The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones: A Complete Guide to Appraising and Using Precious Stones From Cut and Color to Shape and Settings,   ISBN:9781554071661

Customer Rating: 

The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones is a gem in it's own right.
The information, color photos and extensive description of the gemstones
is a true historic and professional guide.
Each gemstone is presented with a history, scientific background and
value that makes understanding the stone easy without being too boring.
This book is a great read for collectors, jewelers and the average
person interested gem knowledge.

Customer Rating: 

This is a GREAT resource for people who design jewelry and want to know stone origins and properties. I design and sell jewelry and many of my clients ask questions about the stones.....this helps give me the history people are asking about, as well as idiocyncracies of each type. VERY interesting for me as well as my clients! I wish there were even MORE stones included with this information.......but it does cover the basics.... GREAT BOOK! easy to read and understand.......

Customer Rating: 

Boy do I wish that the "Search Inside the Book" included the foreword by the author. This book is for JEWELRY MAKERS AND DESIGNERS, not for serious gem dealers or purchasers/appraisers. Little information on how to accurately class stones. There are great tips for those USING the gemstones and what to expect (conchoidal fracture of some stones, cutting recommendations, choosing the right materials). The gemstone family tree is minimal (IMHO). I guess I was hoping for a book with information on how to accurately use a loupe to discern internal details and quality than what this book provided. It was definitely too basic for me - probably since I have a geology/mineralogy background. Perhaps I should take the classes from GIA in order to be able to do what I really want with gemstones (even semi-precious gemstones) than what I can learn from a book. I will try out a couple more books to see what works best for me and then seriously considered taking a formal class. I am still considering sending this book back, or just keep it for general info. Anyway, if I had the appropriate knowledge on gemstones, it can only help me (and others) to purchase stones that are what sellers state and to be able to more fully understand the internal structure when using stones in my own work (whether natural - direct from seller; or if I cut them myself). My background in mineralogy is a help, but gemstones require a better eye and knowledge than the basic to graduate level mineralogy courses in my cache of knowledge.

This book is truly for the general jewelry designer and maker as stated in the forward. Do not get this book if you want more information than the basics. I do want to say that many of the images are spectacular, as well as some of the jewelry designs, and that is a plus. Maybe I should really give it 3 stars due to that. But pretty colored pictures do not provide the information I was looking for in a book on this subject.

Customer Rating: 

I'm in to bead work and wanted to know more about gemstones
Great book. good price. Has all the info I was looking for. great photo too.

Customer Rating: 

If you''ve always wanted to learn more about gems--including more obscure ones--then this is the book to buy. The photos are fantastic, the information very detailed, but easy to understand, and very self-explanatory. All-in-all, definitely a book worth reading.