Synopses & Reviews
Gem and Stone celebrates 50 different gems ranging from timeless classics like diamond and emerald to exotic beauties such as lapis lazuli, peridot, and even petrified wood. Altman's photographs capture the splendor of each gem alongside brief text highlighting the stones' chemical makeups, metaphysical properties, and associated folklore throughout human history. Hand-drawn illustrations by Heather Smith Jones and an insightful foreword by mineralogist Thomas W. Overton round out this lustrous volume. Rock hounds, new age practitioners, and contemporary decorators and fashionistas will all delight in this treasure of a book.
Review
"Gem and Stone: Jewels of Earth, Sea, and Sky (Chronicle 2012) is a truly gorgeous book that looks at 50 gems ranging from peridot and amethyst to malachite and chrysocolla.... Whether you're a gem and mineral lover like I am (obsessed) or just appreciate a beautiful (and informative) coffee table book, this one NEEDS to be on your list. I can guarantee we're going to see this popping up in magazines, home tours and on people's inspiration boards for a long time to come." -- Design*Sponge
About the Author
Jen Altman is a photographer and writer living in North Carolina.
Heather Smith Jones is a Lawrence, Kansas-based artist.
Thomas W. Overton is managing editor at the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California.