The University of Delaware community and the general public are invited to a talk by Sharon Fitzgerald, curator of the Mineralogical Museum, on the current exhibition “Gemstones: Aquamarine to Zircon” from 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the Mineralogical Museum.

Today, the 19th-century idea that diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald are the “precious” stones no longer stands. The exhibition of gemstones in Penny Hall is from the collection of Herb and Monika Obodda and illustrates a breadth of color and beauty beyond the familiar four. 

There are approximately 5,000 minerals known, of which about 75-100 are used as gemstones, a term generally used for a mineral which is especially attractive, particularly in color. 

One challenge for the admirer or buyer of gemstones is sorting out the various names that have been given by jewelers, online shopping networks and gemstone guides. Diamond is one of the few gemstones known by the same name as the mineral. 

Other minerals have been given varietal gemstone names, often based on color. Few people realize that the red gem variety of corundum is called ruby and all the other colors of gem corundum are called sapphire. 

Special Collections and University Museums

The recent merger of Special Collections with the University Museums brought into the collection works of American art of the 20th century (especially prints, photographs and work by African American artists), European prints, Inuit art, Pre-Columbian art and minerals. 

Subject strengths of Special Collections of UD include history and Delawareana, political papers, science and technology, art, and literature, represented in books, manuscripts, archival collections, electronic materials, maps, prints and photographs from the 15th century to the present. Political papers, family papers to ships’ logs are among the primary source material. The recently gifted Mark Samuels Lasner Collection greatly enhances the collection’s strengths in British Literature of the 19th and early 20th century. 

For an introduction to the range of holdings, browse exhibitions at this website and finding aids for unpublished materials at this site. 

Exhibitions are offered in the Special Collections Gallery in the Morris Library, Old College Gallery, Mechanical Hall Gallery and in the Mineralogical Museum in Penny Hall. All exhibitions and accompanying programs are offered to the UD community and general public without charge. 

Collaborative initiatives and programming with students, faculty and departments across campus foster diversity and enhance interdisciplinary research and teaching.