Gift Guide: Natalie Portman's Kwiat Diamonds

December 09, 2008

From its humble 1907 beginnings as a vintage jewelry store on the Lower East Side of New York, the City's original diamond district, immigrant Sam Kwait's eponymous business steadily grew into a diamond juggernaut. Spectacular private label commissions soon came to include the 126-carat rough diamond purchased during the mid-60s which son David then transformed into the celebrated 50-carat Tear Drop of Africa for Harry Winston. Kwiat recently turned 100, and to celebrate, they opened their first-ever flagship: a luscious 1000 square-foot jewel box located at 725 Madison Avenue and filled with bling ranging in price from $2,500 to over $1 million.

"The flagship boutique is a symbolic doorway leading us into the next 100 years of the company," explains Greg Kwiat, one of Sam's great-great grandsons in what still remains, to this day, a family business.

Champagne-colored walls, an atrium entrance, and white marble staircase all set the scene, but for serious shopping, head to the private, mezzanine-level VIP room which is adorned with revolving image screens featuring Kwiat glitter adorning Hollywood's A-list glitter. Look for Halle Berry, Teri Hatcher, Hilary Swank, and Natalie Portman - seen here sporting a pair of $30,000 5-carat, black onyx and 18k white gold earrings from the Kwiat Legacy collection.