A trip to your local library is the best first step toward understanding
gemstones and toward planning a trip to gem and rock shops or to places
where you may be able to collect gemstones.
A list of _Selected references on rocks, minerals, and gemstones_ is
compiled and updated every two years by the USGS Geologic Inquiries
Group, 907 National Center, Reston, VA 22092; (703) 648-4383. The list
has three sections: selected guides for rockhounds and hobbyists,
general references for all ages, elementary school to adult, and
periodicals.
The guides in Section I tell about equipment needed for collecting,
etiquette of collecting, map reading, organizing a collection,
collecting localities by States, mineral societies, mineral show dates
and locations, and rock, mineral, and fossil dealers.
The references below focus mainly on natural gemstones and the gems made
from them rather than on synthetic gemstones, rocks, or other nongem
minerals.
_Minerals Yearbook_
The relatively few pages on gemstones in the multivolume _Minerals
Yearbook_ provide data on sources, kinds, and volume of domestic
production, domestic consumption, prices, and foreign trade. This U.S.
Bureau of Mines yearbook is in the reference sections of many major
libraries. It can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
_Books_
_Gemology_, Cornelius S. Hurlbut Jr. and Robert C. Kammerling: John
Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991, 2nd ed.
_Gemstones and Their Origins_, Peter C. Keller: Van Nostrand Reinhold,
1990.
_Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones_, Joel Arem: Van Nostrand Reinhold, New
York, 1987, 2nd ed., 68 p.
_Gemstones for Everyman_, B.W. Anderson: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1976,
268 p.
_Gems and Precious Stones_, Curzio Cipriani and Alessandro Boreli;
Valerie Palmer, translator: Kennie Lyman, U.S. editor: Simon and
Schuster, New York, 1986, 384 p.
_Gem and Crystal Treasures_, Peter Bancroft: Mineralogical Record,
Carson City, NV, 1984, 488 p.
_Planet Earth—Gemstones_, Paul O’Neil and the editors of Time-Life
Books: Time-Life Books, Arlington, VA, 1983, 176 p.
_Gemstones of the World_, Walter Schumann (translated by Evelyne Stern):
Sterling, New York, 1984, 256 p.
_Gems & Crystals from the American Museum of Natural History: An
illustrated guide to the history, lore, and properties of the gems and
minerals of one of the world’s greatest collections_, Anna S. Sofiandes
and George E. Harlow: Simon & Schuster, New York, 1990, 208 p.
_The Gem Collection_ (Treasures in the Smithsonian Series No. 1), P.E.
Desautels: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 1983, 77 p.
_Gemstones of North America_, John Sinkankas: D. Van Nostrand Company,
Inc., Princeton, 1959, 675 p.
_Gems and Precious Stones of North America—A popular description of
their occurrence, value, history, archeology, and of collections in
which they exist_, G.F. Kunz: Dover Publishing, New York, 1968 (reprint
of a classic work dated 1892), 367 p.
_Emerald and Other Beryls_, John Sinkankas: Chilton Way, Radnor, PA,
1981, 665 p.
_Handbook of Gem Identification_, R.T. Liddicoat Jr.: Gemological
Institute of America, Santa Monica, CA, 1981 (11th ed.), 450 p.
_Field Collecting Gemstones and Minerals_, John Sinkankas: Geoscience
Press, Prescott, AZ, 1988, 2nd ed., 397 p.
_Prospecting for Gemstones and Minerals_ [Formerly _Gemstones and
Minerals: How and Where to Find Them_], John Sinkankas: Van Nostrand
Reinhold, New York, 1970, 2nd ed., 397 p.
_Mineral & Gem Trails of Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina_,
Ed and Bert Sloan: EDSCO, Box 79, Oneonta, NY 13820, 1978, 52 p.
_Gem Testing_, B.W. Anderson: Butterworth, Woburn, MA, 1980, 9th ed.,
384 p.
_Gemology_, C.S. Hurlbut Jr. and G.S. Switzer: Wiley, New York, 1979,
596 p.
_Gems and Jewelry_, Joel Arem: Bantam Books, New York, 1975, 159 p.
_Gem Cutting: A Lapidary’s Manual_, John Sinkankas: Van Nostrand
Reinhold, New York, 1962, 2nd ed., 297 p.
[Illustration: Lavender-hued rose quartz, Brazil.]
_Journals_
_Gems and Gemology_ (quarterly). Articles on gemstone localities,
identification, and history. Includes annual index, lab notes, book
reviews, and gemological abstracts. Published by the Gemological
Institute of America, 1660 Stewart Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404.
_Lapidary Journal_ (monthly). Articles on gemstones, locality
information, expeditions to find sources of gemstones, gemcraft, club
news, show news, product news, and book reviews. Published by the
Lapidary Journal, Devon Office Center, Suite 201, 60 Chestnut Avenue,
Devon, PA 19333-1312.
_Rocks & Minerals_ (bimonthly). Features articles of interest to
students of mineralogy, geology, and paleontology. Includes articles
about gemstone localities. Regularly lists announcements of hundreds of
mineral, rock, and gem shows (local, State, national, Canadian, and
European). Includes media reviews, museum notes and announcements, and
classified ads. Published by Heldref Publications, 4000 Albermarle
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20016.
_Jewelers’ Book Club—Catalog_ (annual). Catalog of more than 550
jewelry-related publications from more than 250 publishers. Includes
video- and audio-cassettes and book reviews. _Jewelers’ Book Club—News_
(quarterly) informs members of new titles and provides book reviews.
Published by the Jewelers Book Club, Chilton Way, Radnor, PA 19089.
_Videocassettes_
_Gemstones of America_ (60 minutes), Smithsonian Institution, 1991, can
be ordered for $29.95 from the Museum Shop, Attention: Mail Order Clerk,
National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20560; (202) 357-1535.
_Splendid Stones._ This National Geographic Society special details the
evolution from raw material to cut and polished gem, outlines many of
the steps involved in marketing gemstones, and examines some of the
world’s most famous jewelry collections. It can be ordered for $95 from
the National Geographic Society, 17th and M Streets NW., Washington, DC
20036.