The Physical Properties of Crystals and Gemstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on Structure, Hardness, Cleavage and Other Properties

Explore the science beneath gemstone beauty with this engaging anthology of historically significant articles, carefully selected from classic gemological and crystallographic sources dating back to the early 1900s.

This volume brings together key writings that explain the fundamental physical properties of crystals and gemstones, from crystal structure and hardness to cleavage, fracture and additional defining traits that influence how minerals behave and are identified.

Contents include:

• Gem and Gem Materials by Edward Henry Kraus
• Popular Gemology by Richard M. Pearl
• Practical Gemmology by Robert Webster
• Precious and Semi-Precious Stones by Michael Weinstein
• The Chemistry, Properties and Tests of Precious Stones by Jophn Mastin
• The Characters of Crystals by Alfred J. Moses
• The Physical Properties of Crystals and Gemstones

With original text and illustrations preserved in modern editions, this book offers a comprehensive and accessible guide for gem enthusiasts, hobbyists, students and collectors eager to understand the physical basis of how gemstones differ and what makes them remarkable.