Kunz, George Frederick, 1856-1932

American mineralogist and gem expert, Vice-President of Tiffany & Co. (1879- ), U.S. Geological Survey special agent (1883-1909), President of the New York Mineralogical Club.

George Frederick Kunz, A.M., Ph.D., Sc.D, (1856-1932), was an American mineralogist and gem expert. Beginning his career in Colorado, he worked primarily on the East Coast. During his career, he served as Vice-President of Tiffany & Co. (1879-), U.S. Geological Survey special agent (1883-1904), President of the New York Mineralogical Club, and honorary curator, Department of Precious Stones, American Museum of Natural History, New York City. The mineral kunzite is named after him. He published several books and numerous articles on mineralogy and dozens of reports for the U.S. Geological Survey.

George Frederick Kunz (1856-1932), a mineralogist and author, was the best known specialist of gems in the United States. He searched for and collected specimens, donating these collections to colleges and other institutions of learning. He was a gem expert for Tiffany & Co. in New York. He wrote several books and articles on gems and minerals.

George Frederick Kunz, A.M., Ph. D., Sc. D, (1856-1932), was an American mineralogist and gem expert. Beginning his career in Colorado, he worked primarily on the East Coast. During his career, he served as Vice-President of Tiffany & Co. (1879- ), U.S. Geological Survey special agent (1883-1904), President of the New York Mineralogical Club, and honorary curator, Department of Precious Stones, American Museum of Natural History, New York City. The mineral kunzite is named after him. He published several books and numerous articles on mineralogy and dozens of reports for the U.S. Geological Survey.

George Frederick Kunz, mineralogist and author, served for many years as a gem expert at Tiffany and Co., the New York jewelers. Kunz wrote numerous books and articles on gems and coins, traveled widely, maintained an active business correspondence with members of the American and international diplomatic corps, and served as an adviser to various governmental agencies. He was a research curator of precious stones at the American Museum of Natural History and founded the American Museum of Peaceful Arts (later the Museum of Science and Industry).

George Frederick Kunz (1856-1932) was an authority on gems and the author of books and articles on gems, minerals, folklore and antiquities. He was active in campaigns to save and extend the parks in New York City.

Gemologist and geologist.

Mineralogist, from New York (N.Y.).

Epithet: President of the Joan of Arc Statue Committee New York

Gem expert.

Columbia University A.M., 1898 Hon.

George Frederick Kunz (1856-1932) was an authority on gems and the author of books and articles on gems, minerals, folklore and antiquities.

He was active in campaigns to save and extend the parks in New York City.

George Frederick Kunz (1856-1932) was an American mineralogist and gemologist. He was Vice-President of Tiffany's, member and officer of numerous scientific societies, and author of books and articles on gems.

Kunz was born in New York City on September 29, 1856 and attended Cooper Union schools, though he did not graduate. He continued to educate himself through reading and field work and landed a position with Tiffany & Co., the American jewelry and silverware company, eventually rising to Vice President of the company at the age of only 23. He also led the development of the US mining and mineralogical exhibits at the international expositions in Paris (1889 and 1900), Chicago (1893), Atlanta (1895), and St. Louis (1904).

Kunz wrote numerous books and articles on precious stones, gems and jewelry (the Gemological Institute's recent Kunz bibliography runs to 26 pages), including a series entitled Natal Stones, Sentiments, and Superstitions connected with Precious Stones, printed each year to be given as gifts to customers of Tiffany & Co. Many of Kunz's books are now in the public domain and available online.

Kunz was the founder and president of the Museum of the Peaceful Arts in 1913, a special agent for the US Geological Survey (1883–1909), a research curator at the Museum of Natural History in New York City and assembler of its Morgan-Tiffany gem collection, and an important force behind the establishment of the international carat as a unit of measure for precious gems. He was a member and/or officer of many science-related New York clubs including the Circumnavigators Club, Mineral Club, Academy of Science, Bird and Tree Club, Institute of Mining Engineers, and the American Metric Association. Social or fraternal organizations to which he belonged include the American Scenic and Historic Society for Preservation, New York Society Order of Founders, Patriots of America, and the Empire State Society of Sons of the American Revolution.

Kunz received several honorary degrees, including an MA from Columbia (1898), PhD from the University of Marbury (1903), and D. Sc. from Knox (1907). He was an officer of the Legion of Honor, Knight Order of St. Olaf, The Rising Sun, and an Officer d'Instruction Publique. He also had an honorary membership in the Chambre Syndicale Pierres Precieuses.

In 1879 he married Sophie Henforth, with whom he had two children; after her death in 1912 he married Opal Logan Gibson.