Gems and Gemology is the quarterly magazine of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). It publishes each year a Spring issue, a Summer issue, a Fall issue, and a Winter issue. Until 1980 these publications had been in a small format and only in black/white.
With the beginning of 1981 the format was enlarged to 9x11 inches and all issues were in color.
These color issues are the ones that I am offering here for sale, with all years, beginning in 1981 until 2017 listed here step by step. Each year contains the four issues and they are professionally bound by a bookbinder.
Until 1996 the binding was professionally done in Germany with a rounded spine; the books from 1997 were fabricated in Las Vegas with a flat spine on very old machinery, where the master bookbinder came from Belgium in Europe and handcrafted them one by one. All books are bound in dark blue hard-cover thesis style with the spine inscribed in gold color lettering with: “Gems & Gemology xxxx” (the x stands for the year). This 1982 book has also "Gems & Gemology printed in gold letters on the cover.
The years 2018 to 2020 are not bound but the four issues are complete. And then Covid struck and the following issues were just available online.
All issues are in good to very good condition with no markings or inscriptions.
Each book will be offered here for US$ 46.99 + $7.99 each for shipping with media mail. This is less than the retail price + binding.
The page count of each book varies. Some smaller books have around 300 pages and other books, the 2017 issue for example, contains 490 pages. The exact page count will be given for each book on offer. All pages are printed on very high quality glossy paper to show the subtle colors of gemstones and pearls. This is, what the magazine is all about: gemstones and pearls, nothing else. There are no advertisements in the book except for some GIA publications.
All issues have the front cover preserved and most of the back covers were left out since they had been empty. From the GIA archives I copied the front covers that are shown here and I am listing the main topics of each issue.
In the 1982 issues:
The Jade Enigma
Jade Forms from Ancient China
Some Observations on the Treatment of Lavender Jadeite
Sri Lanka: The Gem Island
The Identification of Artificial Coloration in Diamond
Heat Treating Corundum: The Bangkok Operation
Gemstones of Pakistan: Emerald, Ruby, and Spinel
The Gemological Properties of Chatham Flux-Grown Synthetic Orange Sapphire and Synthetic Blue Sapphire
The Chanthaburi-Trat Gem Field, Thailand
Gemstones with Alexandrite Effect
Gem-Quality Grossular Garnets