Ruby & Sapphire Bibliography
Explore books, articles and historical sources on ruby, sapphire and corundum in Four Treasures, the Lotus Gemology reference database. This bibliography brings together matching records from the collection, with publication details, abstracts and cover images where available.
Ruby & Sapphire References
The list below matches the terms ruby, rubies, sapphire or corundum in the database's searchable fields. Some references discuss these gems as part of a broader subject. Linked titles take you to external links where you may find the full reference.
Notes by Zhang Zhichun–Nanyuan manlu
南园漫录
Book
Zhichuan, Z. (1526) Notes by Zhang Zhichun–Nanyuan manlu. [南园漫录]
Record No. 16776 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | Language: in Chinese | RWHL
Volumes 2 and 7 describe the Ming army attack on Luchuan, conflicts among the tusis, and the role of the Ming eunuchs (who prized the precious stones from the Ming-Burma border region) in Ming-Burmese border politics in the 15th century. These volumes also record briefly the manner in which the Ming envoys were greeted by the Ava king and how the Ava king and the Dai/Tai chieftains addressed themselves and the Ming emperor.
The Knight in the Panther’s Skin
Book
Rustaveli, S. (12th century) The Knight in the Panther’s Skin., 257 pp.
Record No. 29257 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
The Knight in the Panther’s Skin is a Georgian epic poem by Shota Rustaveli, probably composed in the late 12th or early 13th century and regarded as a masterpiece of medieval Georgian literature. Set in an idealized world extending from Arabia and India to other imagined eastern kingdoms, it recounts the intertwined adventures of the knights Avtandil and Tariel, centering on Tariel’s search for his beloved Nestan-Darejan. The poem combines romance, heroic adventure, courtly ideals, friendship, loyalty, and philosophical reflections on love and human conduct. Of particular interest to gemologists are its numerous references to precious stones, pearls, gold, jewelry, and jeweled objects, which function both as descriptions of extraordinary wealth and beauty and as poetic metaphors. Rubies, pearls, crystal, and other gems appear in descriptions of persons, royal treasures, gifts, dress, and luxurious settings, providing evidence for the cultural vocabulary and symbolic importance of precious materials in the medieval Georgian literary tradition. Mentions of balas ruby (spinel) from Badakhshan.
Heat treatment of zircon samples from Kanchanaburi, Thailand and Ratanakiri, Cambodia
Report
Satitkune, S., Wanthanachaisaeng, B., Won-in, K., Wongkokau, W., Chantararat, P., Leelawattanasuk, T. and Wathanakul, P. (n.d.) Heat treatment of zircon samples from Kanchanaburi, Thailand and Ratanakiri, Cambodia. Bangkok: [Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand–GIT], 3 pp.
Record No. 26595 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
Zircon is a valuable and beautiful gemstone. The favourite colour of zircon in the gem market is blue, which is commonly obtained by heating the reddish brown variety. Heat treatment of zircon is the most conventional method to improve their colour. The famous locality of heated blue zircon is Ratanakiri Province, North Eastern Cambodia. Nowadays, the amount of gem quality rough zircon is decreasing because mining areas are mainly replaced by rubber plantation. Then, zircon samples from another source have been investigated for heat treatment. Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand is an important source of blue sapphire; besides, zircon has also been found in sapphire mining areas. Zircon samples from Kanchanaburi are also reddish brown in colour similar to those of from Ratanakiri, but are smaller in size. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the heat treatment results of zircon samples from Ratanakiri and Kanchanaburi.
The Ancient Mining of Gold, Silver and Precious Stones
Book
Mastin, J. (n.d., c. 1912) The Ancient Mining of Gold, Silver and Precious Stones. London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., 50 pp.
Record No. 26338 | Sinkankas/Born No.: 4253 | RWHL
Sinkankas: A disappointing work, and considering the author’s qualifications, one of very little merit—obviously hastily composed and written as a speculative essay with virtually no facts, figures, or references to support its statements. Overall, it consists of broad generalizations about what might have happened in antiquity during humanity’s search for and exploitation of underground mineral wealth. As far as I can find, the only mention of gemstones—specifically diamond and ruby—appears on page 41, and even that is grossly inaccurate.
Gemstone Mining
Thesis
Buddhika, M.D.D. (n.d.) Gemstone Mining., 19 pp.
Record No. 17048 | RWHL
General thesis about gem mining in Sri Lanka.
New Discourses from Southern Yunnan
滇南新语
Book
Zhang, H. (ca. 1741–1753) New Discourses from Southern Yunnan. [滇南新语], 30 pp.
Record No. 16781 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | Language: in Chinese | RWHL
Sun Laichen: Contains two brief items, one an account of how Chinese traders traveled to Burma to buy precious stones, including a description of the mining and marketing of the stones by the indigenous people, and the other about the export of tea from Mubang to Yunnan and the interior of China. Since Zhang Hong served in various official capacities in Yunnan between 1741 and 1753, this work must have been written during or after this time.
Heat Treatment of Gemstones
Unpublished Work
Waitz, R. (n.d.) Heat Treatment of Gemstones. 5 pp.; unpublished report.
Record No. 16697 | RWHL
Short paper on heating corundum.
Ratnapura as seen by Government Agents
Book
Abeyaratne, M. (n.d.) Ratnapura as seen by Government Agents. Colombo, Department of Government Printing
Record No. 8373 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
History of Koh-i-Noor, Darya-i-Noor and Taimur’s Ruby
Book
Singh, B.N. and Singh, K. (n.d., 1985) History of Koh-i-Noor, Darya-i-Noor and Taimur’s Ruby. New Delhi, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 180 pp.
Record No. 6318 | ISBN/ISSN: 9788170000000 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
The book contains the official documents and selected writings of the prominent authors, relating to the world famous diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, as well as the Darya-i-Noor and the Taimur's Ruby, These diamonds along with other gems, jewels and pearls were kept in the Toshakhana of the Sovereign State of the Punjab and its tributaries (1799-1849) with its capital at Lahore. On the 29th March 1849, the British Agent Mr. Elliot declared to the assembled Chiefs of the truncated Sikh Empire, at a Darbar in the Lahore Fort, that as a result of the war and the final victory of the British, Maharaja Dalip Singh was deposed and the territories of the Sultanat were annexed by the British to their dominions in India. The State treasury became the property of the East India Company and all articles in it were confiscated and appropriated by the British, East India Company.
Geology and Exploration of Gem Deposits at Mt. Carmel, Northern Israel: Natural Moissanite, Sapphire, Ruby & Diamond
Report
Coopersmith, H., Toledo, V., Ward, J., Wit, M., de, Spaggiari, R. and Fritsch, E. (n.d.) Geology and Exploration of Gem Deposits at Mt. Carmel, Northern Israel: Natural Moissanite, Sapphire, Ruby & Diamond. 29 pp.
Record No. 5601 | RWHL
Preliminary Oxygen Isotope Values for Montana Sapphires
Journal Article
Berg, R.B., Gammons, C.H. and Arehart, G.B. (n.d.) Preliminary Oxygen Isotope Values for Montana Sapphires. 1 pp..
Record No. 5252 | RWHL
Gemstones of Afghanistan
Report
Afghanistan Geological Survey (n.d.) Gemstones of Afghanistan. Afghanistan Geological Survey, 6 pp.
Record No. 3325 | RWHL
Ethiopia Gemstones
Web Page
Geological Survey of Ethiopia (n.d.) Ethiopia Gemstones.
Record No. 3263 | RWHL
Alphabetical Summary of Myanma Gem Species
Book
Myanma Gems Enterprise (n.d.) Alphabetical Summary of Myanma Gem Species. Yangon, Myanmar, Manma Gems Enterprise
Record No. 3249 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
Quality Eternal Ploi Thai
Book
Chinudompong, P. (n.d.) Quality Eternal Ploi Thai. no city, privately published, 136 pp.
Record No. 3089 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
The fabulous wealth of pre-British India
Report
Shah, M. (n.d.) The fabulous wealth of pre-British India. 8 pp.
Record No. 3029 | RWHL
Before the British came, India was a rich country and the fame of its wealth attracted both travelers and invaders. Minerals and Metals in Pre-Modern India by A.K. Biswas (2001) does give us a dazzling glimpse of this wealth, especially of the gemstones. The riches of India were mind-boggling indeed and Biswas tries to give a fair idea of its wealth. The British claimed that they came to ‘civilise’ India, but the reality was that they came to plunder its fabulous wealth and resources. The wealth of nations in the past, in the absence of the modern day convertible currency, was generally evaluated in terms of the minerals and metals a kingdom controlled. The stories of the richness of India in the past had reached far and wide and were so alluring that as soon as explorer expeditions were undertaken in the medieval times, their main aim was to discover a route to India. The fantastic stories about the wealth of India in the past are so mystifying that ancient India was often referred to as the Golden Bird. Arun Kumar Biswas who had earlier done the book on Minerals and Metals in Ancient India here takes a look at the gem-minerals in the pre-modern India. Gems are precious stones occurring along with other minerals below the surface of the earth. Biswas looks into the gems in the pre-modern India mainly under the following heads: (a) travelers'accounts of Indian gems; (b) the gem treasury of the Moguls; (c) some specific gem minerals such as pearl, coral, ruby and sapphire, etc.; (d) and the Indian diamond mines in the pre-modern era.
Sapphire and Ruby
Journal Article
NSW Department of Primary Industries (n.d.) Sapphire and Ruby. Industrial Mineral Opportunities in NSW, Geology Bulletin 33, 4 pp..
Record No. 2853 | RWHL
Australia has been the source of up to 70% of the world’s sapphires (Photograph 19), with New South Wales accounting for more than half of production. The Kings Plains deposits, northeast of Inverell, are arguably the richest single accumulation of gemquality sapphire ever mined (Figure 23). There is moderate to good potential for more commercial deposits of sapphire in the existing mining areas in the New England district and unknown, but probably limited potential, in other areas of Tertiary alkali basalt volcanism (Figure 23).
Christie’s Jewellery Review 1997
Book
Christie’s (n.d.) Christie’s Jewellery Review 1997. no city, Christie’s, 48 pp.
Record No. 2400 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
For a brief period, Christie’s produced summary volumes of the highlights they sold during the previous year. A great idea, but sadly abandoned after just a couple issures.
Rasaratna Samuccaya of Vagbhatacarya रसरत्नसमुच्चय
Book
Vagbhatacarya (ca. 1200–1300 CE) Rasaratna Samuccaya of Vagbhatacarya रसरत्नसमुच्चय. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass
Record No. 1754 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | Language: in Sanskri | RWHL
The Rasaratna Samuccaya (रसरत्नसमुच्चय) by Vāgbhaṭācārya is a classical Sanskrit text on Rasasastra (Indian alchemy and Ayurveda). It is believed to have been composed around the 13th–14th century CE. However, the exact date of its composition remains uncertain.
[Pamphlets on synthetic corundum]
Pamphlets on synthetic corundum
Book
R.S.A. Le Rubis S.A. (n.d.) [Pamphlets on synthetic corundum]. Paris, Promotion Industrie, pamphlet
Record No. 1454 | Sinkankas/Born No.: NIS/NIB | RWHL
Exploring the Literature of Corundum
Ruby and sapphire research spans mineralogy, gem deposits, identification, treatments, synthesis and the history of the gem trade. Older publications can also be useful for tracing terminology, early observations and accounts of mining localities. Publication dates and the original source should be considered when using historical descriptions.
For an introduction to collecting books on this subject, read Ruby & Sapphire Books: Collecting the Literature of Corundum.
About Four Treasures
Four Treasures is Lotus Gemology's freely accessible gemological reference database. Use the full database to search by author, title or keyword and explore literature on gemology, mineralogy, jewelry and related fields. Where available, hyperlinks on titles may lead directly to the full publication.