A comprehensive guide to identifying, buying, using, and caring for an array of jewels and gems.

Provides extensive information about a wide range of gemstones, covering topics such as stone specifications, new gem varieties, precious and semiprecious stones, pricing, and more.

"Inspired by the lapidaries of the ancient world, this book is a collection of true stories about sixty different stones that have influenced our shared history. Through the realms of art, myth, geology, philosophy, and power, the author tells the story of humanity through the minerals and materials that have allowed humans to evolve and create. Lapidarium uses the stories of these sixty stones to explore how human culture has formed stone, and the roles stone has played in forming human culture"--

Fifteen-year-old Kat Bishop and her fellow talented teenagers work together to find and steal the "Cleopatra Emerald" from an unscrupulous dealer and return it to its rightful owner, while a former love of her Uncle Eddie tries to get the gem for herself.

Whether you're interested in fine jewelry or mineralogy, this book provides in-depth information about all the major gem types. The text reveals the riches of the Earth from raw minerals to jewelry pieces. It also explains the science, history, and mythology that surround the gems.

"Would you know the difference between prehnite, variscite, and jade? Or a diamond and a cubic zirconia? Could you identify the different diamond cuts, and would you choose a diamond by its cut alone? Gemstones have fascinated people for thousands of years. In ancient times they were worn as amulets and talismans, offering protection against ghosts, repulsing evil, preserving health, and warding off the plague. A link with astrology was formed, and gemstones were allocated to the signs of the zodiac. At one time, precious jewelry was a way to recognize the truly rich as opposed to mere pretenders to power and wealth. From the historical to the scientific, this extraordinary reference is filled with fascinating facts about gemstones, both precious and semiprecious. It's also a worldwide scientific survey, with stunning color photographs of each gem and its varieties. This fifth edition includes information on a total of 1,800 gemstones in all"--Dust jacket cover.