GO 340 Gemstones & Gemology

Emporia State University

www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go340/bkreport.htm

Gemstone and Jewelry Book Reports

Books Available at White Library at ESU

The Pearl Book: The Definitive Buying Guide
Gem Stones: The Visual Guide to More Than 130 Gemstone Varieties
Treasures in the Smithsonian: The Gem Collection
The Complete Metalsmith An Illustrated Handbook

Jed Archuleta
GO340
Book Report

The Pearl Book: The Definitive Buying Guide
By Antoinette L. Matlins, PG

This extremely informative book was written for pearl lovers by a pearl lover. Matlins covers a wide encompassing range of subjects about pearls, including coloration, shape, valuation, origin and methodology of production, and characteristic features. While much of this information is of a technical nature, Matlins rarely allows the reader to get bogged down in these aspects. She constantly asserts an idea that has recurred throughout our gem course, beauty and desirability is in the eye of the beholder. In addition, she provides pearl care tips, including preferable setting styles and cleaning techniques. This book is a relatively easy read for anyone interested in pearls.

Antoinette L. Matlins begins by providing the rich history of the pearl. Its beauty and characteristic iridescence have attracted and astonished cultures throughout recorded history. The pearl was an important gemstone in nearly every culture, whether it signified a regal background or was simply included in traditional ceremonies. Matlins also includes several beliefs and legends surrounding the pearl in many cultures. I think that this introduction provides a good background and argument for the accumulation of pearl knowledge.

The author then goes into what exactly a pearl is and what qualities are most desirable. She explains what causes these characteristics to be optimized, such as the characteristic iridescent orient in fine pearls. However, she makes note that no amount of monitoring of these factors can provide a foolproof method of production or analysis. Matlins provides a methodology for pearl analysis and gives examples of some of the tale-tell signs for impostor or treated pearls.

She provides a pretty impressive list of the major pearl producers of the world as well as the types and colors that each area produces. An inclusive section of the various shapes and styles of pearl is included. In addition to this, the methodology of the production of these pearls is briefly outlined. Some general guidelines are laid out to help analyze most of the regional locations where pearls are produced. Several methods for pearl enhancements and false pearls are also discussed.

Following these details, several small excerpts from experts and collectors are compiled. This is an intriguing section in that, through those whose appreciation for the gemstone is greatest, additional interest and support for the pearl market may be accentuated. Following these insights, general pearl care is outlined for the common pearl owner.

This book also has price listings for a variety of sizes of nearly every type of pearl discussed. In addition to these guides, several charts are assemble dealing with nacre thickness, pearl grading, pearl misnomers (including correct identification), and popular jewelry designs can be found in various locations. There are also several illustrations throughout the book, as well as a very nice section dedicated solely to the display of pearls. All in all, this is a terrific book for anyone interested in pearls or any organic jewelry.

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Jacob Bray
GO340
Book Report

Gem Stones: The Visual Guide to More Than 130 Gemstone Varieties
by Cally Hall

The book I chose to review for this assignment is called Gem Stones: The visual guide to more than 130 gemstone varieties, by Cally Hall, and published by Dorling Kindersley, New York, in 1994. This book is very similar to the text for GO 340, only about 10 years older. There are 130 plus gems covered in this book with pre and post pictures of finished pieces. I found this book interesting because of the many pictures. I enjoyed pictures of the jewelry that dates back many years. It is very interesting to see the quality of the workmanship, and realizing that machines were not available, much was done by hand.

This book is setup like many other gemstone books. First there is an introduction to gems with definitions and pictures to help understand the topic. Also covered is the synthetic and imitation side of jewelry. Equipment used in all aspects of jewelry are also shown and explained. Following these sections is pictures and statistics on the gems used.

One of the more interesting reads in this book is when the author talks about the “Five Major Gemstones”, they are as follows. Diamond (brilliant cut), star sapphire (cab.), river pearl (round, uncut), ruby (step), and finally emerald (octagonal cab., and step), these are the most highly prized gems, and all except the pearl have a particular cut that brings out their best qualities.

This is a good overall book for a modest collector, and would even be useful to one more involved in the business of gems. The pictures really assisted in the understanding of the content within the book. I would recommend this book to someone wanting to get an introduction into the gem and jewelry trade, or someone looking to learn a little about gems.

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GO 340
Cliff Harris

The Complete Metalsmith: An Illustrated Handbook
by Tim McCreight

The book I chose to report on is a handbook for the working metalsmith. The chapters are very well designed and do-it-yourself tabs are a great idea for navigating the book. The first chapter deals with metallurgy and the metals, in great detail. The second chapter covers things that can be done to the surface of a metal and the tools that can be used. The third chapter is about design and shaping, as well as the tools and techniques. The fourth chapter goes into detail about the methods of joining metals together. The fifth chapter describes the many ways to cast metal with more than lost wax and sand casting techniques. The sixth chapter outlines the types of stones and settings that are used in making jewelry. Chapter seven is all about mechanisms that are employed in metalry including buckles, pins, clasps and hinges. Chapter eight is all about tools, both hand tools and electric, that are employed in the metalsmith business. Finally there is a reference section that has a plethora of information like conversion charts and formulas as well as valuable information about the history of the trade. Techniques are also described in detail with pictures to give the reader a better understanding. This is a great book for the new or experienced methalsmith.

Note: this book is used in ESU courses but is not available at White Library. McCreight, T. (1991). The Complete Metalsmith: An Illustrated Handbook (Revised Edition). Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, Inc., 192p.

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Karla Gaines
GO340
Book Report

Treasures in the Smithsonian: The Gem Collection
by Paul E. Desautels

The book "The Gem Collection" was written by the curator of the Smithsonian Institute's mineralogy division. Although short, this book is divided into eight key sections relevant to the study of gemstones. Of the 77 pages, 22 are full color pictures of specimens from the Smithsonian Institute gem collection.

The first section of the book gives a little of the background of gemstones and the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian. It covers where and when various donations occurred and also talks briefly about each of the eight curators that have been in charge since the collection was started in 1884 through the publication of this book, 1979.

Section two covers the study of gems, including the various physical and chemical characteristics of gemstones. For each of the characteristics, the definition is given, along with the procedure. The author then gives examples and comparisons that are simple enough for the average person to understand. For the chemical characteristics, the formulas of the common gems are given, along with a discussion of what make a gem desireable.

The third section of the book covers shaping. It includes a discussion of faceting, including diagrams of cuts. The diagrams also show what happens when a stone is cut incorrectly. Although not all of the cuts for faceted stones are shown, the book does cover the more common ones. For each of the cuts covered in detail, pavilion, crown, and girdle cuts are shown.

Section four is about gem substitutes. Four types of "fake" stones are covered. These include imitation, assembled, reconstructed and synthetic stones. I found the section on the reconstructed stones to be interesting, as it covered many ways that natural stones could be altered to make them more desirable.

In section five, gem lore is covered. This section covers some of the mythology surrounding gemstones, and ends with a discussion of the birthstones we have today.

The main portion of the book comes in section six. In this section, each of the principal gem species is covered in depth. For each of the species, the general characteristics are given, along with the key things to look for. The history of the gem is briefly covered and the key locations of origin are given. The author then gives examples and pictures from the National gem Collection. Overall, there are 13 different species of gems given.

Section seven is labeled jewelry, but after two paragraphs about the more famous gems in the collection, rest of the section is a table of the characteristics of some common gems. This table gives values for hardness, specific gravity, refractive index, dispersion, durability, and color.

The last section of the book is a listing of all the gems in the National Collection. They are listed out by species, and ordered by carat weight. Each one then gives the stone's color, name or other description, origin, catalog number, and the name of the donor. I was amazed at the number of stones in the collection.

Overall, although this book covers a lot of what can be found in other gemstone books. It is worth looking at because, in addition to the background information, there are beautiful pictures and descriptions of historic pieces of jewelry and rare gemstones.

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This page originates from the Earth Science department for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. For more information contact the course instructor, S. W. Aber, e-mail: saber@emporia.edu Thanks for visiting! Webpage created: April 23, 2003; last update: January 21, 2008.

Copyright 1999-2008 Susan Ward Aber. All rights reserved.