A handy guide identifying over 170 types of the world’s gemstones with beautiful colour photography taken from the Smithsonian Institution’s archives.

Describes the history and characteristics of the most common gemstones, explains the unique qualities of the gems, and looks at how they are mined, cut, and pol

A guide to the major rocks, minerals and gemstones found in Europe. It contains an introduction to the basics of mineralogy, followed by a list of the general f

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

The ideal portable companion, the world-renowned Collins Gem series returns with a fresh new look and updated material.