Describes the appearance, formation, physical properties and characteristics, mining, and cutting of precious, semiprecious, and synthetic stones.

Describes how crystals form in nature, how crystals are grown artificially, and how crystals are used in industry. Numerous color photos with text identify the various gemstones.

A visual guide to more than 130 gemstone varieties.

Murdered and mummified nearly a century ago, notorious bootlegger Collier 'Peg Leg' Dazzle discovered and re-hid a famous pirate's treasure somewhere along the coast of New England. A vast collection of gold and silver coins and precious gems, the bounty also contains the Stone of Avarice--the very item reluctant treasure seeker Lizzy Tucker and her partner, Diesel, have been enlisted to find. While Lizzy would just like to live a quiet, semi-normal...

"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...

"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...

"A metaphysical encyclopedia of more than three hundred crystals, minerals, and gemstones, detailing their applications for self-healing and spiritual and emotional development, along with vivid color photographs of each stone"--Provided by publisher.