It is very helpful to use this as a reference for benchmark color. There is little or no commentary on evaluation, appraisal or strategic purchasing.

This book is expensive but there are few others like it. Recommended.


Great coffee-table book (large format, awesome pictures).   October 16, 1998
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This book lightly covers sources and history of jewelry pieces and gemstones in the museum. It has incredibly well-done color photographs and a great many of them. It is a large-format, coffee-table style book. I'm quite pleased to have it in my library.


Superlative Photography & Informative Text   August 30, 2001
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

If you have visited the National Collection and want a souvenir to remind you of the stunning array of unique World Class Gems then this is the book for you. Both the format of the book and the superlative quality of the photography make this book the next best thing to being in the exhibition hall. There is a fairly light weight coverage of the gemmology in the text, but it mostly focusses on the history and ownership of these fabulous gems. The National Collection is unique, no where else in the world is there such a concentration of fabulous jewels with such an interesting history, with the possible exception of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. This book is a fitting celebration of such a marvellous collection.


Stunning photography; an amazing collection   May 4, 2004
Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

"The National Gem Collection," by Jeffrey E. Post, features photographs by Chip Clark. The book is a beautiful celebration of the title collection, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The informative text discusses the history of the collection, facts about types of different gemstones, and specific pieces in the collection.

The full-color photography is really stunning, and brings a rich assortment of gems to glorious life. Some of the historic pieces pictured are the blue Hope Diamond, the diamond Napoleon Necklace, the Hooker Emerald, and more. Also shown are a colorful collection of "fancy" diamonds, a rare red diamond, the 858-carat uncut Gachala Emerald, the delightful "pink tutu" (a band of dainty rose quartz crystals on a large smoky quartz crystal), a dazzling group of fire opals, a lapis lazuli carving from Afghanistan, and more.

I appreciate how the book celebrates gemstones at various stages: uncut, cut, and set in artfully crafted pieces of jewelry. Many different types of gemstones--aquamarine, garnet, spinel, chrysoberyl, turquoise, etc.--are covered. Features such as a scanning electron microscope photo of the inner structure of an opal give the reader a deeper understanding of the science behind gems. From start to finish, this book is a marvelous feast for both the eyes and the brain.


The National Gem Collection   August 10, 2000
Christine Saalbach (San Antonio TX)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Have you always wanted to own the Hope Diamond or Empress Josephine's diamond necklace, but just can't come up with the bucks? This book is the next best thing. Chip Clark's crisp photos fairly make the gems spring right off of the pages with glitter. In addition to terrific photos, the book contains fun-to-read historical information on the Smithsonian collection.

The new remodeled hall where the exhibit is housed in Washington DC allows viewers to completely walk around the Hope Diamond now. The fantastic jewelry is now housed at eye level and lit to the best advantage of the pieces. There's no more back-breaking bending over cases for a closer look. You'll probably want to take photographs in the gallery, but save wear and tear on your camera and buy this book instead.