Pharrell and Lorraine Schwartz, a Match Made in Diamond Heaven

In a star-studded dinner at Caviar Kaspia in Los Angeles hosted by Vogue 100, Pharrell and Lorraine Schwartz previewed ‘A Journey Through Gems,’ a first-of-its-kind private sale from the music legend’s own auction house, Joopiter. An unprecedented collection of Lorraine Schwartz jewels was on display that spans her decades-long career of creating some of the world’s most iconic jewelry pieces. Only Natural Diamonds was in attendance and hands-on with the jewelry for its one and only appearance in America. 

‘A Journey Through Gems’ is the first dedicated high jewelry private sale from Joopiter and was born from the long-time friendship of Pharrell and legendary jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz. Schwartz said: “I was lucky enough to meet Pharrell over 20 years ago, and we’ve built an incredible friendship through a mutual appreciation for the most exquisite and unique gems in the world. To me, A Journey Through Gems is not only a curation of the finest bespoke high jewelry available now but also the story of our journey and relationship as told through gems. I am excited to partner with JOOPITER for this once-in-a-lifetime sale, bringing access to these gems and their provenance to a global audience.”

Schwartz is a third-generation diamond dealer based in New York who is responsible for some of the most incredible diamond jewelry moments of a generation. She has created jewelry for Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, and Angelina Jolie, just to name a few. A Journey Through Gems features a large selection of dozens of Schwartz’s pieces, mostly one-of-a-kind, and a selection of incredibly rare loose diamonds and fancy-color diamonds. Many of the pieces have been worn by A-list celebrities over the last few years and are imbued with historical and cultural provenance. 

Beyonce’s 60-carat diamond drop earrings from her recent internet-breaking performance in Dubai, and the 136-carat, 4-panel diamond shape earrings with purple sapphire, Paraiba, and diamonds that Taylor Swift wore to this year’s Grammy’s are among the famous pieces included. Taylor Swift’s earrings alone are expected to fetch $3 Million. Loose diamonds featured include a stunning 50-carat D Flawless Type IIa heart-shaped natural diamond. The sale of the loose diamonds includes the rare experience of working directly with Schwartz to create a custom piece of jewelry to feature the diamonds. A select number of lots were co-designed by Pharrell, including a legendary, 26-carat Asscher-cut canary yellow diamond ring and multiple pieces of Pharrell’s personal jewelry made by Schwartz. 

Joopiter is a digital-first auction house and content platform founded by Pharrell Williams in 2022. According to Joopiter, it’s “a space built for today’s collector by a team of collectors, curators, and creators; Joopiter honors rare cultural artifacts, their provenance and intrinsic relevance through auctions curated with knowledge and care.” Their first sale, Son of a Pharaoh, a collection of Pharrell’s personal items and jewelry, garnered over $5 Million, with some of the diamonds purchased by fellow music legend Drake. Pharrell, the 13-time Grammy winner and Oscar nominee, was also just named the new Men’s Creative Director for Louis Vuitton, a role once held by the late Virgil Abloh. Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s CEO, said in a statement that “His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”

The private sale will open for global bidding on Friday, March 17, on Joopiter’s website, and a private vernissage will take place in Hong Kong during Art Basel at the end of March.