Oldershaw, Cally. The Firefly Guide to gems.OLDERSHAW, Cally. The Firefly Guide to gems. Firefly. 224p. illus. maps. c2004. 1-552-97814-1. $14.95. JSA JSA - Japanese Standards Association. A little gem in itself, this guide is rich in information. A lengthy introduction considers gem formation, mining, crystal structure and physical and optical properties of gems in addition to a history of gems and some detailed material on famous gems and the luck--or curse--they supposedly brought to their owners. The detailed pages on each gem considered are not organized alphabetically but are classified by chemical composition from carbon (diamonds) through oxides (including sapphires) to organics (pearls). Each gem has a page of its own with illustrations of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color and cuts and a fount of technical information, such as chemical composition and refractive index A property of a material that changes the speed of light, computed as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light through the material. When light travels at an angle between two different materials, their refractive indices determine the angle of transmission . Detailed maps of six continents Six Continents is a large retail PLC in UK which split into Six Continents Retail known as Mitchells and Butlers plc. The hotels and soft drinks business of Six Continents PLC is now known as InterContinental Hotels Group PLC. illustrate the locations where each type of gem is found. A valuable reference guide. Pat Moore, Brookline, MA |
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