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| Reproduction of a mine tunnel that provides access to a kimberlite pipe.
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Formed by tremendous forces far below the Earth’s surface, diamonds are objects of fascination, both for their rarity and their beauty. Long sought after for their purportedly magical properties, they are symbols of power and wealth. First and second sections of the exhibition look at the geological formation of diamonds and the discoveries that have been made about Earth as a result of specialized research in this field.
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Pendant with 23 diamonds |
Section 3 traces the history of man’s relationship to this precious stone from the time of its origin in India, two thousand years ago, then a symbol of invincibility and purity, to its current widespread use on wedding rings as a token of the eternal values of love and fidelity.
Section 4 focuses on jewellery. We learn how to recognize the characteristics that determine a diamond’s quality (colour, carat, clarity and cut).
Section 5 of the exhibition, the « vault, » should be of particular interest to the public. A collection of jewels, including diamonds of exceptional quality and size, is displayed in the exhibit cases. These extraordinary jewels or gems either belonged to historical figures or are on loan from collectors from around the world.
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| Magnificent jewels are exhibited in the vault.
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Section 6 discusses how diamond deposits are found. An overview of the history of the diamond mining industry is given, followed by an explanation of modern mining techniques and the worldwide distribution of geological formations characteristic of diamond deposits.
The final section of the exhibition looks at the role diamonds play in industry and technology. It discusses both their use in drilling and optics as well as the production of synthetic diamonds and the way in which the latter can be distinguished from natural diamonds.
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