The King of Diamonds opens South African lodges and a spa for an ultimate luxury vacation experience.

Nestled in the crest of the Helshoogte Mountain Pass in the lush Stellenbosch wine lands countryside, Laurence Graff ’s Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa redefines the luxury vacation. The “King of Diamonds” has expanded his territory to where he does much of his work, leaving no stone unturned, or diamond unpolished. A cornucopia of fine art, design, cuisine, wine and, of course, diamonds, the Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa caters to the most discerning consumer. The site combines top-notch service with ecological sustainability—a mission Mr. Graff has pursued in his search for the finest diamonds in the world by employing local craftsmen, both in the jewelry company and the newly minted Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa.

The London-based British jeweler is famous for the flawless quality of their stones in cut, color and clarity. Perhaps the most famous Graff diamond is the 603-carat Lesotho Promise diamond, ranked as the 15th largest diamond ever discovered. It was recovered at the Letseng Mine in Lesotho, a kingdom surrounded by South Africa. The flawless D-color quality diamond was studied in the rough for three months before Graff ’s experts even thought about cutting into it. The diamond ultimately yielded 26 multishaped, top-quality diamonds for a total weight of 223.35 carats. The Lesotho Promise gave way to a 76.41-carat pear-shape diamond, a 43.12-carat heart-shape diamond, a 27.03-carat round brilliant diamond and a 20.05-carat emerald-cut diamond. The dazzling Lesotho Promise necklace sparkles resplendently with all 26 diamonds.

As a shareholder in SAFDICO, the South African Diamond Corporation, Graff ’s exceptional team of jewelers number 300 in Johannesburg and 500 in Botswana. Proceeds of his 2007 coffeetable book, “The Most Fabulous Jewels in the World,” benefit the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Due to Laurence Graff ’s extensive involvement with South African people, resources and charities, the country was a natural choice for Graff ’s new venture into the complete jet-set lifestyle with Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa.

Located just 45 minutes from Cape Town, Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa seamlessly melds with its lush surroundings, where top-quality accommodations encompass incredible views of the Simonsberg Mountains and sweeping, panoramic views of Cape Town and beyond. Traditional African style, like polished peach-pit flooring and slate walls, mingles with Cape Dutch architecture illustrating Graff ’s dedication to discovering the perfect jewel from its rough, natural state. The Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa consist of 10 separate units, including the 175-square-meter Owner’s Lodge with a fireplace and two bedrooms, and the 150-square-meter Presidential Lodge also with two bedrooms. All lodges, including the eight 80-square-meter Luxury and Deluxe Lodges, offer private heated infinity-edge pools. In addition to these lavish living quarters, the Lodge’s Reception Area offers a pr ivate dining room, conference facilities and a boutique cinema. Pieces from Laurence Graff ’s own extensive art collection grace the lodge’s walls. Its refined restaurant, designed by local architect Derek Henstra and London-based interior architect David Collins, offers up “Sunshine Cuisine,” which caters to the sophisticated palate and blends Mediterranean flavors with local ingredients. The Lodge also boasts a 230-ton wine cellar, one of the Southern Hemisphere’s finest, which is packed with famed winemaker Morné Vrey’s Delaire wines, derived straight from the vineyards that surround the Lodges and Spa.

To add to the Delaire Graff ’ experience, a full-service spa contains four treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room, a state of-the-art gym facility, a Pilates reformer machine and a qualified Pilates instructor. For the ultimate in luxury, the spa utilizes Switzerland’s famed La Prairie Spa skin care products to coax even the most stubborn complexion into brightness and health.

Aside from the sustainable structure of the Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa, Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal finalist and horticulturist, Keith Kirsten, landscaped the estate, filling the South African terrain with the alluring sight of Milkwood, Yellowwood, Sneezewood, Wild Olive and African Coral Trees, along with the magical scent of flowering shrubs like Hibiscus, Hydrangea, Rose and exotic Frangipani.

Two South African exclusives call the estate home, including the 100% Capri boutique for fine linen and, of course, a Graff Diamonds salon. Graff Diamonds, which are considered some of the finest in the world, include stones, such as the 50.01-carat La Favorite; the folded-pear-shaped 137.82-carat Paragon; the 101.28-carat Golden Star, an intense fancy yellow diamond; the beloved 100.57-carat Star of America; the 5-carat intense fancy pink Rose; the heart-shaped 53.11-carat Star of Lesotho; the 6.19-carat stunningly deep Graff Blue; the Pink Orchid, a 22.84-carat pink marquise-cut beauty; the 118.08-carat fancy yellow Delaire Sunrise—no doubt an inspiration for the Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa; the 102.79 round Graff Constellation; the exquisite 12.42-carat Exceptional Purple Pink marquisecut sensation; the 91.23-carat Windsor Diamonds and the Rose Queen, which clocks in at 70.39 carats, among many other important, named diamonds.

Laurence Graff ’s passion for diamonds can best be summed up by his own words: “Diamonds excite me; diamonds are my life—I see inside the stone, look at the colour and cut and assess its natural beauty and value.”

The salon houses some of Graff Diamond’s famous collections, such as the Butterfly Collection, Diamonds on Diamonds, The Waterfall Collection, The Chandelier Collection and Graff ’s sparkling array of fantastic watches.

For a unique travel experience in one of the most exotic and gorgeous locations in the world, the Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa offers sustainable, world-class accommodations, cuisine, vineyards, wine and diamonds, where a Graff Diamond salon sits nearly on top of the source of its splendid sparklers. For the avid diamond collector, one can imagine the excitement of exploring the very land where the world’s finest diamonds are culled. For the oenophile, gem lover, spa fiend, traveler and explorer, the Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa is sure to engage and delight every sort of luxury vacation seeker.

Delaire Graff Estate, +27.21.885.8160, www.delaire.co.za

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