Since it was first published in 1962 'Gems' has become universally recognised as the most comprehensive and authoritative treatise on gem materials in the English language.In this sixth edition, chapters, appendices and tables have been revised for relevance to today's practice and include an expanded encyclopedic section.'Gems' caters for the professional jeweller and student gemmologist, collector of gems and those with an insatiable interest in precious stones. NB: The gem testing section has been removed as this is covered extensively in Gemmology 3e *Unique comprehensive source of information on gems *Contributing authors, at the top of the field, bring the latest developments to the reader *The only encyclopedic reference for gemstones

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.

As the sub-title suggests, this is the consumer's guide to precious gemstones. Divided into two parts: In plain non-technical language, Part I redefines preciousness and gently guides the reader toward a real understanding of those criteria that make a gemstone. Part II contains a series of individual essays that apply the criteria of connoisseurship to 35 of today's most important gemstones. The book covers precious stones old and new including diamond, pearl, tourmaline, sapphire, chalcedony, spinel, ruby, and garnet.

Gemstones have been a source of delight and fascination for many thousands of years, from the icy brilliance of diamond and the soft iridescence of pearl, to tough jade gems once used in weapons and pink topaz that was popular in Victorian jewellery. This book looks at each of the world's known types of gemstone in turn, exploring their unique beauty, rarity and durability. It reveals how each of the gem minerals forms, where they are found and mined, and how they are identified. The book also explains how to distinguish the real from the fake, as well as cutting and polishing techniques. The use of gemstones in adornment, from over 4,500 years ago to the present day, is also explored. With sumptuous colour photographs, Gemstones is a dazzling insight into the world of the rare and the valuable.

The first section - 'The World of Gems' - contains information on gem formation, mining, crystal structure, and both the optical and physical properties of gemstones. Other useful topics include the diamond industry, fashioning and cutting, imitation and synthetic stones, and gem enhancement, as well as information on buying gemstsones and diamonds, the history of gems, famous diamonds, and how to care for gems. A colour key is included to help identification, organized by broad colour ranges (yellow to brown, red to pink, blue to violet, green, colourless, white, black and iridescent).The second section - 'Gems of the World' - provides an in-depth description of each gem. Organized by chemical composition and grouped in a logical classification scheme, each gem has its own full-page or double-page entry. As well as the raw crystal, other photos and artworks show the preferred cuts and beautiful examples of jewellery made from the gem.The explanatory text provides information about the conditions under which the gem is formed, where it is mined and its physical properties. It also details the history and folklore attached to each gem, its significance as a jewel, key features to look for, and where the finest examples are found. Each entry is accompanied by a ready-reference fact box featuring key information about the gem, including its refractive index, relative density and hardness rating.A series of maps identify the most important gem locations in the world.Philip's Gems of the World will appeal both to students of gemmology and to the thousands of buyers, dealers and collectors who need an accessible yet comprehensive guide to the world's gemstones.

The antique use of gems -- The art of the lapidary -- The forms in which gems are cut -- The diamond -- Precious stones other than diamonds -- The semiprecious stones -- Semiprecious stones (continued) -- Chrysoberyl and opal -- The quartz gems -- The quartz gems (continued) -- The opaque gems and ornamental stones -- Unusual gem stones -- Organic products used as gems.

Discover the common treatments and imitations plus gemstone properties, sources and typical cuts of stones, including a guide on appraisal techniques. Jewellers and designer goldsmiths, lapidaries and gem cutters, stone setters, gemologists, geologists, collectors and people who buy and sell jewellery at antique fairs and on the internet, this book is for anyone who has ever had a gemstone and wanted identification and information. Featuring a mix of gemstones and gem-set jewellery, it puts gems in context and contains historical context for those buying and selling antique and vintage gem-set jewellery, including details of the stones typically found in Georgian, Victorian and early 20th century settings. Packed with fascinating gemological details and up-to-date data on more than 70 of the most exquisite gemstones, and written by leading expert, Judith Crowe, learn the common pitfalls in identifying stones and clarify areas of confusion and misidentification.