The Natural history museum book of

Gemstones - A concise reference guide  - Robin Hansen

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 form, where they are found and mined, and how the are indentified. The book als explains how to distinguish the real form the fake, cutting and polishing techniques and their use in adornment, from over 4.500 years ago right up to the present day. With sumptuous colour photographs, Gemstones is a dazzling insight into the world of the rare and the valuable.

ENGELS | 9780565092245 | 240 pages | Published Natural History Museum - London |