Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
DR. KURT NASSAU AGE: 83 LEBANON, NJ Dr. Kurt Nassau, 83, died December 18, 2010. Born in Austria in 1927, he was able to escape to England before the Nazi occupation of that country. Dr. Nassau attended grammar school and university in England before coming to the United States. He served in the army as a medical researcher at Walter Reed hospital, and then earned a Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Nassau joined Bell Laboratories in 1959 where he earned a world wide reputation for his research in crystal growth and structure. He also became a leading expert in the fields of colors in crystals and in mineralogy. He published over 450 articles in peer reviewed journals and held 17 patents. Because of his expertise in color, he was invited to be a member of the committee to redesign the currency in 1991-2. Dr Nassau wrote eight books, covering topics such as crystal growth and color in crystals. One book was devoted exclusively to the topic of color. He also authored the chapter on color for the Encyclopedia Britannica. Dr. Nassau is predeceased by his wife, Julia.
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:33 am Posts: 840 Location: Mars PA
When I was a teenager and still living in New Jersey I would go to a local mineral club to listen to the speakers. I will never forget Dr. Nassau's presentation. His knowledge and enthusiasm was overwhelming. He showed one of the most beautiful sights I have every seen. It was a long pulled mass of pure scheelite and when he put the black light, short wave ultraviolet, on it, it glowed with a pastel blue aura that was ethereal. He certainly help keep my interest in gems and minerals alive.
I'm currently going through the book he wrote about gemstone enhancement, and I can say he's been making a great contribution to our community through his invested researches and knowledgeable writings. A great chemist and mineralogist he is, and he's been making his passion live.
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:46 pm Posts: 36 Location: HNL, BKK, MADA
I just saw this thread.
I have a few signed copies of Dr. Nassau's books, and they are on the shelf reserved for sacred gemological books. They are passed down from my grandfather who was a friend and a contributor to his work. It is sad to hear he has passed, but he lives on in his publishings and in all those who learned from Dr. Nassau's work.
Just saw this thread... and I was amazed to know that he just died recently.
I remember many a day as a kid curled up with a copy of Gems Made by Man, borrowed from the local public library. I daydreamed of the time I'd have my own RF heating equipment and some platinum crucibles!
Sad to hear he passed. His book had a profound impact on me during my formative years. I'm going to have to see if I can buy a copy to add to my library.
-Allan
_________________ Allan Aoyama http://www.omnifaceter.net <- Omnifaceter is back online!
I came to Bell Labs in 1961 working in the area of Crystal Growth. I knew Kurt very well since we both worked in the same department under Robert A. Laudise. Bell Labs at that time, setup competing groups in the area of Crystal Growth. I worked for L.G. Van Uitert and grew single crystals from Platinum and Iridium Crucibles heated by an RF Generator. Kurt and Alvin Broyer (his technician) did similar work (research) using identical equipment. From those years 1962-1966 came a variety of Lasers, made from single crystals containing small amounts of rare earth elements. I lost track of Kurt as our careers took different paths. I left Bell Labs in 1994. Rest in Peace Kurt, you were a great colleague. Jerry Rubin, Summit, NJ.
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