George Frederick Kunz was one of the most important gemologists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born in New York City on the 29th September 1856. Although he studied science, he never completed his course and instead was self-taught in mineralogy by reading many books and organising his own field research.
- Name: George Frederick Kunz
- Date of Birth: 29th September 1856
- Country of Birth: New York City, United States of America
- Date of Death: 29th June 1932 (age 75)
By his late teens, he had already amassed over 4,000 mineral specimens. He made many expeditions looking for different specimens that he would then take around colleges and universities for them to use when studying. While working on his expeditions, he became friends with many influential people in the world of gemology. At the age of just 23, his incredible knowledge of gemstones and enthusiasm saw him appointed to the board at Tiffany & Co, a job which at the time was regarded as the highest accolade in the gem world.
Kunz discovered Morganite in 1910, which he named after his company’s financier, John Pierpont Morgan. In 1902, he made perhaps his best-known find, Kunzite. The vibrant pink jewel was named after Kunz himself, a fitting legacy for this legendary gem hunter who remains, until this very day, one of the most famous and important mineral specialists of all time.
KUNZITE
MORGANITE
