Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum

The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum is a museum located in the Diamond Exchange District of Ramat Gan, Israel. The permanent collection consists of rough and finished diamonds and gemstones and provides information on the history and industry of diamonds. The museum was founded in 1986 in honor of Harry Oppenheimer.^[1] Moshe Schnitzer was responsible for establishing the museum and was its Chairman until July 2003.^[2] In 2008, the museum was reopened after major renovations.^[1]

Management

The museum belongs to the Israel Diamond Institute. Long-time diamantaire Shmuel Schnitzer is the museum chairman^[3]. Yehuda Kassif is the artistic director.

Special Exhibits

In recent years, the museum has hosted diamond, jewellery, gemstone art, and jewelled fashion accessory exhibits from around the world.^[4] Notable exhibits have included:

• Silver Images of Golden Apples, a collection of jewellery discovered at archeological sites throughout Israel, covering periods from the patriarchs, around 3000 BCE, through the Ottoman period. The exhibit was co-sponsored by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Hecht Museum.
• 60 Diamonds and More consisting of pieces set by Israeli designers in a national competition.
• AND THOU SHALT BREATHE LIFE INTO A GEM, a 2009 exhibit of 140 works by gemstone carvers of Idar-Oberstein, Germany, including gemstones fashioned in the shape of animals and flowers, and vessels.
• The Diamonds Roar, and All About Diamonds, exhibits of jewellery by emerging designers from South Africa.
• Indian Legend: Diamond Jewelry from Jaipur, an exhibit of jeweled accessories of the Maharajas of Jaipur, India.^[5]

Notes

External links

• Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum