From the dawn of time, ruby and sapphire have both attracted and fascinated humans in ways that few other items could.While objects of desire are found throughout the natural world, physical beauty is too often ephemeral. From the allure of a man, woman, flower or butterfly, through the fleeting moments of a sunset, there is little that lasts and practically nothing that can be passed down to our descendants. The exception is precious stones. Not only are they the most durable creations of mother nature, but their visual splendor is truly eternal.In this companion to his 2013 book, Ruby & Sapphire--A Collector's Guide, Richard Hughes examines these gems from the gemological standpoint, delving into these gems not just from the aesthetic, but also from the scientific point of view.The product of nearly 40 years of firsthand experience, it covers every aspect of the subject from A-Z. History, sources, prices, quality analysis, synthetics and treatments, everything is here. Ruby & Sapphire--A Gemologist's Guide represents the most comprehensive book ever written on a single precious stone. With over 1000 photos, maps and illustrations and 3500 references, it is nothing less than a tour-de-force of gemological scholarship.

A comprehensive and visual gemology resource featuring more than 100 prominent gemstones.

This text provides a comprehensive account of the agates of Scotland including more than 800 full colour images, an in-depth exploration of where these beautiful stones can be found, a description of techniques for their preparation and information on their history and use in jewellery.

Unearth a treasure trove of knowledge on over 130 gemstones from around the world. Learn how gemstones are formed and how to recognize them by their unique qualities and colors. It’s a wonderful book for beginners, students and gemstone-enthusiasts that includes the latest scientific research and specimen classification. Handbook of Gemstones is filled with all you need to know about the fascinating world of gemstones — cut and uncut stones, organic gemstones and precious metals. Inside, you’ll find: • Fast facts for quick reference, including chemical composition, hardness, gravity, luster and reflective value. • Photo close-ups of key details and highlights of distinguishing features. • Illustrations of faceting and shapes popular for each gemstone. • A detailed introduction to everything a beginner gemologist needs to know, including how gemstones form, the different properties, crystal shapes, faceting and the history of gems. Everything you ever wanted to know about gems Delve into the one-of-a-kind characteristics, colors and attributes of more than 130 gemstones with this compact visual guide. For easy classification, each stone’s entry includes annotated photographs to highlight distinguishing features and concise details about the attributes of gems. Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, this gemology book explores what gemstones are, how they are classified and how to identify them by their physical and optical properties. It also shows you how they were fashioned and imitated throughout history. Learn the differences between varieties of cut and uncut stones, organic gemstones and precious metals. It includes a glossary for many more technical and scientific terms, and over 800 high-quality photos of gems, making it the ideal gift for any budding gemologist! Love what you’re seeing? Check out other titles in the series! The DK Handbook series is an incredible collection of titles that fascinate curious minds. Other books include Rocks and Minerals, Dinosaurs, and Prehistoric Life, and Stars and Planets.

Finally the real truth about how master jewellers, gemmologists and major auction houses value diamonds and colored gemstones.

Alexandrite, a variety of chrysoberyl, and one of the finest colour-change natural gemstones, may almost be called "the national gemstone of Russia". This great prestige is based on two facts: its noble name in honour of the Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich (the future Tsar Alexander II) and its dazzling colours, green in daylight and red in incandescent light, the military colours of Imperial Russia. Although quantities of facetable quality alexandrite are considerably less than those of emerald, alexandrite is counted among and compared to the "big four" of the gem business: diamond - ruby - sapphire - emerald. In this book the authors present an historical overview of emerald mining in the Urals, the discovery of Russian alexandrites in the Uralian emerald mines, the naming and historical use of alexandrites and their appearance and display in mineralogical museums and the gem trade. Morphology and twinning of rough alexandrite is described for single crystals, single contact twins and cyclic twins (trillings). Mineralogical and gemmological properties are thoroughly explained and numerous photo-micrographs of inclusions and growth patterns in faceted samples are presented. Chatoyancy and asterism of alexandrite and chrysoberyl from Russia and Sri Lanka are also described. A further chapter deals with characteristic growth patterns of Russian, other natural and synthetic alexandrites. Colorimetric data of Russian alexandrites and green chrysoberyls are explained using the CIELAB colour space, and the distinction between these varieties is explained. A chapter on trace element chemistry and locality determination rounds off the book. An extensive appendix containing lists of historical names, a time table and numerous references provides valuable information on Russian alexandrites for all researchers in the mineralogical and gemmological fields as well as for gemmological laboratories, jewellers and gem dealers. Consequently, this book, illustrated with more than 200 colour figures and photographs, addresses mineralogists, gemmologists, historians, mineral and gem collectors as well as all members of the gem trade.