George Frederick Kunz (September 29, 1856 – June 29, 1932) was an American mineralogist. September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Mineralogy is an earth science that involves the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals. ...

Overview

Kunz was born in New York City, USA, and began an interest in minerals at a very young age. By his teens, he had amassed a collection of over four thousand items, which he sold for four hundred dollars to the University of Minnesota. Kunz attended Cooper Union but did not finish and did not attend college. Nonetheless, he taught himself mineralogy from books and field research. This expertise landed him a job with Tiffany & Co., and his knowledge and enthusiasm propelled him into a vice presidency by the time he was 23. Nickname: Big Apple; City that never Sleeps; Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Manhattan Queens Brooklyn Staten Island Settled 1613 Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... Washington Avenue Bridge at night The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, almost always abbreviated U of M, and sometimes referred to as The U by locals, is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. ... The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a privately funded college in Lower Manhattan of New York City. ... The outside of a Tiffany & Co. ...

He gained much notoriety for identifying a new mineral which was named "Kunzite" in his honor.

He headed up the US mining and mineralogical exhibits at the international expositions in Paris (1889), Chicago (1893), Atlanta (1895), Paris (1900), and St. Louis (1904). As a gentleman scientist, he was a member of the Mineralogical Society of America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, New York Academy of Sciences (of which he was once a vice president), the New York Mineralogical Club, the American Scenic and Preservation Society (for which he served as president), the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers (of which he was once a vice president), and many other cultural, scientific, and naturalist organizations. He was the founder and president of the Museums of the Peaceful Arts in 1913, special agent for the US Geological Survey (1883-1909), a research curator at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, and the leading advocate in the establishment of the international carat as a unit of measure for precious gems. He also assembled the Morgan-Tiffany collection of gems in the American Museum of Natural History. Kunz had an active life dedicated to science and public service. The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a Worlds Fair held in Paris, France from May 5, to October 31, 1889. ... One-third scale replica of Daniel Chester Frenchs Republic, which stood in the great basin at the exposition, Chicago, 2004 The Worlds Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago Worlds Fair), a Worlds Fair, was held in the U.S. city of Chicago in 1893, to celebrate... The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition was held at the current Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. ... The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a worlds fair held in Paris, France, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. ... Entrance to Creation Exhibit on the Pike Map of the St. ... A gentleman scientist was a scientist with a private income who could pursue scientific study independently as he wished without excessive external financial pressures, in the days before large-scale government funding was available, up to the Victorian era, especially in England. ... The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an organization that promotes cooperation between scientists, defends scientific freedom, encourages scientific responsibility and supports scientific education for the betterment of all humanity. ... New York Academy of Sciences is a society of some 20,000 scientists of all disciplines from 150 countries. ... The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a learned society (professional association) based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. ... The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) is a professional body for mining and metallurgy, with 90,000 members. ... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... The American Museum of Natural History is a landmark of Manhattans Upper West Side in New York, USA, at 79th Street and Central Park West. ... Meanings of carat or karat: In the gem business: Carat (mass) is a unit of mass for gems. ... The American Museum of Natural History is a landmark of Manhattans Upper West Side in New York, USA, at 79th Street and Central Park West. ...

Awards

He was given many honorary degrees from US and European universities. He wrote over 300 articles during his life.

Kunz married Sophia Hanforth in 1879, who died in 1912. In 1923, Kunz married Opal Logan Giberson but soon annulled the marriage. Nonetheless, Opal continued to maintain Kunz's household until his death, on June 29, 1932.

Reference

Biographical article on George Frederick Kunz, American Mineralogist 18 (1933), 91-94.

External links

• Shakespeare and Precious Stones, available freely at Project Gutenberg
• Kunz: the book of the pearl available online and in pdf downloads from the Gem and Diamond Foundation.
• Gems and precious stones of North America. Overview of all locations of famous gemstones such as emeralds, sapphire, rubies to rare ones such as hiddenite