Rapaport, September 15, 2010: Carved Gems on Display in Israel
RAPAPORT...
The exhibition of jewelry, cameos and artifacts carved from gemstones, And thou shalt breathe life into a gem, opened at the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, in Ramat Gan, Israel. The exhibition comprises works by master carvers in Idar-Oberstein, Germany and is the result of cooperation with the Deutsche Edelsteinmuseum there. The opening ceremony was attended by Israeli minister of industry, trade and labor Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, German Embassy chargé d'affaires Peter Prugel, chairman of the Idar-Oberstein museum and treasurer-general of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses Dr. Dieter Hahn, leaders of the Israeli Diamond Industry and guests from Germany and Israel.
Shmuel Schnitzer, chairman of the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, opened the ceremony and thanked German ambassador to Israel Dr. Harald Kindermann for sponsoring the exhibition. He said, In this exhibition we are cooperating with the gem and diamond merchant community of Idar-Oberstein, which is another avenue of Israel's special and warm relationship with Germany.
Minister Ben-Eliezer said that he found the exhibition amazing and impressive. It reflects the fruitful cooperation between the peoples of Israel and Germany. I thank the embassy of Germany for enabling this exhibition to be realized.
Hahn said that this is the first time that this exhibition is being shown outside of Germany. We are honored that this is taking place in Israel, he said. Hahn also spoke about the uniqueness of Idar-Oberstein, the only place in the world where the entire range of gemstones are cut and all of the professions of the industry are represented. He also said that his grandfather began the diamond cutting industry there in 1886 by hiring Jewish master diamond cutters from Amsterdam.
Prugel said that he was speaking for ambassador Kindermann in expressing his indebtedness to the Harry Oppenheim Diamond Museum for bringing and displaying this exhibition. The close connections between the diamond industries in Germany and Israel are an integral part of the special relationship between the two countries, he said. Relations have never been better.
The exhibition features jewelry and artifacts reflecting traditions going back hundreds of years, passed down from father to son. It encompasses a vast range of sculptures, objets d'art, cameos, jewelry and utensils, comprising about 150 items valued at approximately one million dollars. It includes cameos, animals, human figures, flowers, fruits and sweets -- all carved from gems, yet remarkably lifelike. Gemstones used include agate, carnelian, tourmaline, amethyst, quartz, rose quartz, chalcedony, onyx, ruby emeralds and sapphires.
The exhibition was initiated and realized by Yehuda Kassif, artistic director and curator of the Ramat Gan diamond museum. It will be open until the end of December 2010.
Rapaport, September 16, 2009: Sixty Diamonds Exhibit Opens in Israel
RAPAPORT... The diamond jewelry design competition held by the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) in honor of Israels 60th anniversary is the basis for a new exhibition opening at the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum. The exhibition was launched at a festive reception in the presence of mayor of Ramat Gan Tzvi Bar; chairman of IDI, president of IDMA and IsDMA Moti Ganz; senior deputy president of IDE Kobi Korn and president of the Israel Precious Stones Exchange Shlomo Eshed.
The competition was intended to encourage the use of Israeli diamonds by jewelry designers here, to foster cooperation between Israeli jewelers and the diamond industry and to position Israel as a manufacturer of unique and original diamond jewelry.
Of the dozens of submitted designs 11 were chosen as finalists and will be on display in the exhibition entitled, Sixty Diamonds and Many More, curated by Yehuda Kassif, IDIs jewelry promotion director and art director of the museum.
The jewelry designs showed many different influences, some of them surprising. There were motifs that reflected local plants such as pomegranates, the Sabra cactus and sheaves of wheat, as well as birds of Israel, archaeological sites, desert landscapes, urban high rises and even quotes from Israels Declaration of Independence, said Kassif.
Shmuel Schnitzer, chairman of the board, said that the competition, the first after a break of several years, is an attempt to revive an important channel for integrating diamonds into original Israeli jewelry design. I am amazed at the originality and creativity of the designers and how they have been able to weave their personal histories into their designs. I am convinced that Israeli design can make an important contribution to the world of diamond jewelry.
Avidar said, The designers represent the variegated fabric of Israeli society, with the winners ranging from a second generation precious stone merchant and student of Jewish mysticism, to a successful insurance agent and her deep sea diver partner, and an artist-craftsman who designed and created jewelry in Thailand. We are hoping to show this exhibition in other venues around the world, and thus to bring the spirit of Israeli design to the attention of the jewelry design industry.
The prize-winning designs are:
First prize Tree of Life ring made of blackened gold and set with 60 diamonds. The ring was designed to reflect the Biblical moriah plant (murraya paniculata) by Shaoul-Aharon Elisha, a Haifa-based jeweler and student of mysticism, and reflects motifs from the Kabbalah and other Jewish mystical sources. According to Elisha, the ring is interactive and can be rearranged according to the desire of the wearer. In this way the wearer becomes an active participant in the design process.
Second prize Heart Earrings, made of white gold, with white and black diamonds. The earrings were designed by Orly Eizenman, an insurance agent and poet, together with Drorit Vaserberger, an artist and diver. The design is based on the olive branch, and includes heart-shapes. According to the designers the olive, one of the Biblical Seven Species found in the Holy Land, symbolizes peace, while the hearts symbolize love.
Third prize Eternal Light Ring, made up of moving parts, of white and yellow gold, with white and colored diamonds. The ring was designed by Yaniv Shapiro, a 10th-generation Israeli and Shenkar jewelry design graduate. According to the designer, the ring exemplifies the past, present and future of Israel and includes such symbols as the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the Star of David and ancient Hebrew script.
Sixty Diamonds and Many More will be shown until the end of December 2009 at the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum in the Israel Diamond Complex, Ramat Gan.
RAPAPORT
Information that means Business
10 Incredible Jewelry Museums And Exhibits
10 Incredible Jewelry Museums And Exhibits
10. Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, Ramat Gan, Israel
9. Diamond Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. Gold Museum, Bogotá, Colombia
7. Regalia of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
6. H.Stern Workshop Tour, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
5. Swarovski Crystal Worlds, Wattens, Austria
4. Kremlin Armory, Moscow, Russia
3. Imperial Treasury, Vienna, Austria
2. Iranian Crown Jewels, Tehran, Iran
1. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England
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The world of diamonds
The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum in Ramat Gan is attempting to solve the mysteries of the diamond and why it appeals to so many in a new exhibition.
Called All About Diamonds the exhibit shows a collection of some 30 pieces created by designers from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Pieces shown include 15 necklaces, 8 bracelets, 4 rings and 2 head pieces.
Diamonds came from aristocracy and monarchy and associate their owners with that world says curator Yehuda Kassif describing the stone as the ultimate prestigious product.
The exhibition has an estimated worth of $3.5 million. One of the most expensive pieces of jewelry on show is worth $1 million, and contains 507 grams of pure gold and some 4,000 diamonds, Kassif said.
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The exhibition features 75 items of Judaica hand-made from 925 Sterling Silver by artists Mauriciu Samuel and Itzhak Luvaton.
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Welcome to a perfect day in the Israeli Diamond Industry
The diamond industry here in Israel has evolved. It will continue to evolve. It will flourish on your confidence and your skills and your expertise. I knew the first time I came this was an industry and these were people I could relate to Nicky Oppenheimer, Chairman of De Beers.
Come and share a perfect day in the life of the Israel Diamond Industry...
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