Messika is no diamond in the rough.
Celebrating 20 years of brilliance, Messika held its “feast of diamonds, immersed in haute-joaillerie” at the Frick Collection, attended by Julianne Moore, Orlando Bloom, Nina Dobrev, Charlotte Lawrence, Justine Skye, Helena Christensen, Alton Mason and more. It was the inaugural dinner (one featuring a “kaleidoscopically colorful” menu, per Messika) held at the Gilded Age mansion following its $220 million, five-year renovation.
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“Who would have thought that, 20 years ago — even just a few months ago — that we could organize such a dinner at the Frick,” said Alain Bernard, board member and chief executive officer of the Americas at Messika Group. “Who would have said that 20 years ago, when that woman here, together with her family, decided to create her own house, that it would become what it is today.”
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He’s referencing Valérie Messika: the only businesswoman in France to head her own independent jewelry maison. Since founding the brand, she’s created over 6,000 pieces of jewelry — accumulating famous fans like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Kristen Stewart, among others, along the way.
On Saturday, Messika was honored with the inaugural Design Award at the Grand Prix de la Haute Joaillerie (GPHJ) — a new international awards event for high jewelry held in Monaco — for the label’s Zebra Luhlaza necklace from its Terres d’Instinct High Jewelry collection.
“It’s probably a small step in the history of mankind, but a giant leap for Messika here in New York,” Bernard said.
The French fine jewelry brand is known for its modern and fluid designs — particularly its diamond rings — and has been sported by the likes of Kate Moss and Keke Palmer. Incoming global ambassadors Julianne Moore and Kiko Mizuhara were in attendance, as well as friends of the maison: “Bad Monkey” actress Charlotte Lawrence, “Vampire Diaries” star Nina Dobrev and Alton Mason — the reportedly first Black male model to walk a Chanel show, GQ reported in 2018. Orlando Bloom, who wore Messika at Cannes 2023, was in attendance as well.
Seven-time Grammy winner Toni Braxton serenaded Messika (both the brand and its artistic director) with a special performance.
“I’ve been surrounded by so [much] love and success and it’s because of you. Without you, we’re nothing; I have some very loyal customers here tonight in the room — and they know who they are—thank you,” said Valérie Messika, founder and artistic director. “Time flies so fast. I’m almost 50 years old but tonight, because of you, I’m 20 years old.”
She thanked her family (in attendance!) as well, with the 100-something attendees growing emotional as she honored her father, diamond merchant André Messika, founder and artistic director of Messika. He created the luxury brand when she was 22 years old.
“You transmitted your passion for diamonds and to dare to take risks and to create the business from scratch — which is not always easy — but you gave that to me,” she continued before thanking her husband, CEO Jean-Baptiste Sassine. She noted they’re not always on the same page, but are life partners — both private and public.
“We started this fantastic adventure together,” Messika said. “I think it’s a huge, huge key to success — because what we achieve is that we complete each other; this is our strength and we respect each other.”
At the event, guests previewed three one-of-a-kind high jewelry creations made exclusively for the Madison Avenue debut: the “So Move Rainbow,” a gradient of 24 sapphires and rubies surrounding the maison’s signature moving diamonds; the “Move Noa Ciselé” set, a sculptural gold set inspired by haute-couture pleating; and the “White Midnight Sun” necklace, a diamond-paved collar centered on a 10.03-carat fancy light-yellow oval diamond.