Newly re-installed gallery features nearly 600 of the most exquisite gems and jewels from the ROM’s vaults
All that glitters is gold this holiday season at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). On December 19, 2009 the Museum proudly opens the Gallery of Gems and Gold, the final stage of the Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures, on Level 2 of the Weston Family Wing. Nearly 600 beautiful and rare gems, gem crystals, jewellery and gold specimens will be on display representing the wide diversity and colour of precious stones, and some of the finest gems and jewellery in Canada. Highlighted in the gallery is the famed 900-carat Light of the Desert, the largest faceted cerussite gem in the world.
“The Gallery of Gems and Gold highlights nature’s finest treasures,” said Dr. Kim Tait, Associate Curator of Mineralogy. “Visitors will gain a deeper appreciation of the gems they know and love, while being introduced to impressive, exotic stones and a dazzling array of colours. The ROM’s collection contains examples of Canada’s most superb gems as well as gems and jewellery from around the world, which are even better appreciated through thoughtful and interesting descriptions. The Gallery of Gems and Gold is definitely one not to miss this December!”
ABOUT THE GALLERY
The 660-square-foot Gallery of Gems and Gold examines the enduring appeal of gold and precious stones. The display consists of 25 separate cases, illuminating and exploring each mineral according to common chemical make-up. Cases are devoted to the stunning variety of familiar precious stones, such as diamond, garnet, opal and jade, as well as less commonly known tanzanite, spodumene and tourmaline. Very rare “collector gemstones”, gems not typically used in jewellery because they may be too soft, brittle, light or heat sensitive, are also displayed in their dazzling range of colour.
In the display dedicated to gold, visitors learn that half the world’s known gold reserves are in South Africa, with other large deposits in Russia, Brazil, the U.S.A., Australia and Canada. In fact, just about every province and territory in Canada has had a find in gold. Today, Canada is among the top 10 gold producers in the world, yielding several million ounces per year.
GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
At just under 900 carats, the Light of the Desert is the largest faceted cerussite in the world. This gem was so named for its intense dispersion (also known as fire) and for the deserts from where it was found and faceted, the desert of Namibia and the desert of Arizona respectively. Cerussite’s dispersion, which is caused by the splitting of white light into its spectral colours, is even greater than that of a diamond. Until this specimen was found in the 1960s no cerussite of over 200 carats was ever faceted. This mineral is extremely sensitive to heat and vibration—even warmth from the palm of a hand can damage it—so great care was taken that the inevitable heat generated during polishing and grinding didn’t shatter the gemstone. Due to this cerussite specimen’s incredible rarity and delicacy, it has been listed among the ROM’s 15 Iconic Objects. There is a devoted video screen located to the left of the entrance to the Gallery of Gems and Gold that provides more information about this truly unique gem.
The 193-carat Star of Lanka sapphire, named for Sri Lanka, the gem’s country of origin, provides a stunning example of “asterism”. This is a visual effect caused by light refracting off hair-like fibrous inclusions of another mineral present in the stone. The resulting effect appears as a 3-, 4- or 6-rayed star reflected off the surface of the jewel that seems to follow the beholder’s eye across the gem. The blue stone is cut in a round domed style known as a “cabochon” by an experienced jeweler in such a way as to reveal the star. Although the mineral corundum may not be a household name, its varieties include such well-known gems as sapphire and ruby. What may not also be well known is that sapphire comes in a large range of colours including pink, orange, yellow, brown, green, blue, purple, violet, black and colourless. In the gallery, an entire display is devoted to corundum and its wide array of colours.
On long-term loan from Barrick Gold Corporation, this specimen was mined from Pioneer gold mine, near Lillooet, British Columbia. It features dendritic gold, named in allusion to the branch-like structures, as well as platy gold veinlets, in a matrix of white calcite. It is considered by many collectors to be one of the finest Canadian gold specimens in existence because of the delicate nature and beauty of the dendrites, the presence of crystals of gold, and the amount of gold in the sample.
TECK SUITE OF GALLERIES: EARTH’S TREASURES
Composed of the Vale Inco Limited Gallery of Minerals, the Gallery of Gems and Gold and the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Gallery, the galleries occupy a combined total of 6,900 square feet and showcase over 2,300 of the ROM’s exceptional specimens of minerals, gems, meteorites and rocks, a collection among the finest in North America. The fascinating displays are contextualized by over 40 interactive touch-screen stations, compelling video exhibits and engrossing information on Canada’s mining industry.
Surrounding the Gallery of Gems and Gold, the Vale Inco Limited Gallery of Minerals presents the ROM’s exception specimens of minerals, meteorites and rocks, exploring such areas as the classification of minerals, their physical and scientific properties, causes of mineral colour and the geological environments necessary for mineral growth. This gallery features the ROM’s renowned meteorite collection, including the largest lunar meteorite on display in Canada. The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Gallery highlights the exceptional contributions of Canadians to the mining industry through a fully bilingual, interactive video wall, presenting the biographies and personal stories of 137 Canadian Mining Hall of Fame inductees. The gallery also showcases the importance of the industry in our everyday lives.
ROM FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Animals take over the ROM! From December 26, 2009 to January 3, 2010, ROM for the Holidays offers extended hours, seasonal specials and holiday-themed programming for the whole family, all included with Museum admission. This year, ROM for the Holidays celebrates animals of all shapes and sizes, and features the live animal demonstrations, hands-on activities, arts and crafts and much more. The ROM is open from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm (9:30 pm on Fridays) and programming runs from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm during ROM for the Holidays. In addition to our regular Half Price Friday Nights, Presented by: Sun Life Financial, the Museum is offering special half-price admission after 4:30 pm every day throughout ROM for the Holidays. The ROM will be open on December 31st, 2009 and January 1st, 2010, and closed on Friday, December 25, 2009.
OTHER INFORMATION
ROM Members already know that the best way to experience the ROM is through Membership. A ROM Individual or Family Membership delivers numerous benefits, including free general admission, newsletters, events, previews, discounts and much more. For additional information or to purchase a membership, call 416.586.5700 or visit www.rom.on.ca/members.
Admission to the Gallery of Gems and Gold, inside the Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures, is included with paid general admission. Adults: $22; Students and Seniors with ID: $19; Children (4 to 14 years) $15; Children 3 & under are free. Half price admission prices, presented by Sun Life Financial, apply on Friday nights from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Groups of 10 or more adults may call Mirvish Group Sales at 416.593.4142 or 1.800.724.6420 for information on special rates and private guided tours. Schools and student groups should visit www.rom.on.ca/schools/ or call the ROM’s Education Department at 416.586.5801 for information on the Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures School Visits which are offered at both the elementary and secondary level.