Although commissioned originally as a popular publication on precious stones, this book was planned on more advanced lines even before it was begun, and written in order to meet the demand from the jewellery trade for text-book on gemmology. Therefore, this rare book is both scientific and accessible, making it the perfect book for the budding amateur and seasoned professional alike. Chapters included in this fascinating book are: Physical Characters, Technology and History, Descriptions, Semi-precious Stones, Miscellaneous Stones, Ornamental Stones, Organic Products, and Identification. Dr. George Frederick Herbert Smith (1872¿1953) was a British mineralogist who worked for the British Natural History Museum. He discovered the mineral paratacamite in 1906 and also invented the first efficient jeweller's refractometer. We are proud to republish this scare antiquarian book here complete with a new introduction to the subject.