LONDON — A diamond boutique that claims to be the "most expensive and lavish" in London has opened in Knightsbridge.
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A bomb and bullet-proof shop selling some of the world's most precious diamonds has opened in Knightsbridge
The new 3,000 square foot store for international diamond jewellery brand Samer Halimeh NY is the result of a two-year, £10 million construction project.
Samer Halimeh NY claims to be the 'most expensive and lavish' boutique in London.
The new 3,000 square foot global flagship store for international jewellery brand Samer Halimeh NY is the result of a two-year, £10 million construction project, resulting in a "bomb, ram, and bullet-proof boutique" selling diamonds worth millions of pounds.
The store's facades are created from "anti-ram steel and reinforced concrete," while its windows are made from 30mm bulletproof glass. The jewellery sits behind glass, steel, and marble display cases, illuminated by LED lighting.
Its ground and first floors showcase a diamond jewellery collection with items ranging from £5,000 up to millions of pounds for bespoke pieces made with rare diamonds, sourced from local mines in South Africa and cut and handcrafted in New York.
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The boutique has "state-of-the-art security including motion sensors, CCTV cameras, and infra-red beams" guarding access to the 12-tonne vault room, which is embedded in reinforced concrete.
Located at 161 Knightsbridge, the brand claims to be a favourite of members of the Saudi, Brunei, and Abu Dhabi royal families, as well as celebrities such as Elton John and Naomi Campbell.
Special guests can view finished jewellery and enjoy drinks and a cigar terrace in the VIP client suite.
The brand recruited award-winning lighting specialists Lasvit — who created the Olympic Games, the Dubai Opera House, Mandarin Oriental, and Shangri-La hotels — for its lighting, and had its spiral staircase made of steel and curved glass imported from Germany.
The two chandeliers — one on each floor — are also stunning. One is made up 600 pieces of handmade Bohemian crystal, while the upper floor piece is made from 300.
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Samer Halimeh, founder and chief executive of Samer Halimeh NY, said the brand chose London for its flagship boutique because the capital acts as a hub for luxury shoppers from Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, the Middle East, India, and Africa.
Samer's headquarters, located on New York's Fifth Avenue, opened in 2000, while Boutiques in Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur followed in 2010 and 2014.
"Buyers of diamond jewellery like to meet the jewellery sellers personally, to touch and feel the pieces — buying luxury jewellery is a very sensory and emotive experience," he said. "We wanted to have our own mono-brand dedicated jewellery boutique because it is the most exclusive and prestigious way to showcase our collection."
He added that there has been a "huge change" in the diamond jewellery sector over the past 10 years.
"Increasingly, luxury jewellery purchases are for personal self-consumption, not gifts," he said. "This is why in the luxury jewellery market there is a real and growing consumer thirst for unique, innovative, and distinctive designs.
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"In addition, especially for younger customers, the once clear-cut boundaries between luxury fine jewellery and fashion jewellery are starting to blur, which is why we have our fashion line in addition to bespoke pieces."
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