Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious StonesSimon & 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. |
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Contents
KEY TO SYMBOLS | 6 |
NATURAL STONES AND GEMS | 9 |
INTRODUCTION | 10 |
Copyright | |
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almandine aluminium amethyst artificial beryl birefringence blue Brazil bright brilliant cut Burma cabochon carats characteristic chemical chrysoberyl citrine cleavage colorless coral corundum Crystal system crystalline cubic zirconia cultured pearls density diamond diopside Distinctive features distinguish emerald facet edges feldspar g/cm³ garnet gemstones glass grayish green greenish hardness imitated inclusions jadeite jadeite jade known lapis lazuli layer lens less light liquid luster mainly mineral mixed cut natural pearls necklace nephrite jade normally Occurrence olivine opal opaque ornamental material oval pale paperback ISBN Physical properties pieces pink pleochroism polish precious stones produced synthetically pyrope quartz rare rays refractive index Rhodolite rocks ruby rutile sapphire Schuster's Guide semiopaque shape similar Simon & Schuster's Simulants and synthetics sometimes Soviet Union specimens spinel Sri Lanka step cut synthetic corundum synthetic rutile synthetic spinel topaz tourmaline translucent transparent turquoise usually variety violet visible yellow zircon