An exhibition of jewelry, cameos, and artifacts carved from gemstones opened yesterday at the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum in Ramat Gan, Israel. The exhibit, titled “And thou shalt breathe life into a gem,” comprises works by master carvers of Idar-Oberstein, Germany, and is the result of cooperation with the Deutsche Edelsteinmuseum there.

Guests at the opening ceremony included Israeli Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, German Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Peter Prugel, Chairman of the Idar-Oberstein museum and Treasurer-General of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses Dr. Dieter Hahn, and leaders of the Israeli Diamond Industry.
Hahn said this was the first time the exhibition was being shown outside of Germany. He also noted that his grandfather began the diamond cutting industry in Idar-Oberstein in 1886 by hiring Jewish master diamond cutters from Amsterdam.

JCK