Gems in the Smithsonian Institution

In addition to possessing wide variation of color, quartz, like sapphire and certain other gemstones, can exhibit asterism or chatoyancy. The well-known _tiger’s-eye_ from West...

Shaping of gemstones is not limited to geometric faceting. Many stones, especially those which are opaque or which produce stars and cat’s-eyes, are cut as _cabochons_. This anc...

All gem corundum having a color other than red is sapphire. The name sapphire means blue, and this is the color most frequently associated with this gemstone. The finest sapphir...

The National Gem Collection 1 The Study of Gems 3 The Shaping of Gemstones 10 Gem Substitutes 20 Gem Lore 24 The Principal Gem Species 27 Some Notable Gems in the Collection 70

The Chinese and Japanese prize jade highly. In their countries, tradition has assigned to jade medicinal and spiritual values, and has associated with it the cardinal virtues of...