Russian diamond upstart Lev Leviev is set to take on the big brands like Graff and Harry Winston. WWD covers Leviev`s plans to open a new 6,200-square-foot store in New York next month. The store will be located near rivals such as Graff, Chopard, de Grisogono, Kwiat and Fred Leighton. The new store will have over 4,000 carats of diamonds and gemstones on hand including a wide variety of specialty pieces with high price tags such as the distinctive diamond scarf, a swath of yellow and white diamonds set so that they move like cloth . Leviev is also getting into the watch business. Lev Leviev is also helping to create a special tourbillon movement.

The article chronicles Leviev`s fascinating past. He started in the business at age 15 as a diamond polisher and eventually developed a new method of laser cutting diamonds. He owns his own mines thereby escaping the rather tight system of supply and demand. This lets him control every aspect of the life of a diamond from the mine to the store. Leviev doesn`t have the name recognition of some of the other big players in the game but he does have the baubles to insure a steady stream of wealthy clients.