GEMS Colors of Light and Stone is composed of 250 dazzling pieces, with figurative sculptures made from precious stones and metals, jewelry more suitable for show than personal ornamentation, and individual gems in a rainbow of colors.

"GEMS is a combination of art and science, with a bit of technically based artifice. The dozens of sculpture crafted by gem artists from the U.S. and abroad, include harmony of color, symmetry, energy and in some cases humor. The numerous pieces of jewelry, each with combinations of different stones, are examples of the art of adornment.

The broadly spaced, easily viewed displays and dazzling lighting, based on the scientific expertise of the show's collector, physicist Michael Scott, often improve the radiance of the pieces. In "Metamorphos," a human-torso-size (214.3 pounds, 485,461 carats) part of golden quartz, dramatic lighting partly obscures the deep, natural colors and deft artistry of the huge, faceted gemstone.