Our Founder

On December 12th, 1947, Pieter Andries Hye was born in the Belgian Congo on a missionary post, the first of six children. Pieter's father had been commissioned by the Belgian government to mine gold and minerals in the Congo, while his mother worked with local nuns in the outpost.

Life was a constant struggle for the family, as they faced several outbreaks of malaria. Tragically, one such outbreak claimed the life of one of Pieter's brothers.

In 1960, during a Congolese uprising led by Joseph Kasa-Vubu and Patrice Lumumba, thousands of colonists, missionaries and locals were massacred. Pieter's family was airlifted out of the area by Belgian paracommandos and narrowly escaped death.

Their family later learned that their rescue was orchestrated by a priest from the missionary post his mother worked with, Father Joseph Laenen.

After returning to Belgium following the tragedy, Pieter enrolled at the prestigious Technicum Londonstraat in Antwerp to become a jeweler and goldsmith. He grew to be one of the top artisans in his class, mastering over 40 different disciplines from design to metal-smithing. At 18, he earned the designation of Master Goldsmith under the tutelage of his professor and mentor, Paul van Dessel. It was during this time that Pieter learned that true luxury is in the details.

As a wholesale jewelry manufacturer, Pieter Andries Hye received numerous international awards for jewelry design — including the renowned De Beers Designer of the Year Award in 1979 for his Anniversary Bracelet design. Designed with a unique curve to honor 25 years of marriage, Anniversary Bracelets are still available at our showroom in Southlake, Texas. 

In 1983, Pieter Andries Hye and his wife Marilyn moved from California to Grapevine, Texas, to build the wholesale jewelry company, HP Creations.

Manufacturing fine jewelry sold across the country to stores including Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's, Pieter and Marilyn found great success. However, after Pieter was robbed and nearly killed on the road while traveling with his jewelry line in Louisiana, Pieter and Marilyn decided to start a new venture.

After 15 years in the wholesale business, Pieter and Marilyn envisioned a new enterprise — a manufacturer of fine jewelry selling directly to the wearer, with no one in between. They set out to build the finest jewelry house in America.

Opening their first store in Westlake in 1992, they worked diligently to build a loyal clientele by creating one-of-a-kind jewelry and maintaining the highest standards in consumer education and service. Pieter's experience manufacturing for other retailers, and his partnerships with the finest diamond houses in Europe, enabled him to create his own collection without intermediary suppliers.

In 2000, after success with their first store in Westlake, Pieter built a brand-new showroom and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the nearby Southlake area.

Although it has been renovated since its inception, this showroom still serves as the main storefront of Pieter Andries Jewelers today.

Over the years, Pieter Andries Jewelers has supported many organizations in the Southlake area, including the DFW Humane Society, Southlake Rotary Club, North Texas Shield Foundation, Bob Jones Nature Center, Miss Southlake Pageant, and Southlake Historical Society.

Because of his outstanding service to the community, Pieter Andries Hye was awarded Southlake's "Citizen of the Year" in 2005 by the Southlake Chamber of Commerce.

In 2011, Pieter Andries Hye earned the title of Certified Gemologist Appraiser (CGA) from the American Gem Society (AGS), an association of professional jewelers in the United States and Canada. The CGA accreditation is the highest level of achievement in the field, with only about 500 AGS members in North America holding this prestigious title.

In 2016, Pieter Andries Hye was elected by the Belgian government to receive the prestigious title of Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of Belgium for North Texas and Oklahoma. Pieter Andries Jewelers in Southlake now serves as the Official Consulate.

In 2018, Pieter Andries Hye was chosen as one of five panelist judges for the AGTA Spectrum Awards — the world's premier colored gemstone and cultured pearl jewelry design competition.

Today you will find Pieter in the Southlake showroom in conversation with clients, or traveling the world to hand-select the most beautiful diamonds and gemstones for the house. Meanwhile, his wife Marilyn, paints many of the beautiful paintings and backdrops for the Southlake showroom.

Despite the many challenges and hardships he has faced, and in some ways because of them, Pieter tirelessly continues to push forward in his mission to give back to the community, mentor the next generation, and create fine jewelry made as perfectly as humanly possible.