Gemstones: A Concise Reference Guide

by Robin Hansen

Gemstones have been a source of delight and fascination for 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 jewelry. This book covers every known type of gemstone, exploring each one's unique beauty, rarity, and durability. It reveals how gems form, where they are found and mined, how to identify them, and more. With sumptuous color photos throughout, Gemstones offers dazzling insights into the world of the rare and the valuable.

Covers every kind of gemstone known to exist
Features a wealth of beautiful, full-color photos
Discusses the natural history of gemstones and their physical and chemical properties
Explains how to distinguish the real from the fake
Discusses cutting and polishing techniques and their use in adornment throughout history
Includes invaluable identification tips

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Nature

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 12, 2022

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression of Gemstones was not good. The type is tiny, and the font so thin that, with the exception of bold headers, it looks medium grey and is a strain to read. The beginning is also a rather dry and scientific look at what gemstones are, how they form, and how they are processed for market. But once Hansen got into the one-by-one descriptions of the gemstones themselves, my interest picked up. Hansen places them in different groups by mineral content, so it’s easy to see which gems are related chemically.

Each gem’s physical characteristics, such as composition, hardness, cleavage, luster, and optical properties are listed first. Then each gem’s history, variations, cultural significance, and more are discussed. The many images are quite breathtaking, and the gem specimens exceptional. One of the best parts of the book is how well the images illustrate the text and evoke a sense of wonder from the reader.

In addition to the Well Known Gems section, in which all gems won’t necessarily be familiar to the reader, there are Lesser Known Gems and Organic Gems sections. Listings are alphabetical, except that varieties are listed under a header that might not be familiar. For example, emerald, aquamarine, and morganite are under beryl; ruby and sapphire are in the corundum section, etc. The photos make it very navigable though, and the excellent index also helps.

At $19.95, Gemstones is quite a bargain, and I’m considering adding it to my personal library. I would have preferred a larger, darker font and more pages—in which case it would doubtlessly cost more, so I understand the tradeoff. And the stunning photos make this book an excellent resource.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gemstones: A Concise Reference Guide by Robin Hansen (Princeton University Press 2022) (553.8) (3812).

This is an interesting introductory-level look at the world of precious and semi-precious stones. The most interesting section of Gemstones: A Concise Reference Guide is a catalog of each type of these gems with numerous accompanying images of the various faceted patterns from which the stonecutter may select the model for the finished gem.

I have to admit it: most of the valuable stones look like sea glass to me.

My rating: 7/10, finished 6/10/23 (3812).

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

great information about the most common/popular gemstones you'll find for sale. this is a great one for rock enthusiasts and rockhounds to keep on the shelf.

I appreciate that it it covered how each one formed, where it's most commonly found, how they're usually cut/shaped, different types within the family, any relevant historical or scientific context, and lots of pictures.