From The World Of Gemstones

By Prof Dr Hermann Bank
Pinguin – Verlag
1973

Prof Dr Hermann Bank writes:

Gemstones—from antiquity this concept has conjured up the image of something beautiful, something precious, transcending everyday life. Gems are pre-eminently part of the festive occasions of life, of the (now rare) coronations of emperors and kings, of state receptions, evenings at the opera, soirees and family feasts. Set in the appropriate noble metals, they are favored gifts at engagements, weddings, births and similar occasions. Their manifold usage—dynastic, religious, mystic, therapeutic—as well as their employment for adornment and in the industry shows the enormous extent of The World of Gemstones. Apart from the uses of gems it embraces their origin, their recovery, their fashioning and setting, their imitation, testing and evaluation. The present book attempts to answer concisely and intelligibly the manifold questions From The World of Gemstones which have been put by interested laymen, students and budding gemologists during talks, visits to lapidary establishments and lectures. Numerous pictures are intended to complete the information about The World of Gemstones.

About the author
Prof Dr Hermann Bank was the first Chairman of the German Gemmological Society. He taught gemology at the universities of Heidelberg and Mainz, and is the owner of a gem cutting establishment at Idar Oberstein, Germany.