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Smithsonian-Produced Gem Book to Hit Shelves This Fall
Gem, which features a foreword by Stoned author Aja Raden, combines the science, natural history and mythology behind precious stones into one 440-page tome.

New York--The Smithsonian Institution and publishing company DK have partnered to create a new resource for gem lovers.
Gem is a 440-page hardback tome that profiles key gemstones and other precious materials as well as shows jewels in different cuts, colors and uses through specially commissioned images.
In addition to giving the science behind the stones, the book also looks at the stories and myths that surround the most celebrated gems and jewels from around the world, from adventures with royalty, film stars and thieves to the alleged curse of the Hope Diamond.
An 80-page reference section at the back of the book offers additional reference on a variety of other rocks and stones.
Gem features a foreword written by Aja Raden, jewelry designer and author of Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World, and has a debossed and foiled diamond on the jacket.
The $50 book is available for pre-order now online from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Indiebound and more book-sellers listed on the DK website. It will be available in bookstores across the country on Oct. 4.
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