In April this year, the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society, along with the Gemological Institute of America, hosted the fourth annual John Sinkankas Symposium. Sinkankas (1915–2002), a renowned mineral collector, gemologist, and author of many works, including Mineralogy for Amateurs, three volumes of Gemstones of North America, and Gem Cutting: A Lapidary's Manual, is remembered by these annual gatherings.
The sold-out event brought gem and mineral experts, master cutters, and gem and jewelry photographers and writers together for a day of insightful lectures about phenomenal stones. Topics included chatoyancy, asterism, adularescence, change-of-color, and play-of-color. Photographing, collecting, cutting, and evaluating phenomenal gemstones also were discussed.
There to share their wisdom were noted gem experts Si Frazier; Dr. George Rossman, professor of mineralogy, California In