Partial Contents: Getting to Know Gems; Diamonds; Colored Gemstones; Important Advice Before You Buy, and more. Appendixes: Selected List of Gem Identification Labs, National plus State Jewelry Associations. Index. 9 full-color plates. 100+ black and white illustrations.
Newly updated and expanded, this full-color guide gives you all the information you need to buy, collect and sell diamonds with confidence and knowledge. Includes an in-depth look at factors affecting quality and cost, diamond grading reports, and ways to protect yourself from frauds and fakes. Practical, comprehensive and easy to understand.
This is the first and only book that explains in non-technical terms how to use pocket, portable and laboratory instruments to identify diamonds and coloured gems and to separate them from imitations and 'look-alikes'.
The Definitive Buying Guide: How to Select, Buy, Care for & Enjoy Pearls - 3rd Edition
Everything you need to buy beautiful pearls with confidence. With today’s finest cultured pearls rivaling diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire in terms of popularity, rarity and price, more and more people are searching for a reliable source of information to guide them in the fascinating and complex world of pearls―natural, cultured and imitation. This revised and updated third edition is a comprehensive, authoritative guide that tells readers everything they need to know about pearls to fully understand and appreciate them, and avoid any unexpected―and costly―disappointments, now and in future generations. Special Exclusive interviews with the world’s leading authorities on pearls, who offer "insider" insights and advice. Selected Contents