Gemstones

A Concise Reference Guide

By: Robin Hansen

A dazzling insight into the unique beauty, properties and history of the gemstones of the world.

Gemstones have been a source of fascination for Millenia, from the icy brilliance of diamond and the soft iridescence of pearl, to the deep red garnets treasured by ancient Egyptians and Victorians alike. They are used for their natural beauty in jewellery, worn for protection as talismans, associated with romance and power. They are also of scientific importance, forming over billions of years and containing secrets to the inner earth. + Full description

This book examines the world's most commonly encountered gemstones, exploring their unique beauty, rarity, and durability. It reveals how these gem materials formed, where they are mined, how they are identified by their physical and optical properties, their enhancements and imitations. Travelling through each gem's history and use in adornment, it is filled with fascinating facts for the curious to the professional. With sumptuous colour photographs, Gemstones is a dazzling insight into the world of the rare and valuable.

- Short description

News

Sales in Australia and New Zealand only. Elsewhere, this title is available through The Natural History Museum (external link).

Read more on our blog:
We asked author Robin Hansen to share some precious insights into her love of gems as well as their fascinating features and histories: Gemstones: Discover the rare and valuable with Robin Hansen.

Reviews

"Gemstones — a Concise Reference Guide by Robin Hansen is a book which provides up-to-date data on gemstones and contains more informative reading than many similar, small-format gemmological reference books. [...] It will be a worthy source of information to students of gemmology, mineralogy and all readers with an interest in ornamental stones."
Susan M Stocklmayer, Australian Journal of Mineralogy Volume 23(1), 2022

"Cleverly, the author never forgoes an opportunity to convey valuable information and ground the diversity of the gems described in their broad-ranging origins, structures, uses and histories. The author’s passion and respect for all of these gems is obvious. This book is superbly written and organised, and is accessible and concise. It covers sufficient gemstones to be a valuable ‘ready reckoner’ guidebook in the library of gemmologists and would be an excellent adjunct textbook for gemmology students."
Michelle Clark, The Australian Gemmologist Volume 28(1), June 2022

Details

Paperback | March 2022 | $ 34.99
ISBN: 9781486315246 | 240 pages | 203 x 139 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Colour illustrations, Colour photographs

Features

Comprehensive introduction to gemstones
Stunning colour photographs throughout
Written by Natural History Museum curator and gem expert Robin Hansen

1 Introduction
The gemstones
2 Well-known gems
3 Lesser-known gems
4 Organic gems
Further information
Index
Author biography, Acknowledgements and Picture credits

View the full table of contents (PDF, 39 KB)

Authors

Robin Hansen developed a love of minerals and geology while growing up in her hometown of Perth, Western Australia. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Curtin University, then worked for three years in the mining sector before moving to London and settling into a position in the private mineral collector business. During the following decade she complemented this role with a Diploma of Gemmology through the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and was awarded the prestigious Tully Medal. She has been Curator, Minerals and Gemstones at the Natural History Museum, London since 2015, and feels privileged to help care and manage this magnificent collection of more than 185,000 specimens.