“On the Point of a Diamond,” a new exhibition of diamond jewelry, was launched Thursday, January 14, at the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum. The event, which was attended by many of the industry's leaders, marked the opening of the fourth exhibition to be held in the museum since it reopened to the public in February 2008.

“On the Point of a Diamond,” which represents a collaboration between jewelry designers and diamantaires, features diamond jewelry designed by members of the Israel Community of Designers, who used diamonds donated by Israeli diamond companies. The result was a unique mesh of the classic world of luxury diamonds and that of contemporary art and design.

The exhibition was the brainchild of the Israel Community of Designers while the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum funded it and provided a proper venue. The exhibition showcases beautiful creations in gold, silver, iron, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, wood and perspex, by 25 jewelers.

Twenty-four diamond companies and diamantaires (named below) contributed 308 diamonds weighing in at 86 carats. The exhibition's curators are Mrs. Batia Wang and Mr. Yehuda Kassif.

Dozens of guests attended the gala opening, where they had a chance to view the magnificent designs and meet both the designers and diamantaires without whom the showing would not have been possible.

President of the Israel Community of Designers, David Grossman, welcomed the guests, saying that “the Israel Community of Designers was formed five years ago in order to boost the cooperation between designers and the finance and industry people... which we believe will advance jewelry manufacturing in Israel. This exhibition is the first big project undertaken by the Community with the industry.”

Grossman expressed the Community's thanks to Israel Diamond Institute Managing Director Eli Avidar, for “recognizing the project's importance and enabling it;” and thanked the diamantaires who contributed their gemstones to the project.

David Benyamin, CEO of the City of Ramat Gan, who attended in lieu of Ramat Gan Mayor Zvi Bar, said the city cherishes the diamond industry, which “contributes a great deal to the city's overseas relations.” The museum, he added, “makes sure Ramat Gan remains a top tourist attraction.”

Moti Ganz, President of the Israel Diamond Manufacturers' Association and head of IDMA, also addressed the crowd: “Israel is a world diamond trade center and as such acts on behalf of local jewelry companies. We want to show jewelry companies worldwide that Israel has original designs.”

Avi Paz, President of the Israeli Diamond Exchange and World Federation of Diamond Bourses, welcomed the collaboration, saying it would greatly benefit both sides.

Chairman of the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, Shmuel Schnitzer, spoke of the designers' vision: “These pieces were inspired by an independent artistic vision – the designers were given no guidelines – commercial, technical or otherwise – to follow. The only stipulation was that they had to use diamonds. This gemstone appeals to jewelry lovers everywhere and is a staple of Israeli exports.

“This exhibition is another aspect of the Israeli diamond industry's policy to increase the efforts and investment put into making original Israeli diamond designs a force to reckon with in the international design arena,” he added.

Precious Stones Exchange President Shlomo Eshed said he was “honored to attend the opening of an exhibition which brings together diamantaires and designers and diamonds with unconventional materials. I hope the next showing will involve gem jewelry designers.”

diamonds and jewels are one, said Honorary President of the Israel Diamond Exchange Bumi Traub. “I welcome this collaboration between diamantaires and designers.”

The exhibition curators also thanked all those in attendance. “Meshing diamonds, which are the epitome of luxury, with industry is not one that cane be taken for granted, said Batia Wang. Yehuda Kassif added: “This show walks the fine line between the cerebralism of design and art, which derives form inexplicable inspiration. We understand that some diamantaires will look for the commercial angle, which we deliberately did not use as a guidelines, since we wanted the designers to feel free of the market's constraints.”

The diamantaires and diamond companies who donated diamonds to the exhibition are as follows: Avi Maoz, ABT Diamonds, Eytan Cohen Diamonds, LLD Diamonds, Asher-Diam, Ben-Gad Tali & Iris, Ben Yona Diamond, Briza Color Diamonds, Julius Klein-Eliaz Diamonds, Coren Diamonds, TopDiam, Y.Dvash Diamond Manufacturers & Exporters, Dalumi A. Diamonds, Caldiam, Leo Schachter Diamonds, Turgeman Mordechai Diamonds, Maroz Diamonds, Moshe Levi Diamonds, M. Schnitzer & Co., Novel Collection, the Avi Paz Group, RDS Diamonds, Leibish Polnauer & Co. and Avnek Tzofioff.