LOS ANGELES, CA.- The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County opened its exhibition Diamonds: Rare Brilliance, which brings together rare colored gems never before seen in the United States inside the Museum’s renowned Gem and Mineral Hall. At the center of Rare Brilliance is the “Juliet Pink Diamond,” which is an extremely rare pink diamond of over 30 carats, and a Fancy Deep Grayish Bluish Violet named the “Argyle Violet Diamond” after the Argyle mine in Western Australia, where it was discovered in 2015. Through stunning examples, such as the fluorescent lighting of a “rainbow” diamond necklace and a very rare Victorian Orchid Diamond, the exhibition brings to light the rare properties of colored gemstones, the science behind natural colored diamonds, and how the interplay of light and chemistry gives diamonds color. Organized in partnership with L.J. West Diamonds, Rare Brilliance is on view from December 16, 2016, through March 19, 2017.

“We are thrilled to share these gems, which are incredibly rare in color, intensity, quality and size — and so brilliantly fashioned from the original roughs — with museum visitors, providing opportunities to learn about the geology, physics and chemistry behind each diamond’s sparkle and hue,” said Dr. Aaron Celestian, NHMLA’s Associate Mineralogy Curator. “These jewels, on loan from L.J. West, capture the imagination and will shine amongst the Museum’s world-renowned collection of gems and minerals.”

The Juliet Pink Diamond, which has been set in a necklace with marquise, pear and round-cut white diamonds totaling 98.70 carats for the exhibition, has been designated a type IIa diamond by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for its remarkable chemical purity and clarity. Natural colored diamonds are a strikingly rare phenomenon, occurring in an estimated one out of every 10,000 gems, and the precise science behind individual colors remains a mystery.

In addition to the Juliet Pink Diamond, Diamonds: Rare Brilliance introduces U.S. audiences to one of the world’s rarest diamonds — a Fancy Deep Grayish Bluish Violet named the “Argyle Violet” after the Argyle mine in Western Australia. There are no other known diamonds of this combination of colors or with the same clarity and size, and it is the largest Violet to be discovered in the Argyle Diamond Mine. The 9.17-carat original rough stone was an unusual shape characterized by deep grooves and an uneven surface. After more than 80 hours of carving and polishing, the diamond on view in NHMLA’s Gem Vault is a 2.83-carat oval that is set in a ring.

“We are so pleased to be able to share these exceptional stones with the public through the Rare Brilliance exhibition at the Natural History Museum of L.A.,” said Larry West from L.J. West Diamonds. “Just as the ring and necklace settings provide a backdrop to highlight the brilliance of the cut stones, the excellent company of NHMLA’s Gem and Mineral Hall collection will provide the perfect context for these rare and important diamonds.”

The NHMLA Gem and Mineral Hall
The world-renowned, 6,000-square-foot Gem and Mineral Hall opened in 1978 and is one of the finest permanent exhibit halls of gems and minerals in the world. The Hall houses a selection of the Museum’s extensive collection — displaying more than 2,000 spectacular specimens within two large galleries — which as a whole includes more than 150,000 specimens and is the largest in the western United States. The NHMLA Mineral Sciences Department curates the Museum’s world-class collection of minerals, rocks, gems, ores, and meteorites, and it conducts research focusing on furthering scientific understanding of these materials. The department actively maintains the Gem and Mineral Hall and provides general and scientific programming through the Museum’s Gem and Mineral Council.

Diamonds: Rare Brilliance coincides with the reopening of NHMLA’s popular Gem and Mineral Store, open now through spring 2017, featuring a wide selection of gem and mineral décor and accessories.