Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald Buying Guide: ThIrd Edition
How to evaluate, Identify, Select & Care For these gemstones
Straight
Talk on Buying Gems
Written for professionals and serious gem buyers, this book discusses in detail how color, shape, cut, clarity, transparency, treatments and geographic origin affect the value of rubies, sapphires and emeralds. This full-color guide also explains how to document and care for these gems and how to distinguish imitation and synthetic stones from those that are real and natural. Each concept is illustrated with either close-up photos or line drawings.
This 3rd edition has 173 new photos, 16 new tables, two new chapters and expanded chapters on ruby & sapphire treatments and clarity grading. Overall, it updates gem professionals on new jewelry styles, grading systems, treatments and geographic sources of rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
by Renée Newman
ISBN 9780929975412 / 6" x 9" (18 x 23 cm) / 187 pages
280 photos (267 in color) plus diagrams and tables
International Jewelry Publications / $19.95 / Paperback
Currently out of print, but copies are still available at JTV and HS Walsh.
Click to buy from JTV (Jewelry Television)
Click to Buy from HS Walsh.com
Reviews
"The best produced book on gemstones I have yet seen in this price range (how is it done?) This is the book for anyone who buys, sells or studies gemstones and also for the casual reader. Such a reader may begin a lifelong friendship with gemstones, and for an author to have achieved this is a rare prize. This style of book (and similar ones by the same author) is the only one I know which introduces actual trade conditions and successfully combines a good deal of gemology with them. Especially good are remarks on the influence of local lighting conditions – hardly ever mentioned elsewhere but profoundly affecting display and sales: color, taste, and preference are considered too and the purpose and effect of different cutting styles. As well as all this are all the details any gemologist would want. Last of all, the pictures are very good, and no Internet reproductions have achieved this quality so far. Buy it, read it and keep it."
Journal of Gemmology, Michael O'Donoghue
"A useful resource for both the experienced gemologist as well as the serious collector . . . The book simplifies terms and explains concepts like cut, color treatments and lab reports clearly. The photographs, particularly in the sections of judging color, treatments, and clarity, are clear and true to life. The sections on enhancements as well as the section on natural characteristics are always convenient to have on hand for comparison and could be considered a pocket version of The Photo Atlas. All of the charts are clear and easily found and the book is well organized for quick reference. It is a handy, well organized and factually correct compilation of information with photographs that one will find themselves referencing on a regular basis."
Kindra Lovejoy, GG, The Jewelry Appraiser
"Solid, informative, and comprehensive...dissects each aspect of ruby and sapphire value in detail...a wealth of grading information...No doubt it can fill a niche as a basic training tool for jewelry firms that would like to expand their horizons in the colored stone marketplace...a definite thumbs up. There is something here for everyone."
Jeweler’s Circular Keystone, C.R. Beesley, President, American
Gemological Laboratories,
"Enjoyable reading...Newman continues her tradition of user-friendly texts that are technical enough to help consumers make wise purchases. Like her other well-regarded guides, this book is profusely illustrated with color photographs showing not only the beauty of finished jewelry but close-ups and magnifications of details such as finish, cut, clarity, flaws, and fakes. Sections on testing and judging the real from the fake are sophisticated enough for professionals to use. Highly recommended for both academic and public libraries of all sizes."
Library Journal
"An up-to-date, illustrated, reliable guide on how to purchase a ruby, sapphire or emerald. Reader’s familiar with this author’s successful format will not be disappointed with this book. Of particular value are chapters devoted to the assessment of colour and clarity of ruby, sapphire and emerald, value enhancing treatments, synthetics and imitations, simple tests and observations the lay person can use to discriminate these coloured stones from their look-alikes, and useful information on the desirable features of star ruby and sapphire. The accuracy and clarity of this guide’s information sets a standard to be emulated. "
Australian Gemmologist
"Considering the frequent lack of technical training given to sales-people, this book fills a much-needed void. Newman does an excellent job teaching privates how to judge the color of a gemstone, about the effect of lighting on a gemstone’s appearance and how to care for gemstones and jewelry
What impresses me most about Newman is theat she presents both sides of the disagreements in the trade concerning what contributes to a fine gemstone...The vast majority of the gem photographs presented in this book , especially the inclusion photographs, are worth its price many times over.
I recommend this book as an excellent primer. Jewelers who want to educate their clients or consumers who want to educate themselves will find it to be an informative starting point. This publication can also be useful in training salespeople in the proper way to market colored gemstones."
Rapaport
"Can a book capture the romance and beauty of gemstones while offering practical information on how to make the right buying decision? If the gemstones we’re referring to are rubies sapphires and emeralds, then this book does a terrific job of achieving both.
This buying guide discusses several value factors, with separate chapters on color, plus combined chapters on shape/cut, carat weight, and clarity/transparency. Each factor is explained using numerous photographs, charts, and line drawings. Also covered in these chapters are grading systems, characteristics of stones by origin, and a discussion of how different types of lighting can affect ruby color. Additional chapters cover simulants, synthetics, treatments, care, and cleaning, as well as star ruby and sapphire.
The Buying Guide does an excellent job of showing consumers how different grading factors affect beauty and value...Newman has created an extremely helpful reference guide and product knowledge manual. It should be on the shelf of every jeweler whose customers want to know more–often much more–than "How much does it cost?"
Gems & Gemology
"Well written – not so technical that you would need a dictionary to understand what is written and, most important, the information is pertinent to anyone who wants to buy and sell colored gemstones. I have recommended this book to all my students and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone interested in colored gemstones. Well done!"
H. B. Leith, teacher, gemologist, master goldsmith
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