This book surveys precious stones from ancient times to the early modern era, tracing how people valued them, attributed powers to them, and sought new sources around the world. It explains how early writers described gems, how beliefs about their virtues evolved, and how careful observation began to shape the science of mineralogy.

This edition presents a clear, accessible look at the stones themselves, with notes on origins, localities, and practical details for collectors and curious readers alike. You’ll glimpse the shift from mythical uses to more measured study, while staying focused on the stones you see in jewelry and in nature.

Learn how different stones were classified and valued across cultures and times.
Discover examples and descriptions of diamonds, amethyst, quartz varieties, and more.
See how early scholars weighed magical beliefs against emerging scientific ideas.
Get context on where gems come from and how sources influenced trade and craft.

Ideal for readers of gemstone histories, mineralogy basics, and antique jewelry enthusiasts seeking a grounded preface to the science behind the shine.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

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**Please note our transit times are from the date of dispatch.** We first started out as ?The Paperback Exchange,? a chain of physical bookstores where we would part exchange your beloved books for new stories to transport you to faraway places. However, as shopping started to evolve to online shops and marketplaces, we bid our stores goodbye to become ?PBShop.? This transition has only allowed us to blossom as we now ship thousands of titles to book lovers across the globe. We pride ourselves in being a community of local book lovers which allows our passion and devotion to shine in everything we do. In 2020 we not only celebrated our 20th birthday but our 1st birthday as being completely employee owned after becoming an E.O.T in September 2019. We are proud to be different and embrace standing apart on a book mountain by working from a virtual inventory which allows us to provide thousands of books that may be difficult to get for your bookshelf or your studies. Working with a number of different suppliers allows us to explore other avenues such as puzzles, sheet music and even stationery so we really do have something for everyone. Life is about being versatile in all realms of existence. If this is your first purchase with us, or you are a returning customer, we would like to welcome you to the PBShop family, for there is no friend as loyal as a book. We are a company who put our customers at the centre of everything we do as we understand the importance of reading because once you learn to read, you will forever be free. There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours that we are yet to explore, which is why we will forever inspire curious minds.

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