The breathtaking sparkle of diamonds and the deep, dramatic reds of rubies and garnets have bewitched us for centuries. They conjure visions of luxury, wealth and beauty. Through time, we've used them as tokens of our love and esteem for those we cherish. Translate those same jewel tones into fabric and you have the makings for an electrifying quilt that, much like a perfect gem, will be handed down for generations. The quilt was used as The Kansas City Star's Block-of-the-Month program and highlights 13 block designs. A second version uses the same patterns but gives you the opportunity to make a much larger quilt by adding two more large blocks and 12 smaller blocks.

This American textbook aims to make the understanding and recognition of gemstones easier not only for the jewel merchant but also for the general public. The author was a chemist skilled in the analysis of precious gems.

"Gems and Gemstones" features nearly 300 color images of cut gems, precious and semiprecious stones, gem-quality mineral specimens, and fine jewelry to be unveiled in the new Grainger Hall of Gems at the Field Museum in Chicago.