Jewelry News

Color Your World - With Diamonds

September 10, 2008

Natural colored diamonds have always been treasured by jewelry hounds, but it wasn't until J-Lo got the big pink rock from Ben Affleck that the gems became a sensation. Fashionistas everywhere put these rare stones on their wish lists, and celebrities from Kobe Bryant to Ellen DeGeneres followed Ben's lead.

For those lucky diamond lovers who are in New York for Mercedez Benz Fashion Week this month, we have the perfect pit stop. The American Museum of Natural History is displaying not one, not two, but 240 dazzling fancy colored diamonds arranged in the shape of a butterfly. The "Butterfly of Peace" exhibit represents every variety of fancy color diamond in existence, and was painstakingly collected over twelve years by Alan Bronstein and Harry Rodman of Aurora Gems, Inc.

The stones collectively weigh in at 166.94 carats and are housed inside a glass box at the museum's Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems. But don't dally, diamond divas. The display only lasts until September 11th, when it will then travel to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and The Field Museum in Chicago.

For those who love colored diamonds but can't afford the fancy price tag, the jewelry world has long accepted treated diamonds - real, white diamonds that are irradiated under intense heat to create every color of the rainbow. Green, pink, brown - even black diamonds are extremely popular (and accessible) these days and make a colorful statement for any occasion.

And if you've ever wondered what happened to J-Lo's little 6-carat pink friend that didn't make its way down the aisle? Apparently Ben sold it back to Harry Winston - who we're sure found better use for it.

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