Alexandre Reza was born on November 1, 1922, and died on January 15, 2016.

He was a Paris-based jeweler.

He was known for his diverse and rare collection of precious gems.

Reza has been eulogized as the greatest gem collector of modern times.

Following the war, he began his career as a diamond expert, traveling extensively to source each stone, which served as the key design inspiration for his work.

Earlier Reza supplied gems to jewelry brands such as Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chaumet, Gerard, Harry Winston, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Over 30 yrs of acquiring and selectively selling fine diamonds, he founded his eponymous jewelry house in 1981 on the Place Vendôme in Paris.

Reza has also established retails presence in Geneva, Cannes and Monaco to offer Haute Joaillerie: suites of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and objet de art made from rare diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

Alexandre Reza unique creations are known for their opulence, splendor, extravagance, and extraordinary craftsmanship.

According to the auction house Sotheby’s, “movement, lightness, composition, and harmony are the key words of Alexandre Reza designs.”

The Mirror described him as “probably the top jeweler in the world for the rich, famous and royalty,”in 1997.

Before that, he has been a target of high-stakes theft.

A necklace with the net worth of EUR 1.8M was stolen the brand’s salon in Cannes, in June 2001,

Apparently armed robbers stole approximately $21 million in gems from the jeweler’s salon in Paris, in 1994

In May 2010, Sotheby’s sold a 5.02-carat fancy vivid blue diamond set in a toi et moi (me and you) ring alongside a white 5.42-carat diamond for US$6.3 million, establishing an auction record price for a jewel by Alexandre Reza.

In November 2010, a pair of fancy blue diamond and diamond pendant ear clips “soared to $1.79 million, tripling the low end of its pre-sale estimate.”

In 2008, Olivier Reza, the son of Alexandre Reza who frequently traveled with his father to examine and acquire rare stones, returned to lead the company following a successful career in international banking.

Alexandre Reza downsized the Paris salon, as well as sold all European stores.

In June 2012, Alexandre Reza re-opened a salon on the Place Vendome, and recently completed his first jewelry pieces with an eye towards continuing the family’s legacy and expanding the Alexandre Reza collection.

Alexandre Reza passed away at 93 yrs old.