"This celebrated encyclopedic work, by far the most thorough and complete up to date, easily surpasses Bacci, Marbod and Leonardus in quantity and quality of information; it is further distinguished by its intimate knowledge of the art of the lapidary and must therefore be regarded as the first treatise to offer more than the briefest of views on gem cutting. De Boodt assembled virtually all of the knowledge then extant, making this first edition an impressive work by any standard..." (Sinkankas)