Mouawad

Mouawad

Type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1890 (1890)
Headquarters	Dubai and Geneva
Key people	Fred Mouawad, Alain Mouawad and Pascal Mouawad
Products	Jewelry, watches
Number of employees	500+ (2013)
Website	Mouawad

Mouawad is a privately held Swiss and Emirati luxury goods company that makes fashion accessories, jewelry and retail company that sources diamonds and gemstones, designs, manufacturers, and sells jewelry collections, objects of art, and luxury watches.^[1] The firm has headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, with a Middle East headquarters at Jumeirah Lakes Towers in Dubai.^[2] Founded in 1891 in Beirut, Lebanon by David Mouawad,^[3] the firm is now led by 4th generation co-guardians Fred Mouawad,^[4] Alain Mouawad and Pascal Mouawad.^[5][6][7] The firm's jewelry and watch design and manufacturing divisions are located in Switzerland^[8] and Asia Pacific.^[9]

History

First generation

The Mouawad Company and brand began with David Mouawad (1865–1951) who spent more than two decades in New York City and Mexico learning the craft of watchmaker, goldsmith, and jeweler before returning to Beirut in 1891. He opened a small shop in Beirut in 1908 where he combined the trade of watch and jewelry repairs, with his passion for creating intricate clocks and fashioning one-of-a-kind pieces commissioned by wealthy clients.^[6][10]

Second generation

His son Fayez Mouawad (1917–1990) expanded the business in the 1950s when he moved to Saudi Arabia.^[11] He was able to capitalize on the Middle East's increased oil wealth by making personalized jewelry for people in the area.^[12] As jeweler to kings and the aristocracy, Fayez fashioned outstanding pieces and unique creations, often commemorating important state events.

Third generation

The firm moved into the European and worldwide market under Fayez's son Robert Mouawad. He had initially studied in Europe to become a doctor but returned after being convinced by his father to join the family business. He started as a salesman with Mouawad in order to learn the business from the ground up, later entering into an agreement with his father to take over the business as the sole president. In the early 1970s, Robert moved the headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland.

He took many risks with the firm by purchasing some of the world's largest diamonds. He expanded the brand into Europe, Asia, and North America and began producing watches in the early 1990s. He’s also contributed to the jewelry education and research through support of the Gemological Institute of America whose campus in Carlsbad, California is named in his honor.^[13]

Robert Mouawad acquired a historical residence in Beirut, Lebanon to host his collections of fine arts and antique pieces, and in 2006 established the Robert Mouawad Private Museum for his collections of books, ceramics, architectural elements, pottery, ancient weapons, carpets, jewelry, objets d'art and rare precious stones.^[14]

Fourth generation

In 2010, Robert Mouawad left the firm to focus on his real estate group, the Robert Mouawad Foundation, and his museum. He officially retired on January 1, 2010, and the company was then led by his sons Fred Mouawad and Pascal Mouawad.^[15][16] Alain Mouawad joined to head up the watch division in January 2013.

Generations of the Mouawad Family
David Mouawad  Fayez Mouawad  Robert Mouawad  Alain, Fred & Pascal Mouawad

Diamond collection

Over the years the Mouawad family has acquired a collection of diamonds that is one of the world's finest in private hands. A good number of the largest diamonds in existence take their place among the gems in the collection. These diamonds include the Ahmedabad which is a pear shaped diamond that weighs 78.86 carats with a D-VS1 Grade.^[17]

Mouawad is the owner of the Indore Pears which are linked to the Malabar Hill Murder. In January 1925, armed men attacked a car in Bombay which was being driven by an official of the Bombay Corporation. The passenger in the vehicle was a young Muslim woman who was the subject of the attack. The official was killed and four British officers came to the aid of the woman. Robbery was not the motive for this crime as the young woman was believed to be a dancer at the Court of Tukoji Rao III. The woman escaped from being a concubine and the murder was believed to be retaliation. It was agreed that the crime on Malabar Hill could not be ignored: Mumtaz Begum had recognized her assailants as an aide-de-camp of the Maharajah and members of the Indore army and mounted police. The Maharajah's involvement in the crime was never made public but he was asked either to appear at the subsequent official inquiry or abdicate in favor of his son. In the following year he chose the latter course. While traveling in Switzerland after his abdication, he met Nancy Ann Miller, a rich young American. Amid much publicity the couple married in 1928. The bride embraced the Hindu religion and subsequently became known as the Maharanee Shamista Davi Holkar. In 1946 Harry Winston bought the two pear-shaped diamonds, weighing 46.95 and 46.70 carats, which the Maharanee had worn on many occasions. The diamonds were purchased several times throughout the years until they were purchased by Robert Mouawad in 1987.^[18][19]

The Queen of Holland is another diamond in the Mouawad collection. Its origin is unknown; however, it was believed to have been brought from South Africa to the Netherlands. It was first cut in 1904 by F. Freidman & Co. who made it a cushion-cut and named it after Queen Wihelmina of the Netherlands, which is incorrectly referred to as Holland. The diamond was re-cut sometime after the 1960s into its current weight of 135.92 carats. It is judged to be internally flawless and 'D' color by the Gemological Institute of America.^[20] This diamond was also formerly owned by William Goldberg.

Mouawad is the owner of the Jubilee Diamond. The Jubilee Diamond was known as the Reitz Diamond and is a colourless, cushion-shaped diamond weighing 245.35 carats (49.07 grams). It is the sixth largest diamond in the world and originally named after Francis William Reitz who was the president of the Orange Free State at the time the diamond was discovered in the area.^[21] The Jubilee is the largest diamond in the Mouawad collection.^[22]

The Mouawad Liliac is considered one of the top ten pink diamonds in the world and is owned by Mouawad.^[23] The Mouawad Lilac is estimated to be worth $20M (USD) and weighs 24.44 carat. It is an emerald cut pink diamond that is so saturated with color that it gives off a purplish, almost maroon, hue.^[24]

Premier Diamond Alliance

Mouawad also manufactures rough diamonds as a Diamond Trading Company (DTC) Sightholder through its joint venture company with Premier Gem Corporation, Premier Diamond Alliance.^[25] As a De Beers DTC Sightholder, the Premier Diamond Alliance is part of a list of less than 80 Sightholders worldwide whose principal business is the distribution and supply of diamonds through sourcing, sorting, beneficiation, cutting and polishing, valuing and sales. Formed in 2012, the Premier Diamond Alliance offers a conflict-free route supply of certified diamonds to the wholesale market.

Guinness World Records

Mouawad has four Guinness World Records: The most valuable necklace in the world ($55M) — the Mouawad L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace featuring the world’s largest internally flawless diamond, the Incomparable diamond (407.48 carats).^[26][27] The most valuable handbag in the world—the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse ($3.8M).^[28] The most luxurious and expensive piece of lingerie ever made—the Very Sexy Fantasy Bra ($11M)^[29] The most expensive single pear-shaped diamond in the world—the Mouawad Splendor ($12.8M).

References

External links

• Company Website
• Robert Mouawad Homepage
• Roberge
• GIA Website