By Amy Toosley

Diamond Divas,” a limited-edition collection of photographic portraits featuring five Hollywood glamorous screen legends – each fashioned with more than 550 carats of diamonds – is on display at GIA’s Robert Mouawad Campus in Carlsbad. The exhibit will be on view through December.

The iconic images of Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich, Princess Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe each contain more than 3,000 loose Kwiat diamonds. The portraits, on loan from Kwiat, were created by conceptual artist Vik Muniz, in creative
collaboration with Kwiat, a nearly 100-year-old diamond jewelry company based in New York.

The “Diamond Divas” series originally premiered at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills during the week preceding the 76th Annual Academy Awards, earlier this year. A separate edition was recently auctioned for more than $150,000 during two industry trade shows. Proceeds benefited Jewelers for Children, an organization created by the jewelry industry to raise money for children’s charities.

“We never thought we’d see the faces of Hollywood greats such as Marilyn Monroe and Bette Davis on the GIA campus,” said GIA Museum Director Elise Misiorowski. “But these fascinating portrayals of their faces in diamonds are almost as alluring as the real thing. It’s an intriguing and creative way to depict some of the world’s most beloved stars.”

The “Diamond Divas” and other GIA exhibits are free and available for the public to view 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, through scheduled tours. Contact Yvette Wilson, Guest Services supervisor, to schedule a tour at (800) 421-7250, ext. 4116, or e-mail: ywilson@gia.edu. Outside the U.S., call (760) 603-4116.