description George Frederick Kunz Overview
George Frederick Kunz was an American mineralogist and gemologist who served as a vice president and chief gemologist for Tiffany & Co. in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He became internationally recognized for his expertise in identifying and appraising precious stones, significantly expanding the company's collection of colored gems. In 1902, the pink variety of spodumene was named kunzite in his honor.
Kunz was also a prolific author and a founding member of the New York Mineralogical Club.
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Who was George Frederick Kunz?
George Frederick Kunz was an American mineralogist and gemologist who lived from 1856 to 1932. He became vice president and chief gemologist at Tiffany & Co.
What is kunzite named after George Frederick Kunz?
Kunzite is a pink to lilac variety of spodumene named in honor of Kunz. Tiffany's own historical material connects Kunz with the stone's identification in 1902.
What did Kunz do with the Tiffany Diamond?
Kunz supervised the cutting of the 287.42-carat rough Tiffany Diamond into a 128.54-carat finished gem. The resulting cushion-shaped diamond has 82 facets.
Which museums and books are associated with George Frederick Kunz?
Kunz helped build important gem and mineral collections and prepared a North American gemstone collection for the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris. He also co-authored The Book of the Pearl with Charles Hugh Stevenson.
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