Sapphire Gemstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Origins, Structure and Properties of Sapphires

Immerse yourself in the science and heritage of one of the world's most revered gems with this curated collection of classic articles dating from the early 1900s and earlier.

Carefully selected for relevance and interest to modern readers, the writings combine historical gemological and crystallographic material that explores sapphire's origins, crystal structure, fundamental properties and behaviours as understood by experts of the past.

Sapphire itself is a variety of corundum (aluminium oxide) prized for its hardness (9 on the Mohs scale) and the brilliant colours it can display, especially deep blue, due to trace elements, and it has a rich cultural and geological history as a gemstone of choice for jewellery and symbolic use.

Contents include:

• A Handbook of Precious Stones by M. D. Rothschild
• A Manual of Precious Stones and Antique Gems by Hodder M. Westropp
• Gem Testing by B. W. Anderson
• Gems and Jewellery Today by Marcus Baerwald
• Precious Stones and Gems by Edwin W. Streeter
• Questions Answered on Gems and Jewellery by Kathleen Gough
• Scottish Gem Stones by W. J. McCallien
• The Story of the Gems by Herbert P. Whitlock
• An Introduction to Crystallography by F. C. Phillips

Whether you're a collector, student, jeweller or gemstone enthusiast, this volume offers an engaging, historically grounded guide to the defining features of sapphire and the scientific context behind its enduring beauty and significance.