Gemstones

The author does a pretty good job of generally educating the reader about the more common gems on the market today. Photos are good and information is helpful. BUT, I would like to have seen more detailed information on how to spot fakes quickly and easily without carrying a whole laboratory on our backs. There are so many crooks out there passing off fakes, many from the very sources we should be able to trust.

This is a small book that can be carried in a purse or in a pocket, so it's definitely travel-sized. It is a very informative book, but the small size paired with the thickness of the book make it a little physically difficult to read it. I agree with the previous reviewer that the book itself is great, but the size is not so great.

For a book of this format and number of pages, covers amazing qty of infor on a large number of gemstones. Also includes very informative section on properties, currtting and polishing, real vs fake and a full page on resources for further reading and info. Pictures abound, color, high quality, beautiful. One of my favorite gem books.

The cover of "Gemstones" makes this a wonderful coffee table book. The book is filled with a color photo collection of cut and uncut stones, exquisite pieces of jewelry and exotic sculptures. Some photos show gems in their natural state and you will just be amazed at how they can be polished and cut to perfection. An introduction entices you into reading about how gem minerals form, then the author delves into gemstones in history, why they are called gemstones, crystal structure, reflection and refraction, color and then cutting and polishing. Some stones are given special attention. There are full pages for diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, opal, amethyst, citrine, agate, jasper, tourmaline, topaz, peridot, zircon, garnet, chrysoberyl, spinel, jade, turquoise, lapis lazuli, moonstone, and labradorite stones.Since attractive rocks and minerals have the potential for being any ornament, some softer materials are ideal for carving. There is a section that shows rare and curious gemstones I had never seen before. Who knew that fossilized wood could also be carved and polished. A two-page map shows where gem deposits are found. The country name is followed by the gems found in that region. A grandmother may wear the birthstones of her grandchildren all in one ring or mothers may wear a necklace. One of the most beautiful rings I have seen had a diamond, emerald, amethyst and ruby and it secretly spells out "dear." I am in love with Moonstones for some reason. The clear ones are so amazing and can be worn as a necklace. They are said to be bits of moonbeams.Here is a wonderful quote about Gemstones:The rational person accepts that sapphire, September's birthstone, is an aluminum oxide crystal colored by traces of iron, titanium, vanadium, or chrome. But peering into the gem, you can just as well imagine, as did the ancient Persians, that it is a chip off the precious pedestal on which the earth balances, whose dancing reflections create the multifarious colors of the sky. They command your gaze. They escort you into the depths and facets of their crystalline and ordered universe. Gems-to-be are spewed from volcanoes and tossed up by ocean waves. Or they rest quietly in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock, waiting to be unleashed by water, wind, or the pickax of a miner. -Suzanne Winckler This book might encourage greed. I only want one of each! Is that too much to ask for? ;)

In this book is explained the different kinds of stones, how they are cut, where to find them, collections, etc. A great book for a beginner to learn more about gemstones. Includes a beautiful pictures. Recommended!