ABSTRACT
Students of gemmology often find their first encounter with the subject of crystallography to be rather daunting, even though only a superficial knowledge of the subject is required for vocational purposes. Sadly, many students simply learn by rote the dry bones of the subject sufficient to pass an examination. However, an understanding of the basics of crystallography is as important a tool to the study of gemstones as mathematics is to engineering. In this chapter, emphasis will be placed on the practical aspects of crystallography as a means of fleshing out the dry bones of the subject.
