| Chapter 1 Exploring the World of Gemstones 13 -- Our Fascination with Gemstones 13 -- Defining a Gem in a Less Traditional Manner 14 -- Assembling Your Personal Gem Collection 16 -- Chapter 2 Gem Phenomena 18 -- Adularescence 18 -- Asterism 18 -- Aventurescence 19 -- Chatoyancy 19 -- Color Change 19 -- Color Play 20 -- Iridescence 20 -- Chapter 3 Where Gems Come From 21 -- "You Mean My Pretty Ruby Once Looked Like That?" 21 -- Recovering the Rough Is Not for the Faint of Heart 22 -- Primary and Secondary Deposits 22 -- Organic Matter 23 -- Tunnel Mining 23 -- Journey from Rock to Retail 23 -- Chapter 4 Gem Enhancement 25 -- Bleaching 25 -- Chemical Treatments and Reactions 25 -- Coatings 26 -- Dyes 26 -- Foiling 27 -- Glass Filling 27 -- Heat 27 -- Irradiation 28 -- Oiling 28 -- Consumer Resistance 29 -- Disclosure 29 -- Government's View 30 -- Chapter 5 Man-Made Gemstones 32 -- Synthetics and Simulants 32 -- Doublets and Triplets 33 -- Chapter 6 Things You Should Know Before You Buy 35 -- Carat Weight and Specific Gravity 35 -- Mohs' Hardness Scale 37 -- Toughness 37 -- Understanding the Refractive Index 38 -- How Color Happens 38 -- Importance of Color in the Evaluation of Gems 39 -- Some of the Many Varieties of Shapes 39 -- How to Use a Jewelers Loupe 40 -- How to Detect a Properly Cut Gemstone 40 -- Evaluating Settings from Every Angle 41 -- Importance of the Clasp 44 -- Value of an Appraisal 45 -- Inspection, Wear and Tear, Repair 46 -- Chapter 7 Selecting a Retailer 47 -- Whom Can You Trust? 47 -- Chapter 8 Diamonds 50 -- How Diamonds Are Formed 50 -- Significant Sources of Supply 50 -- Some Important Diamonds Throughout the Ages 51 -- Determining the Quality of a Diamond 52 -- Colored Diamonds: Natural or Enhanced? 56 -- Let the Buyer Beware: Impostors Abound 57 -- Future Outlook for the Diamond Supply 58 -- Chapter 9 Most Popular Colored Gems 60 -- Beryl 60 -- Chalcedony 65 -- Chrysoberyl 70 -- Corundum 72 -- Feldspar 81 -- Garnet 84 -- Lapis Lazuli 92 -- Opal 93 -- Peridot (Chrysolite) 97 -- Quartz 99 -- Spinel 106 -- Spodumene 107 -- Topaz 108 -- Tourmaline 112 -- Turquoise 116 -- Zircon 117 -- Zoisite 120 -- Chapter 10 Other Gems and Minerals 123 -- Andalusite 123 -- Apatite 123 -- Azurite 124 -- Benitoite 124 -- Calcite 125 -- Danburite 125 -- Diopside 126 -- Dioptase 126 -- Fluorite 127 -- Hematite 127 -- Iolite 128 -- Kyanite 129 -- Malachite 129 -- Milarite 130 -- Moldavite 130 -- Obsidian 131 -- Rhodochrosite 131 -- Rhodonite 132 -- Scapolite 132 -- Serpentine 133 -- Sillimanite 133 -- Sodalite 134 -- Titanite 134 -- Weird Gems and Minerals 135 -- Chapter 11 Jade 136 -- An Introduction to Jade 136 -- Shopping for Jade 137 -- Importance of Color 137 -- Jadeite 138 -- Nephrite 138 -- Care and Cleaning of Jade 139 -- A Few Final Words of Advice 139 -- Chapter 12 Pearls 141 -- An Introduction to Pearls 141 -- Natural Pearls 142 -- Cultured Pearls 143 -- Pearls of the South Seas 146 -- Freshwater Pearls 148 -- Simulated Pearls 149 -- Shopping for Pearls 150 -- Care and Cleaning of Pearls 153 -- Dan's Dissertation on Pearls 154 -- Chapter 13 Other Organic Groups 155 -- Amber 155 -- Coral 157 -- Jet 158 -- Ivory 159 -- Tortoiseshell 160 -- General Guidelines for Care and Cleaning of Organics 160 -- One Final Comment 160 -- Jewelry Shopping Guides 163 -- Birthstones 166 -- Astral Stones 168 -- Chinese Zodiac 170 -- Planetary Influence 171 -- Commemorative Stones 173 -- Finding Gems and Minerals in Your Own Backyard 174 -- Key Properties of Gems and Minerals 177 -- General Guidelines for Care and Cleaning 180 -- Glossary: Understanding the Language of Gemology 183. |
