“A glittering tale of academic jealousy and ancient artifacts, The Book of Gems is a pulse-pounding adventure.” —Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor Some truths are shatterproof... It’s been centuries since the Jeweled Valley and its magical gems were destroyed. In the republics that rose from its ashes, scientists craft synthetic jewels to heat homes, power gadgetry, and wage war. Dr. Devina Brunai is one of these scientists. She also is the only person who believes true gems still exist. The recent unearthing of the Palace of Gems gives her the perfect opportunity to find them and prove her naysayers wrong. Her chance is snatched away at the last moment when her mentor steals her research and wins the trip for himself. Soon, his messages from the field transform into bizarre ramblings about a book, a Prince, and an enemy borne of the dark. Now Dev must enter the Valley, find her mentor, and save her research before they, like gems, become relics of a time long forgotten. More books in the Gem Universe: The Jewel and Her Lapidary The Fire Opal Mechanism At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Gems have fascinated men and women since the beginning of time. Once worn for simple adornment, they soon attained supernatural status because of their colour, brilliance and rarity. Gemstones have been valued for their widely believed therapeutic and medicinal values and their association with astrology. The book investigates all these connections and describes the properties of diamonds, various other mineral and organis gemstones, and their location on earth. It provides simple methods to identify and select a good gem and also describes the results of the author's research on gem enhancement, particularly diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

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The scandals, mysteries, and human stories behind the world’s greatest gems are brought to life by the curator of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection Dr. Jeffrey E. Post, curator of the National Gem Collection for more than 25 years, separates fact from fiction in an all-new and original book, revealing fresh information and regaling the reader with anecdotes and tales of some of the world’s greatest and most famous gemstones. Dr. Post is the author of the now out-of-print book The National Gem Collection (Abrams, 1997), which has sold more than 50,000 copies. In this brand-new book, he tells the stories of the Smithsonian’s most famous gems, including the Hope Diamond, Star of Asia Sapphire, Carmen Lucia Ruby, Hooker Emerald, and Blue Heart Diamond—and also presents the tales, details, and fascinating facts surrounding rarely displayed gems from the Smithsonian vault and additions made to the collection since 1997. Not only a resource for learning about rare and beautiful gems, the book also presents the stories of the people who once owned or were associated with these jewels—from ordinary people to kings, emperors, maharajas, celebrities, and captains of industry.