Smithsonian adds 77-carat brooch to gem collection
WASHINGTON — The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has an addition to its famous gem collection: It’s a butterfly brooch made of 2,300 gems.
The “Royal Butterfly Brooch” was created in 2009 by Taiwanese jewelry artist Cindy Chao. She has donated the piece to the museum.
The Royal Butterfly is composed of 2,328 gems, totaling 77 carats. It includes colored and color-changing sapphires and diamonds, rubies and tsavorite garnets. The centerpieces of the butterfly’s wings are four large-faceted diamond slices.
Chao put its value at $680,000.
Visit www.mnh.si.edu/
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