Gemstones of the World: Newly Revised Fifth Edition

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. A special section is devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Charts and tables help you identify unknown gemstones and-when you're in the market-how to check for genuineness. This is truly the ultimate one-volume book every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound will ever need!