Champagne, a Parisian River Oaks Home, Fabulous Diamonds and Astros Connections — De Beers Sure Knows How to Throw a Memorable Party

It was just the sort of intimate, trés chic gathering one would want before launch of the holiday partying frenzy — a fire on the hearth, champagne and martinis on the serving trays, and displays of — no exaggeration — fabulous diamonds. De Beers Jewellers partnered with PaperCity to host the soirée in the Parisian-style River Oaks home of entrepreneur Janet Gurwitch and attorney Ron Franklin.

Many know Gurwitch as founder of Laura Mercier Cosmetics, now operating partner with private equity concern Advent International and the only female on the Houston Astros ownership team. Recently retired attorney Franklin serves as a trustee of the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.

The occasion was a celebration of De Beers high jewelry collections with special focus on the Butterfly series in the Portrait of Nature Collection. One of the two reed-thin models was adorned with butterfly pieces including earrings, pendant and flirtatious winged ring, all featuring pink diamonds. The second model accessorized with an assortment of De Beers iconic diamond jewels. And then there were the scrumptious diamond displays in the home’s back gallery. While guests dreamed of diamonds in their holiday gifts, the team from A Fare Extraordinaire circulated with light bites and drinks.

Only a few days before, De Beers had gathered a glittering group in New York to celebrate the appointment of the intriguing Lupita Nyong’o as the jeweler’s first Global Brand Ambassador. Making that scene were Halle Bailey, Fiona Nyong’o, Elaine Welteroth, Nicole Ari Parker, Leyna Bloom, Cindy Bruna, Kennedy Yanko and more.

The Houston soirée was not without its high-powered notables as well. Dr. Jennie Segal, dermatologist and founder of Metropolitan Dermatology Institute who keeps the city’s most beautiful forever young, was stunning in a black Comme des Garçons cocktail dress. Further adding sophistication to the scene was Anita Sehgal, senior vice president of marketing and communications for the  Astros.

The glamorous Julia Morales, AT&T SportsNet and Astros sideline reporter, talked of enjoying this break following the World Series championship while Rachel Bagwell, wife of MLB Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, Astros community outreach exec, was looking forward to that second World Series ring.

Philanthropists and community activist Phoebe Tudor, she involved in conservation, and Sheridan Williams, she committed to making Houston a safer place to live, added glamour notes to the evening. Two of our favorite partying femmes, Melissa Mithoff and Courtney Hopson, provided their high-octane spirits to the scene.

PC Seen: PaperCity‘s Monica Bickers and Meredith Chastang, plus Patrice Ferguson and John Camp, Faye Xu and daughter Claudia, Karen and Mike Mayell, Vicki West and Ralph Burch, Katherine Phelps, Angelica Ximenes and Joe R. Martin, Roz and Alan Pactor, and Sharon Mok.