Diamonds of Bling — Houston Jewelry Kings Unveil Special Astros Gemstones With World Series Anticipation High

Within the walls of Tenenbaum Jewelers (you know, the boutique on Westheimer with giant baseball decor), two jewelers are working long hours on what has to be one of the most clever, and priciest, moves in baseball fashion history. Tenenbaum is converting vintage jewelry into Astros-hued gemstone baubles.

Think deep blue lapis lazuli and bright orange coral embellished with diamonds in gold settings. The team colors never looked more elegant or more fun than in the 28-piece collection of earrings, necklaces, rings and pendants that Tenenbaum is creating from estate jewelry.

And why are you doing this, we ask Tenenbaum owner Tony Bradfield?

“How can you not! It’s the Astros,” he laughs. “We’re Astros fans. We’re jewelry fans.” And along with his partner, Kevin Black, Bradfield is a season ticket holder.

It has been a rapid road to the finish. The idea was born on Tuesday. This conversation took place Friday morning as we looked over eight completed pieces and images of 20 more to come. All are expected to be finished in time for the World Series and those pictured here are ready for purchase today.

“We’re in a unique position because this is what we do everyday,” Bradfield explains. “Things come and in all the estate jewelry some things are good and some things are bad and so we have to fix it. We fix all day long. This is exactly what we do.”

Two jewelers and one lapidarius have been madly transforming estate jewelry into Astros jewelry in a team effort that has included the creative input of Bradfield, Tenenbaum’s marketing and public relations director Christina Stith and the firm’s creative director/historian Lindsay Pomphrett.

The beauty of many of these pieces is that the gemstones are interchangeable. You don’t have to be locked into Astros orange and blue forever. It’s an easy fix to change out the stones.

The price range on the items is $1,500 for studs in coral and lapis up to $30,000 for larger pieces embellished with more diamonds. You can see all pieces in the Astros bespoke collection here.

As Bradfield was preparing to attend the opening soirée of the Houston Grand Opera season on this night, he allowed that he had a Carlos Correa give-away jersey that he had tailored into an orange handkerchief with navy stitching.

“This is what makes it fun,” Bradfield says. “This is the ONLY time that I would want to wear jewelry.”

Such a fan.

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