Appealing to everyday "rockhounds" and world-class mineral collectors alike, this title is the first guide on the market to include values and lapidary (cutting and polishing rocks and gemstones for jewelry). Unlike the dry and clinical books often found on the subject, author Patti Polk explains with concise, easy-to-understand descriptions with interesting supplementary information (granite is typically used for gravestones and garnet for sandpaper). In addition, the book is organized by visual characteristics in a user-friendly format.