Table of Contents
Foreword 6
Introduction 8
Section 1 Creating Gemstones Cally Oldershaw 10
Gemstone formation 12
Sourcing and availability 14
Mining and collecting 16
Usage and supply chains 18
Properties of gemstone material 20
Inclusions and optical phenomena 24
Gemstone cuts 26
Faceted round cuts 28
Faceted square cuts 30
Cabochons 32
Cutting to order 34
Beads 36
Natural crystals 38
Carving your own 40
Section 2 Types of Gemstone Cally Oldershaw 42
Gemstone treatments 44
Gemstone family tree 46
1 Corundum 48
2 Chrysoberyl 52
3 Spinel 54
4 Topaz 56
5 Beryl 58
6 Sillimanite 61
7 Tourmaline 62
8 Iolite 65
9 Quartz 66
10 Zircon 70
11 Garnet 72
12 Chalcedony and agate 74
13 Jade 78
14 Spodumene 80
15 Zoisite 82
16 Peridot 84
17 Prehnite 85
18 Feldspar 86
19 Sugilite 90
20 Kyanite 91
21 Opal 92
22 Hematite 96
23 Tugtupite 97
24 Diopside 98
25 Scapolite 99
26 Turquoise 100
27 Lapis lazuli 102
28 Sphene 103
29 Natural glass: obsidian and moldavite 104
30 Apatite 105
31 Hemimorphite 106
32 Rhodochrosite 107
33 Fluorite 108
34 Malachite 109
35 Diamond 110
Organics 122
36 Pearl 123
37 Amber 132
38 Coral 135
39 Shell 138
Section 3 Designing with Gemstones 140
Settings 142
Color 144
Texture and luster 146
Size 148
Single stones 150
Grouped stones 152
Fragile stones 154
Nonstandard gemstone forms 156
Beads, drops and briolettes 158
The ring 160
Practical Advice 162
Handing gemstones 163
Appraising gemstones 164
Buying gemstones 166
Resources 167
Glossary 170
Index 172
Credits 176
