I went to an auction in the late '70s and bought a small Renoir. People said, Why did you buy a Renoir that size? I said, I can put it in the safe with my diamonds. And that was a true story. I bought it to put it in the safe.

Your eye becomes more mature. What you don't see the first time, you keep looking, and eventually you'll see it. And when you are confident with what your eye sees, you know you've got to have it.

One of the great things about collecting contemporary art is that you mix with contemporary people.

Don't try to buy art as an investment. Buy something you really love because you're going to have to look at it again tomorrow. And an investment can go up or down. Buy something you really adore, you really like, and you want to live with. And if you decide some years later you don't want to live with it anymore, sell it. Get out.

You learn about yourself when you're collecting art. You learn what you're capable of. After all, we're not speaking about pennies-we're speaking about vast sums of money. I do it on my own back without advice, so I've got the confidence to do it.

I'm attracted to the work of younger artists, and it's affordable compared to mature art, so you can take a chance much easier on a younger artist. I can't say that I've found an artist who I think is going to be the next Bacon or Warhol. You shouldn't have to do that really. You go forward, and you find something new.

I can't draw. I can't paint. But what I can do is tell somebody else what to do. I'm a creator. I can tell an artist what to do. I can be behind the artist. I have the eye, so I can move things around. I can put stones together. I can match them.

I always believed, right from the beginning, if you're going to do something, do it the best. If you're going to work, you want to enjoy it-make a product that you really enjoy selling or owning.

The Graff Hallucination is a sculptural masterpiece a celebration of the miracle of coloured diamonds. For many years I have thought about creating a truly remarkable watch that illustrates our all-consuming passion for diamonds. The Hallucination has made my diamond dream a reality.