Historical Gemology Reading Lists

Explore Gemology’s Roots in Historical Documents

The field of gemology is filled with rich and exciting stories of exploration and discovery, as man roamed the world in search of treasure and found sparkling gems scattered in rivers and streams and beneath the earth’s surface. Once found, the gems were studied, and a new science was born.

These annotated reading lists were compiled to give you an opportunity to learn more about the history of gemology. A number of the articles in these lists were published in the 1800s and early 1900s – when many classical gem deposits of historical importance were discovered – and gemology and mineralogy became sciences. Topics include gemstones and gem localities, and the lists are presented in chronological order to emphasize the development of ideas over time. The lists are not comprehensive, but a compilation of the some interesting gemological information that has often been forgotten or overlooked. Each entry includes a brief explanation of the article’s contents.

New lists will be presented on an occasional basis and existing lists will be updated if additional entries are found.

How to Find Complete Articles

Many of the articles exist in the public domain and can be found online at digital libraries such as Hathitrust, Internet Archive, or other digital repositories.   You can also use your preferred search engine to locate articles or visit your local public or academic library for assistance.

More recent publications can often be found in libraries, including the R.T. Liddicoat Library and Information Center at GIA in Carlsbad, California. Abstracts of these articles can usually be found on the website of the original journal or magazine, and the article itself is often available for purchase from the publisher.

Regarding the GIA Library’s holdings and on-site access, please contact us.

Historical Gemology Reading List Archive (2017-2024)