Gems

Author: François Farges
Publisher: Rizzoli Publications
ISBN: 2081512955
Category : Design
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Enter into the fascinating world of precious gems through this unique volume that brings together the wonders of mineralogy and masterpieces of jewelry. Both a reference book and an exhibition catalog, Gems unveils the fascinating world of minerals and gems through a dialogue between the prestigious collections of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris and the great French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. The Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris welcomes the exhibition Gems from September 16, 2020‒May 4, 2021. This beautifully illustrated volume brings together an international team of mineralogists, scientists, and specialists in natural history and in the history of jewelry, under the editorial direction of François Farges, to explore the diversity of the mineral universe through an exceptional selection of geological specimens (some published here for the first time), legendary gems, and exceptional ornaments created throughout history. Raw crystals, cut stones, and jewelry are compared and contrasted, shedding light on both the natural wonders made by the Earth itself and the virtuoso creations of human hands that transform them into works of art.

Jewels

Author: Victoria Finlay
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN: 0345466950
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 506

Book Description
Throughout history, precious stones have inspired passions and poetry, quests and curses, sacred writings and unsacred actions. In this scintillating book, journalist Victoria Finlay embarks on her own globe-circling search for the real stories behind some of the gems we prize most. Blending adventure travel, geology, exciting new research, and her own irresistible charm, Finlay has fashioned a treasure hunt for some of the most valuable, glamorous, and mysterious substances on earth. With the same intense curiosity and narrative flair she displayed in her widely-praised book Color, Finlay journeys from the underground opal churches of outback Australia to the once pearl-rich rivers of Scotland; from the peridot mines on an Apache reservation in Arizona to the remote ruby mines in the mountains of northern Burma. She risks confronting scorpions to crawl through Cleopatra’s long-deserted emerald mines, tries her hand at gem cutting in the dusty Sri Lankan city where Marco Polo bartered for sapphires, and investigates a rumor that fifty years ago most of the world’s amber was mined by prisoners in a Soviet gulag. Jewels is a unique and often exhilarating voyage through history, across cultures, deep into the earth’s mantle, and up to the glittering heights of fame, power, and wealth. From the fabled curse of the Hope Diamond, to the disturbing truths about how pearls are cultured, to the peasants who were once executed for carrying amber to the centuries-old quest by magicians and scientists to make a perfect diamond, Jewels tells dazzling stories with a wonderment and brilliance truly worthy of its subjects.

Fairasy

Author: Siva
Publisher: V Murali
ISBN: 1477535853
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 344

Book Description
Hello! It’s my pleasure to introduce you to this fantasy story book full of magic and mystery and adventure and what not! Hari, a normal boy enters the Fairyland by mistake and without his consent has to adventure throughout unravelling its mysteries! Enough of Introductions! Start reading; savouring the magic this book contains............

Lumen

Author: Kristen Collins
Publisher: Getty Publications
ISBN: 1606069284
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 274

Book Description
Sumptuously illustrated with dazzling objects, this publication explores the ways art and science worked hand in hand in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Through the manipulation of materials, such as gold, crystal, and glass, medieval artists created dazzling light-filled environments, evoking, in the everyday world, the layered realms of the divine. While contemporary society separates science and spirituality, the medieval world harnessed the science of light to better perceive and understand the sacred. From 800 to 1600, the study of astronomy, geometry, and optics emerged as a framework that was utilized by theologians and artists to comprehend both the sacred realm and the natural world. Through essays written by contributors from the fields of art history, the history of science, and neuroscience, and with more than two hundred illustrations, including glimmering golden reliquaries, illuminated manuscripts, rock crystal vessels, astronomical instruments, and more, Lumen cuts across religious, political, and geographic boundaries to reveal the ways medieval Christian, Jewish, and Islamic artists, theologians, and thinkers studied light. To convey the sense of wonder created by moving light on precious materials, a number of contemporary artworks are placed in dialogue with historic objects.

Bryre's Jewels

Author: Joan How
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1425721109
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 505

Book Description
To the west, proud and alone, was the Imperial Country. To the East stood the Freelands, engulfed in civil war since its very birth. Above them was Cecorria, Home of all Sorcery, struggling against its very own downfall. And finally there was Bryre, the keeper of the sinister Blood Jewels, deadly to all who held them too close. But above them all was another country, a country ignored and long gone silent, but just stirring awake. Only myths told of three heroines arising to meet the powers rising from the North, but myths are myths, stories, and nothing more.

Legendary Divine Sword

Author: Zi Ye
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1649359411
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 322

Book Description
The heartless black sword, Meng Xiaodie, was exploring the ancient castle. She was trapped in a desperate situation. Regardless of how suspicious the situation was, the suspense was all over the place, killing all the bandits in this chaotic world. The divine sword shook the heavens and the earth. It was like a fire beacon that could shock the soul. It could battle against the heavens, destroy cities, and shatter the dreams of heroes. 

Colored Gemstones 3/E

Author: Antoinette Matlins, PG, FGA
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
ISBN: 094376386X
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 214

Book Description
Newly updated and expanded, COLORED GEMSTONES gives you all the information you need to buy, collect, sell— or simply enjoy—sapphires, emeralds, rubies and other colored gemstones with confidence and knowledge. With more varieties than ever before to choose from, including altogether new gems, revolutionary new cuts and new ways to buy gems—such as Internet auctions and TV shopping—there has never been a more exciting time to buy or collect colored gemstones. But there are also new high-tech treatments and sophisticated frauds to look out for. Lack of information, error or misrepresentation can make the thrill of buying a gem or piece of jewelry confusing, intimidating, overwhelming and costly. Buyers need a source of expert guidance. This practical, comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide provides all the information you need in order to know what to look for, and what to look out for, including: What qualifies as a “gemstone”? How to evaluate color—and its impact on price. Deciding between a natural gem and an enhanced gem ... and new glass-gemstone compositions. Colored gemstone synthesis and treatment. What to ask when buying the stone. What to get in writing. How to get what you want within your budget. Price guides for popular gems, opals and synthetic stones. Important information about buying on the Internet. ... and much more! Written by an “insider,” this easy-to-read guide is the “unofficial colored gemstone bible” for anyone who wants to get the most for their moneyand enjoy what they have purchased.

Hope Diamond

Author: Richard Kurin
Publisher: Smithsonian Institution
ISBN: 1588344193
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 405

Book Description
An entertaining and well-researched history of the Hope diamond Since its discovery in seventeenth-century India, the Hope diamond, a glimmering deep blue gem weighing over 45 carats, has been shrouded in mystery and steeped in intrigue. In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Richard Kurin goes beyond the speculation to reveal the truth behind a legendary stone. Kurin, a cultural anthropologist, spent more than a decade on the trail of the legendary gem. But the 'curse' that surrounds it, which Kurin puts to rest once and for all, is only one small piece of a long and lustrous story that moves between ancient religion and modern magic, royal power and class rivalry, revenge and greed. Richly illustrated, Hope Diamond works in a grand historical tradition: depicting the specific to reveal the universal.

The Heartless Stone

Author: Tom Zoellner
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 1429910127
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 269

Book Description
In 2000, Tom Zoellner purchased a diamond engagement ring and proposed. His girlfriend said, "yes" and then, suddenly, walked out of his life making Tom the owner of a used engagement ring. Instead of hitting the self-help shelves of his local bookstore, he hit the road travelling to diamond mines in Africa, Canada, India, Brazil and Russia to discover the true worth of this shining gem. He travelled to Japan to understand how diamonds were linked with engagements and delved into the history of our own American romance with the diamond ring. He gained entry to DeBeers, the London diamond merchants. He visited shopping mall jewellers with starry-eyed couples. Through all of his travels, he searched for an answer to the question "How has one stone created empires, ruined lives, inspired lust and emptied wallets throughout history?" A diamond version of Susan Orleans's The Orchid Thief, Tom Zoellner's The Heartless Stone is a journey to the cold heart of the world's most unyielding gem.

Hearts in Vegas

Author: Colleen Collins
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 1460335309
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 380

Book Description
"You're not going into this alone." P.I. Frances Jefferies is the perfect person to slip into Las Vegas's underworld to recover a priceless necklace. With her elite investigative skills, not to mention her jewel-thief past, she knows she can get the job done. That is, until a sexy stranger gets in her way. Braxton Morgan's past is as secretive as her own. There's so much about this man she wants to discover—but not at the cost of her case. For that, she must stay focused. Then Braxton suggests adding his security expertise to catch the criminal. And suddenly they're mixing smarts with danger and a whole lot of passion!