"Gems and Gemstones" features nearly 300 color images of cut gems, precious and semiprecious stones, gem-quality mineral specimens, and fine jewelry to be unveiled in the new Grainger Hall of Gems at the Field Museum in Chicago.
This edited collection is an interdisciplinary study of gems in the early modern world. It examines the relations between the art, science, and technology of gems, and it does so against the backdrop of an expanding global trade in gems. The eleven chapters are organised into three parts. The first part sets the scene by describing how gems moved around the early modern world, how they were set in motion, and how they were pulled together in the course of their travels. The second part is about value. It asks why people valued gems, how they determined the value of a given gem, and how the value of a gem was connected to its perceived place of origin. The third part deals with the skills involved in cutting, polishing, and mounting gems, and how these skills were transmitted and articulated by artisans. The common themes of all these chapters are materials, knowledge and global trade. The contributors to this volume focus on the material properties of gems such as their weight and hardness, on the knowledge involved in exchanging them and valuing them, and on the cultural consequences of the expanding trade in gems in Eurasia and the Americas.
Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones provides both the connoisseur and the casual collector with a compact, easy-to-use volume describing more than 100 rare varieties of minerals whose beauty and mystery have possessed our imaginations from time immemorial. More than 450 brilliant photographs accompany profiles of each gem, covering such aspects as appearance, physical properties -- density, hardness, refraction -- occurrence, and how to judge quality and value. Additional sections describe the process of cutting gemstones and the techniques professional gemologists use to evaluate a stone's weight and optical properties. Detailed and comprehensive, this book is essential for anyone interested in the study of gems and precious stones.
The definitive book for anyone wanting to learn how the best gemologists in the world evaluate precious gems, and what makes one stone merely a good stone versus a truly fabulous museum-quality gem. The author, Richard W. Wise, is one of the world's foremost gemologists.
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals is a field guide to more than 100 of the most common and sought-after rocks, gems, and minerals hidden throughout North America. Conveniently sized to fit in your pocket and featuring full-color, detailed photographs, this informative guide makes it easy to identify rocks in your backyard and beyond. Also included is an introduction that covers fundamental geology information and interesting facts. This is the essential source when you're out in the field, both informative and beautiful to peruse.
In the ancient Chinese art of feng shui, when you change the placement of objects in your living space, you change a corresponding area of your life. With Gemstone Feng Shui, you can affect change by using gemstones according to feng shui principles This book provides an easy-to-understand introduction to feng shui and gemstones, and includes a guide to the uses of sixty-three specific gemstones. Here's a sample of what gemstones can do for you: ·Amber--attracts luck, calms energy, and aids in building vitality ·Cat's-eye--protects against poverty ·Coral--promotes love and harmony, and helps build community ·Diamond--helps build relationships and support longevity ·Garnet--fosters confidence and success ·Jade--aids in remembering dreams and solving problems ·Jet--engenders honor and justice ·Lapis lazuli--strengthens personal expression and intuition Put the natural energy of the earth's treasures to work for you.