Gemstones have been a source of fascination for millennia, from the icy brilliance of diamonds and the soft iridescence of pearls, to the deep red garnets treasured by ancient Egyptians and Victorians alike. They are used for their natural beauty in jewellery, worn for protection as talismans, and associated with romance and power. They are also of scientific importance, forming over billions of years and containing secrets of the inner Earth.
This book examines the world's most commonly encountered gemstones, exploring their unique beauty, rarity and durability. It reveals how these gem materials formed, where they are mined, how they are identified by their physical and optical properties, and their enhancements and imitations. Travelling through each gem's history and use in adornment, it is filled with fascinating facts for the curious to the professional.
With sumptuous colour photographs, Gemstones is a dazzling insight into the world of the rare and valuable.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Illustrationen
Colour photography throughout
Maße
Höhe: 150 mm
Breite: 115 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-565-09582-6 (9780565095826)
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Schweitzer Klassifikation
Robin Hansen is Curator of Minerals and Gemstones at the Natural History Museum, London. She has over 20 years' experience in mineralogy, having previously worked in both the mining sector and the world of private mineral collecting. Her first book, The Natural History Museum Book of Gemstones, was published in 2022.
