Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide: How to Buy Diamonds, Colored Gemstones, Pearls, Gold & Jewelry with Confidence and Knowledge

Didn't realize how huge this book was. Very detailed on many topics on many types of Jewelry in history. Not exactly what I was looking for but makes a very pretty table decor for jewelry lover and I'm sure everyone will learn something from it.

One thing that retail jewelers count on is that the public is unwilling to do its homework. And if you've got tens of thousands of dollars to spend and don't much care where it goes, don't buy this book (but feel free to send me some of that money). On the other hand, if you're like most of us, you want to get the best value for your money, and this book will definitely help by giving great tips when buying diamonds and other gems.Not only that, this book can give you some creative ideas. Looking for something beyond the cheap "frozen spit" diamonds that are being sold all over these days? For the same money, you can buy a colored stone or cultured pearl that will look better and be a better value. Want a nice, bright green stone but haven't got $10k for an emerald? This book can give some affordable alternatives, like maybe a tsavorite.This is a tremendous resource, written in an easy-to-understand style, and organized in a way that makes referring to it inviting.

This is an excellent book that will teach you virtually everything you need to know about buying gemstones. Unfortunately the world isn't a perfect place and there are unscrupulous people that will try to sell you gems that are treated, or outright fake. Don't let this happen to you!Buy this book and learn what you need to know to protect yourself. The book starts off with getting to know gems, how to use a loupe, and why the cut of a stone is important.It has several chapters on Diamonds and will teach you how to judge a good cut, what color is and how to judge it, clarity and various imperfection, weighting and most importantly how to spot fraud and avoid misrepresentation.If this was all the book did it would still be worth the money. But the book goes on to teach you about colored gemstones. This section teaches you how to determine the value in colored gems, the various synthetic and treated colored stones, how to judge peals and finally how to avoid fraud and misrepresentation with colored gemstones.Finally the book tells you the stuff you need to know when buying, from what to ask the seller, to finding a reputable jewelry and choosing an insurer and appaiser.This book can save you many times the cost of it on your first gemstone purchase.All in all this is a MUST HAVE BOOK for the gemstone buyer.

I bought this book after reading another review, and it was one of the smartest things I've ever done. I love jewelry, but after reading this book, I'm now much smarter about what I'm doing and I'll never buy jewelry again the way I used to go about it! I was recently ripped off, but now I now know what to aak, what to get in writing, and where and how to confirm the facts!In short, how to avoid ever being ripped off again. I also have a much better idea of what the price should be (thanks to the excellent price guides). It is also filled with great tips to help you get the stone YOU want rather than what the saleperson thinks you should buy, and wonderful design ideas too. And there is also great info on stuff like gold (for example, did you know that white gold has nickel in it, which some people are allergic to!). I also learned how to take care of my jewelry, especially pearls, which jewelers seem to know nothing about. In fact, I've just ordered "The Pearl Book" by one of the authors of this book. I never knew there was so much to know, or how many choices were available to me. Now I do, and I can't thank the authors enough for the great service this book provides for people like me who love it all--diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry of all kinds.

I was about to go buy a millennium gift for my wife when I read in the New York Times Sunday business section about two weeks ago, an article about gemstone treatments. In it, the journalist mentioned a book titled "Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide" and its author was quoted throughout the article, and was clearly someone in the consumer's corner. The article made me realize I needed to know more, so I went to look for this book, as well as others. It didn't take long to realize that none of the other books could begin to compare to this one in terms of thoroughness, candidness, and relevant, practical advice. It is also extremely well organized, so that it is easy to find the information you need, and very easy (and fascinating) to read. I never knew there were so many ways an unsuspecting consumer could make a mistake when it comes to buying jewelry, but after reading this book (I even took it with me to refer to it as I shopped) I really found the confidence I lacked, and the perfect gift. Thank you New York Times for making me aware of the treatments, but more than that, for making me aware of this book!