Millions in Diamonds Turn The Menil Into a Jewelry Fantasyland — U.S. Debut of New De Beers Collection Wows

And You Can See Them at The Galleria

BY Shelby Hodge // 10.24.21

photography Johnny Than

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Kaiti Suh tries on diamonds at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Models in gowns from Tootsies are adorned with millions of dollars of magnificent diamond jewels from De Beers Jewellers on display at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Frank & Stephanie Tsuru, Katie Tsuru, Kelley & Stephen Lubanko at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Jeff & Kaiti Suh at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Fay Xu trying on diamonds at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Heidi Gerger, Reggie & Leight Smith at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Christina Liang, Angela Tsi, Tiffany Hsuen at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Jennifer Cope, Ursaline Hamilton, Alicia Smith at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Tanner Saha, Bailey Tsuru, Kylee Siaw, Ben Siaw at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Patti Murphy, Cheryl Byington, Rene Chapman- Wood at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Nandi Howard, Stephanie Tsuru, Danielle Wright at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Fady Armanious trying on diamonds at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Shafik Rifaat & Shelby Hodge at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Drs. Edwin & Susan Osterberg at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Kelli & John Weinzierl at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Dana Duterroil trying on diamonds at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Phoebe Tudor, Luba Bigman at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Monique Lodi, Daniela Balzano-Hull at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Catherine Anspon, Adrian Duenas, Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Margo Rasch, Christina Sanchez at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Noble Kuruvilla, Pete Gilmore with models at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Kelly Silburs, Madeline Kelly, Mirel Baysal at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Chelsea Wenner, Natalie Laskowski at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Mahzad Mohajer, Lauren Abbott at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Gabriela Monterroso, Linda Kwok, Rend Bonfil, Chandler Waite at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Landers Radiance earrings from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Radiance yellow medallion from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Motlatse Marvel necklace from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Okavango Grace ring from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Ellesmere Treasure bow medallion from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Nefertari Cuff from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Okavango Grace drop earrings from De Beers Jewellers' Reflections of Nature collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Kaiti Suh tries on diamonds at the De Beers Jewellers celebration of its Reflections of Nature collection at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

For one glorious evening, the splendor of De Beers Jewellers’ Reflections of Nature collection merged with the riches of The Menil Collection for a celebration of the junction between art, culture, style and society. The museum tableau was awash in diamonds, not only those worn by models in gowns, but diamond jewels available for wear for keepsake photos.

And, oh how the ladies, in a Cinderella moment, lined up to be photographed in the magnificent jewels.

The dazzling presentation of the latest high-jewelry collection from the venerable house of natural diamonds served as the stateside debut in the collection’s global tour. The 39 pieces — combining white diamonds and fancy color, rough and polished — on view during the museum cocktail party will be available at the De Beers Jewellers boutique in The Houston Galleria through October 31.

Entrepreneur and SheSpace founder Stephanie Tsuru chaired the evening that saw more than 100 cocktail-attired guests strolling the museum galleries and perusing the diamond offerings. Tsuru herself was adorned in a selection of the De Beers pieces.

A string quartet entertained while wait staff from Swift + Co. wafted through the museum carrying trays of tempting hors d’oeuvres and champagne.

Each of the five models, dressed in gowns from Tootsies, represented one of the five spectacular sets in the collection — Okavango Grace, Motlatse Marvel, Namib Wonder, Landers Radiance and Ellesmere Treasure. The talk of the party was the $4.5 million ring centered with a rare blue diamond. That amazing piece was worn by one of the models, all of whom were under the watchful eyes of security.

Elizabeth Anthony

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ASSAEL

OLYMPIA LE-TAN

EMILY P. WHEELER

MARIA OLIVER

KATHERINE JETTER

MEREDITH YOUNG

LEIGH MAXWELL

MEREDITH YOUNG

0192_De Beers_102121_JT (Photo by Johnny Than) — Models in gowns from Tootsies are adorned with millions of dollars of magnificent diamond jewels from De Beers Jewellers on display at The Menil Collection. (Photo by Johnny Than)

While Kristy Bradshaw, Leigh Smith and Christina Hsu were among the ladies styling the jewels for photos, Fady Armanious was likely the only gent to try on diamond necklaces atop his black satin shirt and Ann Demeulemeester cobalt jacket. “Diamonds are unisex, they’re for everyone,” he noted.

Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch, while admiring the ethically sourced diamonds, declined to sample the beautiful wares. “I’m afraid to touch anything,” he said. “I’m known to break things.”

Though it was doubtful that anything would be broken, it was breathtaking to try on the $500,000 necklace with the $100,000 earrings. The ladies truly swooned over the unique pieces, some of them with an eye toward purchasing one.

PC seen: Frank Tsuru, Kati and Jeff Tsu, Kelley and Stephen Lubanko, Angela Tsi, Stephanie Tsuru, Reggie Smith, Gayla Gardner, Melissa Mithoff, Katie Tsuru, Heidi Gerger, Kathrine Treistman, Kylee and Ben Siaw, Faye Xu, Andrew Cordes, Luba and Alan Bigman, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Alicia Smith, Adrian Duenas, Bailey Tsuru and De Beers store director Rene Chapman-Wood along with Daniela Balzano-Hull, De Beers director in from New York.