To celebrate the launch of Laings’ newly refurbished Cardiff showroom which has now more than trebled in size, Laings stationed an extraordinary 8ft-high diamond sculpture at the Hayes, St David’s Cardiff. Produced by celebrity florist and leading visual artist, Larry Walshe, the diamond sculpture was created in geometric faceted mirror and adorned with a navy-blue floral base.

Suspended on top of a 2ft tall Laings branded plinth and between a 2ft bed of beautiful navy hydrangeas, the 4ft high and 4ft wide diamond rounded out a total 8ft of the activation. This towered above those walking through the street, providing strong visibility even in the distance.

The architectural structure cut through the bustle of The Hayes and captured the attention of the public, who were curious to learn more about its meaning. Coming alive at night with stage lighting, the sculpture inspired the evening economy of Cardiff’s vibrant community by refracting light from the mirrored panels. Those on nights out and restaurant goers posed with the activation and shared their images with friends via social media.

Laings also held a competition for the best image of the diamond sculpture posted alongside the hashtag #TheLaingsDiamond on Instagram, with the chance to win a diamond necklace worth over £1,000 as the top prize and champagne diamond masterclass sessions for three runners up.

Sally Pearson, Marketing Director at Laings, says:

“To launch our expanded new Cardiff showroom, we knew we had to do something spectacular. We wanted to increase our brand presence in Cardiff, where Laings was formally known as Parkhouse, to take centre stage and own our position as the most prestigious jeweller in the city. Diamonds are what we do best at Laings, so we thought – what better way to pay homage to over 180 years of history with diamonds than an 8ft-high sculpture of one?”

Visual artist Larry Walshe, says:

“We loved creating this large and impressive sculpture for Laings. Taking its brand values and weaving these into a faceted mirror sculpture, the diamond refracted snippets of the local environment and architecture to create a sense of community whilst at the same time, celebrating the luxurious and prestigious nature of the company. Florals in Laings blue further enhanced the brand message in the most beautiful way possible.”

The Laings Diamond will now embark on a roadshow across Laings’ key cities over the next two years, becoming an integral part of its campaign strategy. Future iterations of the sculpture will see it nuanced, while remaining true to its original eye-catching design.