Jeffrey E. Post presents The Hope Diamond and Smithsonian National Gem Collection

When
05 Feb 2019
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location
Sheraton, 5151 E Grant Rd. (& Rosemont), Tucson AZ 85712
Registered
59 registrants

Registration

(depends on selected options)

Base fee:

Guest Dinner – $33.00
Non-members RSVP here. Registration requires online prepayment via credit card. The reservation process will not be complete without prepayment.

Please cancel by 11 a.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting, if you are unable to attend - no shows and late cancellations will result in the forfeiture of their payment, if AGS is unable to sell your dinner.
Member Dinner – $30.00
Members RSVP here. Registration requires online prepayment via credit card. The reservation process will no be complete without prepayment.

Please cancel by 11 a.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting, if you are unable to attend - no shows and late cancellations will result in the forfeiture of their payment, if AGS is unable to sell your dinner.
Student Member Dinner
Free to Student members thanks to Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. Full-time students may join online free - click "Join or Renew"

Please cancel by 11 a.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting, if you are unable to attend - no shows and late cancellations will be invoiced, if AGS is unable to sell your dinner.

Sponsored by: Fine Mineral Show

The Hope Diamond and Smithsonian National Gem Collection

by Dr. Jeffrey E. Post, Smithsonian Institution, Curator of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection

Abstract: The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous gemstone in the world. It is familiar to most people because of its fascinating human history which includes kings and thieves and perhaps a curse or two, but it is also a rare blue diamond, the largest and finest of its kind known. Despite its long history in the public eye, the diamond still prompts many questions. The United States National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian Institution is also well-known for its many other world-class gems and jewelry pieces such as Polly Logan’s 423 carat sapphire, the historic Napoleon Diamond Necklace and Blue heart Diamond, and the spectacular Carmen Lúcia Ruby. This beautifully illustrated talk by the Curator-in-charge, Dr. Jeffrey Post, will explore the science and lore behind some of the famous and lesser known gems in the National Collection, as well as highlight some exciting recent additions to the collection.

Bio: Dr. Jeffrey Edward Post, a native of Wisconsin, received Bachelor of Science degrees in geology and chemistry from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville, and his Ph.D. in chemistry, with a specialty in geochemistry, from Arizona State University. Prior to joining the Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution in 1984, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for three years in the Department of Geological Sciences at Harvard University. He is currently Chairman of the Department of Mineral Sciences, and since 1991 has served as Curator of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection. Dr. Post served as the lead Curator for the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals that opened in 1997.

His areas of research interest include mineralogy, gemology, geochemistry, crystallography, and electron microscopy. He has published more than 100 scientific articles in these fields. He is the author of The National Gem Collection.

Contest

The first person to correctly identify the gemstones in Jeff Post's photo will win a free dinner at the next AGS meeting they attend. Send you guesses to Karen Wenrich at crystalunlimited@aol.com by 8:00 PM on February 4, 2019. The winner will be announced at the dinner meeting.