Over the past year, De Beers brought Voyage Through the Diamond Realm to two of its biggest stops — London and New York — and in doing so, placed natural diamonds firmly at the center of the art world’s most coveted rooms.
New York: Frieze and an intimate dinner at Markette
When Frieze came to New York, Voyage Through the Diamond Realm made the crossing with it. De Beers brought the installation to its US premiere, accompanied by a cocktail reception that drew Sharon Stone, Swizz Beatz, Ciara, Julia Fox and Scott Campbell, among a guest list that moved easily between art, music and fashion.
The evening continued at Markette, where artist and Dreamcore co-founder Nasir Dean had conceived a second experience alongside the dinner: Matter of Eternity. Through celestial imagery and natural diamonds, Dean drew a parallel between the architecture of the universe and the architecture of a gem — both born through transformation and invisible forces unfolding across millennia.
The centerpiece was the Diamond Zebra, a tribute to Botswana rendered in living light. “In Botswana, the zebra symbolizes strength, unity, resilience, and the harmony of individuality,” Dean said. “By transforming that symbol into living light through diamonds, the Diamond Zebra becomes a monument that nods to permanence, survival, and the rare natural beauty… a reflection of Botswana itself.”
For De Beers, it was the perfect stage to make the same case the London evening had: that every natural diamond carries within it a story billions of years in the making.
London: an evening at Frieze Masters
On Wednesday, October 15, De Beers hosted a private celebration at Frieze Masters London to mark Voyage Through the Diamond Realm, a unique experience tracing the mythical origins of natural diamonds.
Set against the backdrop of The Regent’s Park, the evening drew a sharp crowd of artists, collectors, and familiar fashion faces. Lily Allen, Erin O’Connor, and Ananya Panday were among those spotted mingling beside a private bar that buzzed with gallerists, curators, and London’s best dressed.
The installation invited guests to trace the cosmic story of these gems, from their celestial birth in the hearts of stars to their discovery in the raw landscapes of rivers, deserts, and ice. The result was both scientific and poetic: an experience that reframed natural diamonds not only as symbols of love and strength, but as works of art created by the earth itself.
It was the kind of event that captured what makes Frieze so compelling. A space where art, design, and fashion coexist without boundaries. And for De Beers, it was the perfect stage to celebrate the idea that every natural diamond carries within it a story billions of years in the making.
