gems, gem cutting, lapidary arts, faceting

Sinkankas: Studies the types of mountings used to hold polished gemstones in various kinds of jewelry and ornamental objects from the late Middle Ages through the sixteenth century. Originally prepared as a dissertation at the University of Tübingen, Germany. The first of the three main text sections is of particular interest to gemologists because it deals at length with diamond cutting in France during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, describing the types of stones cut, styles of cutting, and related topics, but saying very little about gemstones other than diamond and, unfortunately, scarcely anything about the specific techniques used by jewelers to make mountings. The illustrations, drawn from many earlier sources, show close views of mountings as well as the objects of which they formed integral parts. Rev. J. Gemm., 15(1), 1976, 34.