Rare Australian Cognac Diamond Extends Hand Of Friendship!

Rare Australian Cognac Diamond Extends Hand Of Friendship!
Australia's "Daily Telegraph" newspaper reports this morning that Janette Howard, wife of the Austalian Prime Minister has kept a low profile since arriving in Washington with husband Prime Minister John Howard, but a $20,000 diamond drew her into the public spotlight today.
The glittering 2.09 carat, cognac-coloured diamond was presented to Washington's famous Smithsonian Museum by Mrs Howard on behalf of Sydney jeweller Nicola Cerrone and Rio Tinto's Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia.
The museum has an extensive collection of gemstones from around the world, but the Argyle diamond is its first from Australia.
Wearing a borrowed gold Cerrone broach featuring champagne and cognac diamonds on her pale lemon suit jacket, Mrs Howard was slightly reluctant to hand over the Argyle diamond to the Smithsonian during a function at the Australian Embassy in Washington.
"It's mine, it's mine," she laughed.
Mrs Howard said the diamond's beauty was typical of Argyle diamonds, which were internationally renowned for their brilliance and colour.
"It is not at all surprising that these diamonds should be found in the Kimberley region in the northwest of Australia," she said.
"The spectacular natural beauty spot in this ancient and remote area and its awesome, gorgeous and pristine beaches is a worthy match to the stunning and fine beauty of the Argyle diamond and reflects very much the colours that you see in the Australian landscape in that area."
Mrs Howard said the donation of the Argyle diamond to the Smithsonian highlighted the friendship and mutual respect between Australia and the US.
"Political and economic bonds between our countries are of great importance, but it is clear to me when I visit that we owe much of the strength of these bonds to the cultural links and the friendships between everyday Australians and Americans," she said.
Smithsonian's undersecretary for science David Evans assured Mrs Howard the Argyle diamond would be happy among the museum's gem collection.
"Many millions of people will have an opportunity to see it in the Natural History Museum, five or six million people a year typically and almost all of them visit the national gem collection," he said.
"So I think it will be a special opportunity for people to see the connection between our two countries while focusing on something bright and glittering that makes almost everyone smile."
Posted by Barry Gutwein on July 19, 2005 6:43 AM in Diamond Stars Comments (1)