwide even if its headquarters is in Fifth Avenue, New York.

Aside from maintaining a salon that is open only to a select clientele, the company also operates workshops that design, cut, polish and set jewellery and gems. The owner, Harry Winston himself, also owns a salon in L.A. With this salon, the company is able to tend close ties to Hollywood clients. The store even hits the spotlight every year in the Academy Awards. This is because the company allows famous celebrities borrow their multi-million dollar jewellery for this dazzling affair. Other salons of Harry Winston are in: Geneva, Paris, Osaka and Tokyo.

Looking closely, it is mentioned that about 1/5 of the income of Harry Winston Inc. is from the less expensive jewellery made in Rhode Island as well as Hong Kong. These are then sold to mass-market retailers.

It was in 1932 when Harry Winston established the company. His expertise in jewellery stems from years of experience. He learned most of it from his father, Jacob Winston, a Ukranian immigrant who opened a jewellery retail & repair shop along the upper west side of Manhattan in 1890. After Harry’s mother died, his father had to move to the West Coast due to health reasons. There, they opened up a jewellery store in the midst of the L.A. business district. This is about the same time the film industry was establishing itself. There are stories that Harry Winston had the special ability to recognize valuable stones. In fact, when he was 12, he saw a two-carat emerald ring on a tray of junk jewellery at a certain pawnshop. He bought it for 25 cents and he then re-sold it for $800 after two days.

At the age of 15, he dropped out of high school to work with his father. He devoted his time to the store. He also visited boomtown salons to sell gems to rich oil prospectors. When Harry turned 18, he moved back to NYC with his father. They opened another jewellery store in Manhattan. With a savings of $2,000, Harry soon started his own business ñ buying and selling jewellery in the New York Diamond Exchange. Even at the time, it takes sound, quick decisions as well as boldness to make it in this industry.

It was when he turned 19 that he started his company which he named The Premier Diamond Company. When he was able to earn a large sum of money, one of his employees ran off with all his inventory and money. With such a great loss, he resorted to bank financing and after a while, he was able to maintain his independence as well as rebuild his business. When Harry Winston died at the age of 84, it provoked long years of battle for his two children – each wanting to take over the company or have more shares. In the end, Ronald won in court and is now making several changes under his management.

Aside from jewellery, the company is also popular for its collection of watches which were introduced in 1989. In fact, in 1994, the current owner, Ronald Winston presented a unique watch made from solid rhodium. He named it the Galatea watch. Another notable watch made by Harry Winston is the Opus watch. It is a limited edition watch released in 2001. Opus 8 is the latest in this series. It a unique digital hour & vertical minute display that runs through four hundred thirty-seven individual mechanical parts. Harry Winston watches are beautiful timepieces and considered to be collectors items.

Alex is a journalist and blogger. He writes on everything from fashion to green living and writes a consumer blog for Coupon Croc .