Lucinda Loya & Gal Pal Francine Ballard Host Stunning De Beers Preview in Gorgeous Uptown Home

Behind the gates of Stablewood, the elite Uptown enclave, a stylish group of diamond devotees were treated to an exclusive preview of De Beers’ latest high jewelry collection Portraits of Nature at interior designer Lucinda Loya‘s home, who hosted the fête alongside pal Francine Ballard.

The largest collection De Beers has shown to date, Portraits of Nature made a splash at Paris Haute Couture week. More than a year in the making, the jewelry collection is inspired by a kaleidoscope of wild creatures and their striking colors and textures.

The feathers of the Greater Flamingo, the wings of the Monarch butterfly, the colors of the Knysna chameleon, the stripes of the Chapman’s zebra, and the iridescent scales of the Electric Cichlid fish are interpreted magnificently via white and colored diamonds.

Loya’s gorgeous home, filled with contemporary art, served as the perfect backdrop for the dazzling homage to fauna with vibrant floral displays by Swift + Company.

De Beers’ marketing and communications director Pooja Johari, who was in from New York, along with Galleria store director Rene Chapman-Wood ensured that glasses of white burgundy and Champange flowed alongside the caviar and sophisticated small bites by A Fare Extraordinaire.

Numerous security guards eagerly assisted the bevy of beauties in trying on bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Guests embraced the opportunity to experience the pieces in person, knowing full well the collection was bound back for New York the following morning. De Beers generously donated a portion of the evening’s proceeds to Houston 20 FightForUs.org.

PC Seen: Neekie Kashani, Kelly Silvers, Alicia Maguire Smith, Melissa Mithoff, Laura Fondren, Courtney Hopson, Annie Amante, Jill King, Lindsay Fox, Maggie Vermillion, Fay Zakhem, Ellen Sweet, Tara English, Pippa Fraumeni, Carolyn Tanner, Jo Barrett.