by jacquie_dealmeida | October 7, 2011 9:00 am
A rare collection of rough diamonds is heading to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co. has donated more than 500 carats of rough, each marked with the location where it was mined. The larger diamonds will become part of the Smithsonian’s public diamond exhibit and will also be featured on its mineral website.
While the stones will provide the opportunity for research and ongoing education to the jewellery industry and the public, Jewelers Mutual says they have limited retail value in their current state.
Jeffrey Post, the curator for the Smithsonian’s Natural Gem and Mineral Collection, stressed the importance of the diamonds’ mine location to the institute’s studies.
“It’s very rare to know where some rough diamonds came from because typically, once they come out of the mine, they go to market and are sold,” Post said.
The stones had been on display at the R. Harder Gallery of Gems and Minerals at the company’s headquarters in Neenah, Wis.
“[Post] has explained this collection is particularly unusual and valuable to science because each diamond is labeled with the actual location where it was mined,” said Ron Harder, curator of the R. Harder Gallery and former president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Jewelers Mutual.
“In most cases, diamonds lose any documentary links to their source by the time they reach the market.”
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