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Thirteenth Annual Sinkankas Symposium –
Opal (see detail »)
Edited by Stuart Overlin
Photographs by Robert Weldon, Mia Dixon, Jurgen Schutz
Table of Contents
Program 2
Dedication andAcknowledgments 3
Speaker and Author Biographies 4
Program abstracts 8
Eloise Gaillou – An Overview of Gem Opals:
From the Geology to Color and Microstructure 10
Raquel Alonso-Perez, Jason Tresback, and Theresa Smith –
Opals, History and Science of the Harvard University Collection 20
Bill Larson, A Collector's Perspective 34
Renee Newman, Matrix Opal 40
Renee Newman, Not-So-Common Common Opal 48
Helen Serras-Herman, Exotic Common Opals 58
Robert Weldon, Opal Photography 80
Nathan Renfro, The Microworld of Opal 88
Si and Ann Frazier, Opal: Lores, Lies and Misperceptions 92
Si and Ann Frazier, Frazier Opal Library 98
James E. Shigley, Articles on Opal Localities 104
Opals from the Collection of William F. Larson 106
Cost: USD 35.00 + S/H + sales tax (where applicable)
(shipping cost varies based on destination)
Specifications: 8.25" x 10.75"; soft cover, perfect binding
120 pp., more than 150 B&W and color plates.
Designer: Faizah Bhatti
Production Coordinator: Juan Zanahuria
Publisher: Pala International Inc.
Publication date: April 18, 2015
Available from: Roger Merk
Twelfth Annual Sinkankas Symposium –
Peridot and Uncommon Green Gem Minerals (see detail »)
Edited by Lisbet Thoresen
Photographs by Mia Dixon, Jeffrey A. Scovil, Harold and Erica Van Pelt
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 2
Program 3
Program Abstracts 5
Speaker and Author Biographies 8
Papers –
Dr. William "Skip" Simmons, Mineralogy and crystallography
of olivine 12
Dr. James A. Harrell, Discovery of the Red Sea source of
Topazos (ancient gem peridot) on Zabargad Island,
Egypt 16
Lisbet Thoresen and James A. Harrell, Archaeogemology
of peridot 31
François Farges, The gem peridots of the Muséum national
d'Histoire naturelle, Paris: An historical overview 52
Map: Worldwide peridot localities 66
Dr. James E. Shigley, Geology of olivine and peridot
localities 68
Si Frazier and Ann Frazier, Going to the source:
Kashmir peridot 72
Pir Dost, Peridot from Supat, the land of mountains 80
George Harlow and Kyaw Thu, Peridot from Pyaung-gaung,
Mogok Tract, Myanmar: Similarities to Sapat
and Zabargad deposits 82
Robert E. Kane, The making of a suite of peridot jewelry 96
Si Frazier and Ann Frazier, Out of this world gems 111
Dr. James E. Shigley, Selected bibliography: Olivine 120
Green with envy: Peridots and green minerals from
the collection of William F. Larson 128
Cost: USD 35.00 + S/H + sales tax (where applicable)
(shipping cost varies based on destination)
Specifications: 8.25" x 10.75"; soft cover, perfect binding
147 pp., 172 color photographs, maps and illustrations.
Publisher: Pala International Inc.
Publication date: April 5, 2014
Available online from: www.shastaprint.com (US only)
or from: Symposium Info (intl)
Eleventh Annual Sinkankas Symposium – Ruby
Revised Edition (see detail »)
Edited by Lisbet Thoresen
Photographs by Harold and Erica Van Pelt
Mia Dixon, E. Billie Hughes, Richard W. Hughes and Jeffrey Scovil
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 3
Speaker and Author Biographies 4
Program Abstracts 9
Papers –
Dr. James E. Shigley, Ruby geology and localities 12
Map: Worldwide Ruby Localities 16
Shane McClure, Ruby Treatments 18
W. G. Fitz-Gerald, City built on rubies 24
Richard Hughes, Pigeon's blood:
A pilgrimage to Mogok – Valley of rubies 32
Elise A. Skalwold, Dr. Allen M. Bassett and the Ruby Mines
of Nepal: A historical overview 42
Gary W. Bowersox, The rubies of Afghanistan and Tajikistan:
An update 49
Dr. James E. Shigley, Selected bibliography: Ruby 66
Richard Hughes, A collector's guide to the literature
on rubies and sapphires 72
Lisbet Thoresen, Gamini Ratnavira and Eberhard Equit:
Extending the legacy of the art and science
of mineral illustration 104
Robert Weldon, The Conundrum, a poem 111
Rubies from the Collection of William F. Larson 112
Cost: USD 35.00 + S/H + sales tax (where applicable)
(shipping cost varies based on destination)
Specifications: 8.25" x 10.75"; soft cover, perfect binding
127 pp., 205 color photographs, maps and illustrations.
Publisher: Pala International Inc.
Publication date: February 7, 2014
Available online from: www.shastaprint.com (US only)
or from: Symposium Info (intl)
Tenth Annual Sinkankas Symposium – Topaz (see detail »)
Original papers prepared for the Tenth Annual Sinkankas Symposium on Topaz
Edited by Roger Merk
Photographs by Jeff Scovil, Robert Weldon, John Koivula and Mia Dixon
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 4
Speaker and Author Biographies 5
Papers –
Dr. D.B. Hoover, The Historical Transmutation of Topaz 11
Dr. Skip Simmons, Topaz Mineralogy 21
Dr. James A. Shigley, Topaz Geology and Localities 31
John Sinkankas, TOPAZ From Gemstones of North America 41
John Koivula, The MicroWorld of Topaz 55
Si and Ann Frazier, Topaz Words and Their Surrogates 63
Availability: April 21, 2012
Cost: USD $20.00 + shipping (varies according to shipping options and destination)
Please use the form below to request a publication. Do not include credit card or sensitive personal information in your message; you will be contacted to discuss shipping options and process an order. Please be sure to include first and last name and a valid email address, phone number.
Ninth Annual Sinkankas Symposium – Diamond, 2 Volumes (see detail »)
Original papers prepared for the Ninth Annual Sinkankas Symposium on Diamond
Photographs by Harold and Erica Van Pelt, Robert Weldon, John Koivula and Mia Dixon
Table of Contents – Volume 1
Acknowledgements iv
Speaker and Author Biographies v
Articles –
Al Gilbertson and Scott Sucher, The Evolution of Diamond Cutting 1
Dr. Skip Simmons, The Crystal Structure and Mineralogy of Diamond 19
Dr. James E. Shigley, Geology of Diamond Deposits 25
John Koivula, The Microworld of Diamond: Minerals and Clouds from the Earth's Mantle 33
Dr. Mike Breeding, Diamond Treatments and How Treatment Affects Color in Diamond 49
Dr. Sally Eaton-Magaña, Synthetic Diamond Production 59
Jo Ellen Cole, Fancy Cut Diamonds – Evolution and Valuation 65
Table of Contents – Volume 2
Acknowledgments iv
Speaker and Author Biographies v
Articles –
Si and Ann Frazier, Quartz as Diamond 1
Meg Berry, Diamonds are a Drill's Best Friend: or the Secret Life of Bort 19
Dr. James A. Shigley (compiled by), Articles on Diamond Geology and Diamond Deposits (2000–2010) 27
Cost: unit price + shipping (varies according to shipping options and destination)
Volume 1 only – USD 22.00 + shipping
Volume 2 only – USD 8.00 + shipping
Volumes 1 and 2 (set) – USD 25.00 + shipping (value pricing)
Specifications Volume 1: 8.5" x 11"; soft cover, 71p., 79 col. pl., 1 col. map, 1 B&W pl., 16 diag.
Specifications Volume 2: 8.5" x 11"; soft cover, 37p. B&W
Please use the form below to request a publication. Do not include credit card or sensitive personal information in your message; you will be contacted to discuss shipping options and process an order. Please be sure to include first and last name and a valid email address, phone number.
The Birthday Book of Diamonds by Harold and Erica Van Pelt (see detail »)
Keep track of birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates, year-in and year-out, with this perpetual calendar illustrated with the stunning photographs made by internationally-renowned photographers Harold and Erica Van Pelt. This handsome birthday book is sumptuously illustrated with 57 full-page color photographs and features diamonds and fine jewelry from some of the world's top museums and jewelers. Foreword by Richard T. Liddicoat.
Cost: USD 15.00 + shipping (varies according to shipping options and destination)
Specifications: 8.75" x 6.25" x 0.75"; padded hard cover, color
112 pages, 57 full-page color plates, 365-day calendar
ISBN 0-9616485-2-X
Please use the form below to request a copy. Do not include credit card or sensitive personal information in your message; you will be contacted to discuss shipping options and process an order. Please be sure to include first and last name and a valid email address, phone number.
Eighth Annual Sinkankas Symposium – Gem Feldspars (see detail »)
Original papers prepared for the Sinkankas Symposium on Gem Feldspars
Photographs by Robert Weldon, John Koivula and Mia Dixon
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments iv
Speaker and Author Biographies v
Articles –
Si and Ann Frazier, The Feldspar Family–The Jones Family of Minerals: Even more fecund than the Quartz Family 1
Jo Ellen Cole, Pricing Gem Quality Feldspar 5
Si and Ann Frazier, Spectacular Spectrolite 7
Dr. Skip Simmons, Karen Webber and A. U. Falster, Gem Feldspars from South Betroka, Madagascar 15
Shou-Lin Lee, In Search of Sun, Moon and Rainbow–A Lapidary's Notes on Cutting Feldspar 17
Si and Ann Frazier,The Gem Feldspars: A Colorful Ménage á Trois 25
Photo Gallery of Feldspars 35
John Koivula, The Microworld of Gem Feldspars 54
Lisbet Thoresen and Dr. James A. Harrell, Archaeogemology of Amazonite 58
John Sinkankas, Feldspar Group (reprinted from Gemstones of North America) 63
Cost: USD 25.00 + shipping (varies according to shipping options and destination)
Specifications: 8/5" x 11"; soft cover, 74p., 70 col. pl., 1 col. map, 2 diag.
Please use the form below to request a publication. Do not include credit card or sensitive personal information in your message; you will be contacted to discuss shipping options and process an order. Please be sure to include first and last name and a valid email address, phone number.
