“Fantastic Cross,” an 18K gold brooch featuring turquoise, variscite, chrysocolla, cultured pearl, and enamel, is part of the museum display at GIA’s New York laboratory and campus. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA, courtesy of the Anthony and Elizabeth Duquette Foundation for the Living Arts.
GIA’s recently opened laboratory and campus at the International Gem Tower in New York’s Diamond District features a permanent museum exhibit of gems, jewelry, and mineral sculptures. Fourteen display cases highlight nearly 100 items from the GIA collection, ranging from large aquamarine crystals to a diminutive objet d’art golden cactus and a necklace featuring akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea cultured pearls (figure 1). The exhibit showcases the wonder of gems to visitors and students.
Kristin Aldridge is the coordinator of public relations and communications at the GIA campus in Carlsbad. Stuart Overlin is the editor of Gems & Gemology.
