George Frederick Kunz

George Frederick Kunz (1856–1932) was an American mineralogist and gem expert who left school at fourteen and taught himself the subject by collecting minerals around New York City. Hired by Tiffany and Company at twenty-three, he was its vice president and chief gem expert for more than half a century, assembled the gem collections of the American Museum of Natural History and the Morgan Library, and had the pink variety of spodumene named kunzite in his honor. His books, including The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, The Magic of Jewels and Charms and Rings for the Finger, gathered the folklore and history of gems for general readers.