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avoidboneloss.com

WELCOME to ReneeNewman.com

Besides providing details about my background and my books, this site offers consumer information on gems, jewelry, appraisers and other books. My goal is to provide consumers and jewelry professionals with unbiased, affordable information on how to buy, evaluate and appreciate gems and jewelry. But the consumer principles I stress in my gem books can also be applied to other subject areas such as health. In both cases, you should be informed, deal with competent professionals and get proper documentation.

My overall mission is to promote consumer issues, education and the arts. This has led me to expand my book topics to osteoporosis prevention. (See www.avoidboneloss.com)

What’s New with Newman?

An updated 6th Edition of the Pearl Buying Guide with 186 new photos and recent pearls and jewelry styles. Click here for more information.

and a new Third edition of the Gemstone Buying Guide with 323 new color photos and additional gem species and varieties. Click here for more information about the Third Edition of the Gemstone Buying Guide.

A new 4th Volume of Exotic Gems featuring jade and including a chapter on abalone pearls.

Click here for more information about Exotic Gems: Volume 4

An eBook version of the Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide: A traveler's guide to buying diamonds, colored gems, pearls, gold and platinum jewelry was released on Apple I books, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble Nook. It has updated information and many new photos.

Click here for more information about the book.

Upcoming Talks and Book signings:

Thursday, February 2nd, 9:00-10:AM: PowerPoint on "Detecting Jade Imitations and Treatments" together with Jeff Mason, President of Mason Kay in the Maricopa Room of the Tucson Convention Center.

Thursday, February 2nd, 10:30 AM: Book signing at the NAJA booth in the Tucson Convention Center

Monday March 9th, 7:30 PM: PowerPoint presentation on "21st Century Jade: Why It's Prized and How It's Tested & Valued." at the monthly meeting of the Culver City Rock & Mineral Club in Culver City at the Veteran's Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Ave. in the Multi Purpose room.

Saturday March 25th, 10:30 AM: PowerPoint entitled "Update on Pearl Types, Qualities, Source, Treatments and Jewelry Styles" for the Orange County Bead Society at the Bower's Museum Norma Kershaw Auditorium in Santa Ana, CA at 20h and Main Street.

Thursday April 7th, 3:00-4:00 PM: PowerPoint on "Testing Pearls and Creating Unique Pearl Jewelry with Colored Gems" together with designer Erica Courtney at the American Gem Society Conclave in Hollywood.

Thursday April 13th, 7:00 PM: PowerPoint presentation on "21st Century Jade: Why It's Prized and How It's Tested & Valued." for the Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society at the Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Museum, 123 W. Alvarado Street, Fallbrook CA 92028.

Tuesday, April 18th, 7:00-9:00 PM. PowerPoint entitled "Update on Pearl Types, Qualities, Sources, Treatments and Jewelry Styles" for the Northern California Bead Society at the Courtyard Marriott, 5555 Shellmound, Emeryville, CA.

Wednesday, May 10th, 6:30 PM PowerPoint entitled "Pearls: Types, Qualities, Sources, Treatments and Jewelry Styles" for the GIA Orange County Alumni Association at the El Niguel Country Club, 23700 Club House Dr,. Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.

Thursday May 18th, 7:00 PM PowerPoint presentation on "21st Century Jade: Why It's Prized and How It's Tested & Valued." at the monthly meeting of the Monrovia Rockhounds Group in Monrovia, CA at the United Methodist Church, 140 E Palm.

Wednesday June 21st, PowerPoint presentation at meeting of the JCOLA (Jewelry Collectors of Los Angeles) in Culver City at the Veteran's Memorial Building, 4117 Overland Ave in Multi Purpose room.

Monday, July 17th, 7:00 PM, PowerPoint entitled: "How Exotic Gems are Changing the Jewelry Industry" for the Women's Jewelry Association and GIA Alumni Association, Cincinnati, OH.

Sunday, October 8, 1-3PM, PowerPoint entitled "Pearls: Types, Qualities, Sources, Treatments and Jewelry Styles" for the Golden Gate GIA Alumni Association, San Francisco, CA.

Newman’s Nuggets on Buying Quality Jewelry

1. When selecting jewelry, ask jewelers to rate the quality of the craftsmanship and explain their rating. Jewelers that sell well-made jewelry like the opportunity to show why their mountings and settings are better than those of competitors. Their answers will help you learn to judge quality and select a competent jeweler.

2. Look at the back of the piece. If it looks smooth and cleanly finished, chances are it's well-constructed.

3. If there's a clasp, verify that it works. Try to open and close it by yourself a couple times. Listen for the click.

Then pull at the clasp gently to see if it comes apart or remains secure.

4. Check for rough and sharp edges by rubbing the piece lightly against your skin and clothing.

5. Select sturdy mountings for everyday rings and bracelets. Rings that are very thin and bracelets that can bend and dent do not last long. Platinum mountings can normally be thinner and more delicate than those made of gold and silver. This is because platinum is more dense and stronger than most gold and silver alloys.

6. Get a detailed receipt. The receipt should include:

* The identity and purity of the metal(s)

* The identity and shape of the stones

* The carat weight of any major stone and the total weight of any smaller stones of each gem type.

* The treatment status of the major stones---Are the color and clarity natural?

7. Check to see if there’s a karat stamp or fineness mark and a trademark on the piece. Even though these marks aren’t necessarily a guarantee that the metal content is as stamped, they’re an indication. If you ever decide to resell the piece later on, these marks would be important. To accurately compare prices you must know the gold, platinum or palladium content.

The trademark is a mark that indicates the manufacturer, importer or seller of an item. In the USA , trademarks must be registered with the Patent and Trademark Office. Any item that has a quality mark should have a registered trademark, which indicates that the manufacturer stands behind its quality mark. If you’d like information and photos on how to read and interpret metal quality marks, consult Newman’s newest book—Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Silver & Other Jewelry Metals.

Trademarks of The Newman Gem & Jewelry Series

Loaded with detailed info on how to judge gem and jewelry quality. Since jewelry stores normally don't describe the quality of colored gems, pearls or jewelry mountings, you must learn how to judge it yourself in order to get good buys and make wise choices. My books show you how.

Well illustrated. The main points are explained with color photos and diagrams, which are linked to the text. It’s time-consuming and costly to do this, but readers appreciate the numerous high-quality illustrations showing gems unmounted as well as set in attractive jewelry with and without magnification.

Written in clear English without a lot of trade jargon and euphemisms. Cracks are called cracks or fractures, not "feathers." Fracture filling and laser drilling treatments are identified as such, rather than just referred to as clarity enhancements.

Unbiased and objective because their underlying motive is not to sell you jewelry or related services; it's to educate. Even though I used to work full-time in the gem and jewelry industry, I now make my living by writing about gems and jewelry.

Newman Gem & Jewelry Series Book Links

Diamond Ring Buying Guide, Details & Reviews

Diamond Handbook, Details & Reviews

Gemstone Buying Guide, Details & Reviews

Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide, Details & Reviews

Pearl Buying Guide, Details & Reviews

Jewelry Handbook, Details & Reviews

Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald Buying Guide, Details & Reviews

Exotic Gems, Volume 1, Details & Reviews

Exotic Gems, Volume 2, Details & Reviews

Exotic Gems, Volume 3, Details & Reviews

Exotic Gems, Volume 4, Details & Reviews

Rare Gemstones, Details & Reviews

Gold Platinum, Palladium, Silver and Other Jewelry Metals Details & Reviews