Gemstones of the World

The newly expanded, revised third edition of a classic gemstone reference is a top pick for jewelry makers, rockhounds, and any fascinated by gems: it offers up new insights on collectibility, provides new 'double fraction' figures that experts have wanted, and provides over a thousand color photos profiling each precious and semiprecious stone in its rough, natural and polished versions. Chapters cover geology and working with gemstones alike, making it an excellent all-around reference and a top pick for both geology and crafts libraries. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

From my title I guess you get the drift that this is THE gemstone resource book that everyone needs...I passed my older version on to a friend before noticing that the publish date for this one had been extended and I have never been so lost! This book's small format lends itself to tucking in a briefcase, purse, backpack, whatever...it is indispensable at Gem or Jewelry Shows! I have yet to look up a stone that is too obscure to be included and the revised version has even more indepth listings of Rare/Collector stones. The photos are a true representation and usually include rough, cab and facet examples. Along with the basics: Structure, Refractive Index, Color, etc...Schumann includes a brief history and lore of the gem as well as locations of current mines. This is as accurate a resource as you will find for an industry that is literally changing as I write this.

This book is a wonderful reference for anyone that has in interest in gemstones or geology. The book has three main parts. The first is an introduction into the terminology that is used in the gemology industry. I found this section to be very inclusive and easy to understand. This section covers everything from the types of crystal structures to cutting techniques and density. This is a great section for those that are new in the world of gemology and would like a more in depth explanation of gemstones. The next major section deals with well known gemstones. Every stone you can think of from diamond to emerald is covered in this section. The section is reserved for stones that most everyone has heard of and are readily available at any store. This section is layed out in a field guide type format as opposed to an in depth paragraph discussion. Each stone has a description of its characteristics and colored photos of multiple examples. The photos are beautifully done with several different examples of each stone shown. The final section is reserverd form more uncommon gemstones. This section will be sure to surprise you. For example petrified wood is shown as a more uncommon gemstone. Even the most experienced gemologist will learn something new in this section..The pictures and layout of this section are the same as in the previous section. I highly recommend this book to people with an interest in geology or gemology. This book is not a book that is best read cover to cover. It is better used as a reference because of its layout and abundance of information. No matter what you use it for you will be fascinated with the information and captivated by the photography. A wonderful book that will keep you entertained for hours.

This book should be in everyone's library. There is something here for everyone--from kids who collect rocks (because that's what kids do), to the serious gemstone collector. In fact, any nature lover would thoroughly enjoy this book for its stunning color photos. From Diamonds to Pearls and everything in between, Schumann's revised and updated reference provides a wealth of information for every level of interest.

Even as a jeweler I can't remember everything, so when I go to gem shows to buy my stones this book is my pocket bible which keeps me from getting cheated! Even if you aren't a jewelry professional, if you are buying stones online, at gem shows, or from your local jeweler, you can learn more about the stones you want, and learn more about the stones that are available (don't you get tired of always seeing ruby-sapphire-emerald?). I advise all my clients who are serious stone shoppers to buy this book, to become familiar with stones and minerals in general, and to start asking questions about the durability, hardness and practicality of the stones they buy for their custom jewelry. It has beautiful photos too!