Gems

GEMS will appeal to the geological nerd, the historical jewelry buff, and the celebrity follower. The subject matter and flow of the book all come together under the supervision of gemology expert Francois Farges. What's most compelling about this book is that beautifully photographed minerals are superbly matched by the legendary jewels created in the same stones. For example-seeing the emeralds in the rough form and then how they were expertly crafted into museum quality jewelry is a treat for those of us who appreciate every part of the process and love to learn about minerals we have never heard of -or those we have but don't know enough about. Boasting 304 pages and 270 color illustrations, this book is compact yet packs a huge punch. -FORBES.COM A handsome compendium to the exhibition, titled Gems (Flammiron), created under the direction of curator and renowned professor Francois Farges, features vibrant close-up details of the gems (some published for the first time) and jewels and is sprinkled with insightful details by more than 25 mineralogists, scientists, and specialists. -GALERIE MAGAZINE.COM You can lose yourself in dozens of chapters on the different minerals and gems and their formation and characteristics written by eminent curators, gemmologists, mineralogists and other highly-specialised scientists. Forming a bridge between theory and art, the book reflects the layout of the exhibition and places side by side raw crystals and finished examples of Van Cleef & Arpels jewels using the same precious mineral. Rigorous yet visually appealing this book explores both sides of the gemstone world. - THEJEWELLERYEDITOR.COM Gems has plenty to offer for rock nerds and jewelry nuts. In fact, it may well be the only book that celebrates and studies the relationship between fine jewelry and the extraordinary minerals found in the Earth. If you've ever wondered why there are so many shades of tourmaline, for example, or what makes malachite look, well, like malachite with its ribbon-like hues of green, the answers are all here. This fact-filled compendium was made in association with the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris and showcases minerals from the museum's superb collections alongside amazing jewels from the vast Van Cleef & Arpels collection. Read it, and next time you look at your diamond earrings or your star sapphire ring or your gold chain necklace, you can take comfort in knowing that you're a dedicated devotee of Earth's most spectacular offerings. - NATURAL DIAMOND COUNCIL