Chicago Gets Some Bling with The Field Museum's 'Diamond' Exhibit

This tiara, which Salma Hayek donned for a 1998 White House correspondent's dinner (who knew such dinners had a royalty dress code), will be featured at the Field.

Chicago will see some dazzle when "The Nature of Diamonds" brings more than 800 jewels to the Field Museum on October 23. You'll see bling from top-notch designers such as Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and Cartier.

The centerpiece of the exhibit will be The Vault, a reproduced vault that will showcase rare pieces that have rarely been on display. See the diamond jewelry owned by Mae West, Catherine the Great, Joan Crawford, Elton John and other celebs. A highlight is the 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond, one of the world's largest and finest yellow diamonds, and the 407.48-carat Incomparable Diamond, the largest flawless diamond graded by the Gemological Institute of America and the third-largest cut diamond ever recorded.

The exhibit isn't a jewelry trunk show. It also looks at the geologic processes of the stone, the hardest mineral on the planet; the cultural role of the diamond through history; and how it's used in cutting-edge technology. Plus, you'll learn about how the stones are mined and sold, including an explanation of the infamous blood diamonds from the Sierra Leone and what some countries are doing to prevent trafficking in them. And if you're looking to pop the big question, take notes in the portion on the four C's�cut, carat, color and clarity�so you can ensure your loved one gets a proper rock.

You'll get a double dose of the sparkly stuff as the museum will also open the renovated "Grainger Hall of Gems," a permanent exhibit, to coincide with the debut of "Diamonds." A favorite since the Field Museum opened in 1921, the hall will display Tiffany & Co. pieces from the 1893 World�s Columbian Exposition, rare stones and gold objects from around the world.

Admission to the museum costs $15 ($10 for kiddies), but to see the diamond bling you'll have to shell out $23 ($13 for children) for a timed-entry ticket, which includes entry to the rest of the Field. The "Diamonds" exhibit runs through to March 28.

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[Photo: International Art Treasures Web Magazine]

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