Lynn Wyatt Tapped to Lead the Celebration of an Iconic Jeweler’s Houston Return: The Glitter Comes Out for a Big Tenenbaum Moment

With news that Tenenbaum Jewelers had been tapped as the city’s official retailer for David Webb, there were celebrations from River Oaks to Tanglewood as the women who have adored the designs of the iconic American jeweler for decades and those just getting to know the bold designs geared up for even greater personal adornment. Announcement of the partnership was officially made at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston during the Art of the Islamic Worlds Gala.

The in-house celebration took place several days ago with Lynn Wyatt as the starring diva; David Webb co-owner Mark Emanuel as the connoisseur; author Ruth Peltason, who penned David Webb: The Quintessential American Jeweler, as historian; and Tenenbaum’s Tony Bradfield as the host extraordinaire. Add close to 100 fabulous pieces from the couture collection and the stage was set for a beautiful evening.

Indeed, the soirée doubled as a salute to three of the city’s performing arts groups affected by Hurricane Harvey — the Alley Theatre, represented by managing director Dean Gladden; Houston Ballet, represented by Jim Nelson; and Houston Grand Opera, represented by Wyatt.

“This coming to Houston is sort of a homecoming for David Webb,” Emanuel told the gathering. “We’ve had a historic presence here for many, many years and then there was a hiatus. I know that Houston is a very discerning and sophisticated crowd and really knows and wears and covets and understands David Webb.

“We regard this as a wonderful challenge to come here and exhibit with Tenenbaum and show the epic beauty that we create on a daily basis in our workshop in New York.”

Wyatt is very familiar with the New York atelier.  She told PaperCity that David Webb is where she and husband Oscar Wyatt took a special emerald to be set in a diamond necklace for her. They chose David Webb after visiting Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels among others. They later returned to have David Webb design a ring for another significant emerald that Oscar had given her.

“Beauty is important and the arts are really important.,” Emanuel said. “In a true spiritual sense, it’s a counterbalance to all the ugliness in the world . . .  Beauty elevates us. I regard our presence here and all of your presences here as very important in support of the arts.”

While the couture pieces are breathtakingly beautiful and costly, Christina Stith, Tenenbaum marketing and public relations director, noted that the David Webb “introductory collections” are priced from $2,450.

Thinking big: Phoebe Tudor, Elise and Russell Joseph, Joyce Echols and Steve Wyatt, Ishwaria and Vivek Subbiah, Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Sandra Manela, Diane Lokey Farb, Elsie and Les Eckart, Jerry Ann Woodfin Costa and Victor Costa, Ileana Treviño, Margaret Alkek Williams, Astley Blair, and Valerie and Tracy Dieterich.