Gemstones of the World

This is truly the ultimate one-volume book every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound will ever need

Following the spectacular success of the first four editions of Gemstones of the World, the revised fifth edition exhibits important updates and a beautiful new cover. All the gemstones ever discovered--now over 1,900--are treated in their many variations. More than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough natural state and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on a gemstone's formation and structure, physical properties and characteristics, methods of working, cutting, and polishing. You'll find full treatments of lesser-known gems, from andalusite to vesuvian, and a special section devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials, such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl, are also covered along with new-on-the-market stones like charcoite. Additionally, this all-inclusive volume includes imitations, synthetics, and combined stones. Charts and tables help you identify unknown gemstones and--when you're in the market--how to check for genuineness.

Author: Walter Schumann
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Published: 07/02/2013
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.41lbs
Size: 7.60h x 4.90w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781454909538

About the Author
Walter Schumann is a leading expert and researcher on gemstones. In addition to the perennially successful Gemstones of the World, first published in 1976, he has authored Collins Guide to Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones and Handbook of Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones, among other authoritative guides. He lives in Germany.