Diamond exhibit sparkles at the ROM

by eyetee | May 5, 2008 12:00 am

SB_kokoshnik-tiaraHO07A11 — The Kokoshnik tiara features round old-, single-, and rose-cut diamonds millegrain set in platinum. From the Cartier Collection, special order, 1911.

The glass faÃ§ade of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal isn’t the only thing at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) that sparkles.

Starting in the fall, the museum will host ‘The Nature of Diamonds,’ a travelling exhibition dedicated to the history and origin of the stone.

A reprisal of a tour organized by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in the late 1990s, this exhibition features about 500 objects and includes computer animation and multimedia displays.

ROM director and CEO William Thorsell said the exhibit is a clear example of the museum’s objective.

“The Nature of Diamonds brilliantly highlights the ROM’s dual mandate of natural history and world cultures,” he said. “Once again, we have collaborated with other renowned institutions to bring our visitors a comprehensive exhibition focusing on a fascinating, and highly appealing, subject.”

The show examines how diamonds are mined, their cultural significance in art, literature, and decoration, and their uses in modern science and technology. A look at the Canadian diamond mining industry is also included.

Lenders to the exhibition—which runs from Oct. 25, 2008 to March 22, 2009—include Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, and the ROM’s presenting sponsor, De Beers Canada. In addition to collaborating on the exhibition, the ROM is the inaugural and sole Canadian venue on the North American tour.

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