Both a reference book and an exhibition catalog, Gems unveils the fascinating world of minerals and gems through a dialogue between the prestigious collections of the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle in Paris and the great French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. The Muséum national d’histoire naturelle in Paris welcomes the exhibition Gems from March 31, 2020–January 30, 2021.

This beautifully illustrated volume brings together an international team of mineralogists, scientists, and specialists in natural history and in the history of jewelry, under the editorial direction of François Farges, to explore the diversity of the mineral universe through an exceptional selection of geological