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A garland necklace made of platinum and diamonds on display in The Boudoir during the grand opening of the DIVA diamond and silver museum in Antwerp, Belgium on Friday, May 4, 2018. The museum uses interactive panels and the display of ornate objects to tell the story of Antwerp diamonds and the Flemish art of silversmithing and jewelry design. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) |
Associated Press
ANTWERP, Belgium
Antwerp has long been known as the world’s greatest diamond city. Now it has a new museum to go with a vibrant diamond trading scene that goes back six centuries.
The DIVA museum opened its doors in the Belgian city Friday to highlight the beauty and dazzle of the precious stones and the jewelry and silverware they have adorned through the ages.
The museum now has everything from diamond-encrusted boots to a diamond-adorned tennis racket and stunning historical pieces.
Curator Romy Cockx says the museum also teaches visitors about the history of diamonds and jewelry-making.
She says visitors “can see really old diamond jewelry from the 16th-century where diamonds were not worked on yet. So they are pointed diamonds. You can see how these cuts evolve throughout the centuries.”
