Synopses & Reviews
A classic book gets a new, redesigned, and sumptuous edition in celebration of its 25th anniversary. Updated and revised, Gems and Crystals showcases the museumand#39;s renowned collection and unlocks the science behind the dazzling properties of each gemstone species. Nearly 150 key varieties of gems and minerals are profiled, with information on their history, lore, and sources, as well as the relationships among the bewildering variety of crystals, minerals, rocks, and gemstones. Extensively researched and stunningly illustrated, this very special volume will fascinate novice and expert alike.
Synopsis
This is truly the ultimate one-volume book every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound will ever need
Following the spectacular success of the first four editions of Gemstones of the World, the revised fifth edition exhibits important updates and a beautiful new cover. All the gemstones ever discovered--now over 1,900--are treated in their many variations. More than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough natural state and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on a gemstone's formation and structure, physical properties and characteristics, methods of working, cutting, and polishing. You'll find full treatments of lesser-known gems, from andalusite to vesuvian, and a special section devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials, such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl, are also covered along with new-on-the-market stones like charcoite. Additionally, this all-inclusive volume includes imitations, synthetics, and combined stones. Charts and tables help you identify unknown gemstones and--when you're in the market--how to check for genuineness.
Synopsis
Truly the ultimate one-volume book every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound will ever need Chock-full of more than 1,500 full-color photos showcasing each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough and polished state, this bestselling reference book from leading geology expert Walter Schumann will be your go-to identification guide. Following the spectacular success of the first four editions of Gemstones of the World, the revised fifth edition exhibits important updates and a beautiful new cover. All the gemstones ever discovered are treated here in their many variations. More than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough natural state and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on a stone's formation and structure; physical properties and characteristics; and methods of working, cutting, and polishing.
You'll find full treatments of lesser-known gems and minerals--from andalusite to vesuvianite--and a special section devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl are also covered, along with more recently discovered stones like charoite. Additionally, this all-inclusive rocks and minerals book includes imitations, synthetics, and combined stones. Charts and tables help you identify unknown gemstones and--when you're in the market--how to check for authenticity.
Whether you're a beginner rock enthusiast or geologist, or are looking for a crystal book to support your spirituality practice, Gemstones of the World will bring new beauty and wisdom to your bookshelf.
About the Author
George E. Harlow, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Mineral Sciences at the American Museum of Natural History, is an eminent mineralogist and crystallographer. While interested in a broad range of geologic topics, he specializes in the study of rock-forming minerals, and has recently carried out research on the jadeite variety of jade, examining the source in Guatemala and the provenance of jade for New World jade artifacts.
Anna S. Sofianides has a masterandrsquo;s degree in geochemistry and geology and is an alumna of the Gemological Institute of America. Now retired, she worked for 23 years in the Department of Mineral Sciences at the American Museum of Natural History. A tireless researcher, Ms. Sofianides has been collecting data on gemstones and the Museumandrsquo;s collection since 1974.
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Harold and Erica Van Pelt are recognized among the top photographers of gems and gemstones in the world. Their work has appeared in Lapidary Journal, Gems and Gemology, Rock and Gem, and Mineralogical Record.
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The American Museum of Natural History is one of the worldandrsquo;s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has pursued its missionandmdash;to discover, interpret, and share information about human cultures, the natural world, and the universeandmdash;through a broad program of scientific research, education, and exhibition.
Each year, approximately five million visitors experience the Museumandrsquo;s 45 permanent exhibition galleries, which include some of the worldandrsquo;s greatest dioramas, fossil halls, the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall, and the Rose Center for Earth and Space, home of the Hayden Planetarium. The Museumandrsquo;s collections, only a tiny fraction of which are on view, surpass 33 million specimens and artifacts. They are an invaluable resource for the Museumandrsquo;s 200 scientists, for graduate students in its Richard Gilder Graduate Schoolandmdash;the Western Hemisphereandrsquo;s only museum-based PhD-granting programandmdash;and for researchers around the world.