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Diamond Ring Buying Guide: 8th Edition How to evaluate, identify and select diamonds & diamond jewelry |
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what others explain with words Learn how to: · judge diamond quality · spot fakes · select jewelry metals, mountings and settings · compare prices · get good value for your money and much much more. This is the book to take along when you go diamond shopping. What’s new in the 8th Edition of the Diamond Ring Buying Guide: 1. Chapters on silver and alternative metals because they are now being used for diamond jewelry as a result of the high prices of gold and platinum. 2. A brief chapter on diamond grading lab documents. 3. A comparison of the benefits of lab-grown diamonds versus those of natural diamonds and a page showing how UV fluorescence can be used to help distinguish between natural and lab-grown diamonds 4. A brief chapter explaining why for hundreds of years diamonds have been more prized than other gems that are more rare. 5. Updated colored diamond photos and top auction prices 6. A section on how color affects the prices of color-enhanced diamonds 7. A revised chapter on judging cut quality with some new photos 8. A revised chapter on judging diamond clarity and new photo examples of diamond clarity 9. New photo examples of ring mountings and settings 10. A section on 10 ways to save money on diamonds. Buy the print book from BarnesandNoble.com Buy the print book from Amazon.com Buy the print book on Amazon.co.uk Buy the e-book on Barnes & Noble www.davtools.be/collections/books/products/diamond-ring-buying-guide-8th-edition by Renee Newman ISBN 978-0929975-54-2, Paperback--$19.95, e-book--$9.95 7" x 9" (18 x 23 cm) / 149 pages / 264 photos plus diagrams, charts, tables and quizzes Publisher: International Jewelry Publications
Reviews "Graduate Gemologist Renée Newman has issued an eighth edition of her well-regarded Diamond Ring Buying Guide, which has remained a resource of unmatched excellence to diamond buyers since its first printing in 1989. This practical and straightforward book walks the shopper through all aspects of diamond quality, value factors while carefully explaining, and thoroughly illustrating additional considerations such as treatments, settings, and jewelry care.
The Diamond Ring Buying Guide is divided into
18 chapters that cover everything from the Four C’s (Chapters 3-7)
to metals used in jewelry manufacture (Chapters 12-14), as well as
every other topic relevant to diamond selection and purchase. The
initial sections on diamond characteristics and value factors will
be well familiar to the gemologist appraiser, but are nicely laid
out for those who approach the topic as novices or who need a deeper
understanding before making a big purchase. Caitlin M St John, The Jewelry Appraiser
The previous (7th) edition of the Diamond Ring Buying Guide was published 12 years ago, and it has been out of print for four years. This new edition retains a lot of the original information, but also includes many updates. In the first chapter, the author proposes a set of price factors to judge diamond value by replacing the ‘Four Cs’ criteria of colour, clarity, cut and carat weight with a more complex value system consisting of six ‘Cs’ and two‘Ts’: cut quality, colour, carat weight, cutting style, clarity and creator (natural vs. laboratory grown), plus transparency (cloudiness) and treatment status. The ‘creator’ factor is new in this edition, reflecting the upsurge of synthetic diamonds being used in jewellery. Chapter 2 has been shortened and focuses on why diamonds are so valued. Distinctive and prized properties include diamond’s exceptional hardness; its resistance to high temperatures, radiation and chemicals; its electrical and heat conduction properties, as well as insulation from heat; and the aesthetic allure of its brightness and fire. The next several chapters deal with each of the six‘Cs’ and two ‘Ts’. Chapter 3 covers carat weight and includes a useful table compiled by the Gemological Institute of America displaying corresponding weights and diameters of well-cut round-brilliant diamonds. A chapter on shape and cutting style describes these aspects and explains branded and non-traditional diamond cuts, accompanied by photos of examples. Excellent images also help illustrate an extended discussion on how shape affects price. Chapter 5 deals with colour, with revised text and new photos. It includes the effect of fluorescence on colour and price, the subjectivity of diamond colour grades, fancy-colour diamonds and treatments that affect colour. An updated table provides recently realized auction prices. The following chapter, on cut quality, explains how to judge the quality of cut for fancy-shape diamonds as well as round-brilliant cuts. It includes what to look for in face-up and profile views, with new photos that demonstrate specific examples. Next comes a chapter on how to evaluate clarity and transparency, with photos illustrating how to search for inclusions, graining, surface features and more. Lighting, magnification, positioning and focus can all affect success in locating inclusions and other features. Photos also illustrate differences in transparency Chapter 8 focuses on synthetic diamonds, reviews various growth methods, and discusses the benefits of both laboratory-grown and natural diamonds. A section on how to detect synthetic diamonds lists the basic gemmological tests that are currently available. All-new photographs help make this chapter current. The following chapter on diamond imitations is very helpful, with tips on how to spot simulants using a little observation, without expensive tools or equipment. A separate section deals with synthetic moissanite, warning that it can show up as ‘diamond’ on a thermal tester. Some of the newer synthetic moissanites even fool moissanite detectors. A chapter on diamond treatment covers all the important types: laser drilling, fracture filling, coatings and irradiation with heat, along with descriptions of low-pressure, high-temperature (LPHT) treatment and high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) treatment. It also includes a new section on the factors involved in pricing colour-enhanced diamonds, accompanied by new colour photos. A new chapter on diamond-grading reports helps the reader know what to look for on a report, but with a warning that not all grading labs are equal. A chapter on gold, platinum and palladium helps the consumer decide on the characteristics they prefer in their setting, accompanied by terminology pertaining to precious metals. A well-organised chart contrasts white gold with platinum. The benefits and cautions of 14-ct vs. 18-ct gold are compared, as are the pros and cons of the different metals. The metalworking procedure of Japanese origin known as mokume gane is also profiled. A new chapter on silver has been added, explaining its history and standards. It includes a review of various brand names of silver that have been treated with anti-tarnish alloys such as those containing copper or germanium. Another new chapter covers alternative metals, which are quickly finding acceptance on the marketplace. Short descriptions of each metal are accompanied by a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages, including stainless steel, tungsten, tungsten carbide, titanium, cobalt-chrome and tantalum. A chapter on setting styles describes popular mounting techniques, including prong, channel, bezel, bead, pave, flush and bar settings, along with invisible setting, a method of displaying stones without visible metal support. Situations reveal which mountings might be best for people with different wearing needs. New to this edition is a section with tips on what to look for in a well-made, secure setting. Selecting a ring style is also a personal choice, but the author poses practical questions to consider when choosing such a significant piece of jewellery. Many new photos are featured in this chapter. The next chapter covers how to clean and store a diamond, along with how to prevent it from being ‘switched’. The latter entails knowing your diamond’s unique characteristics and establishing a long-term relationship with your jeweller. The book concludes with a chapter that gives shopping pointers, followed by a new section on the chemical, physical and optical properties of diamond and a thorough bibliography. This book can be used by consumers who are not necessarily interested in becoming diamond experts, but who want to feel more informed about the material and the industry in general when considering a purchase. The book is also a helpful sales tool for those in the retail jewellery industry. It outlines what a consumer should know and what information a salesperson should be responsible for. An amazing amount of excellent information has been packed into this portable paperback that can accompany the prospective buyer to the jewellery store or sales office. The numerous updated photographs help illustrate current styles, and the streamlined text addresses commonly asked questions and concerns. Jo Ellen Cole, Journal of Gemmology "I just finished reading your new work in detail. It is remarkable to see your capacity for integrating new information, clearly and seamlessly, into the body of your discourse. This means that your revised editions actually feel like entirely new books, as if you had just conceived them. I always admire the clarity with which you present things like diamond treatments. nobody else has ever done this! Very refreshing, and should not ever be considered a threat by the industry. Consumers, once in possession of the facts, will be less, not more, fearful of being abused. Congratulations." Eve Alfillé at Eve Alfillé Gallery Reviews of previous editions Want to feel truly confident in the jewelry store? Read this book [Diamond Ring Buying Guide] by an industry insider, which will teach you how to judge a quality diamond. What We Love: The seriously savvy shopping tips (like how to tell whether you’ve got an honest salesperson) and the massive color photos that reveal what diamonds look like under a loupe. Brides magazine "An entire course on judging diamonds in 155 pages of well-organized information. This book could be used as a training manual for sales staff, or as a gift for those favored and inquisitive customers. For the consumer, the book serves as a checklist for the purchase, mounting and care of a diamond. The photos are excellent and there are plenty of uncomplicated illustrations to drive home the verbal points... another fine update in a series of books that are useful to both the jewelry industry and consumers." Gems and Gemology, reviewed by Gail Brett Levine, publisher, Auction Market Resource. "Filled with useful information, drawings, pictures, and short quizzes...presents helpful suggestions on detecting diamond imitations, in addition to well-though-out discussions of diamond cutting, and how the various factors can influence value...a very readable way for the first-time diamond buyer to get acquainted with the often intimidating subject of purchasing a diamond." Stephen C. Hofer, President, Colored Diamond Laboratory Services, Jewelers' Circular Keystone "Will definitely help consumers...Written in a popular style with lots of personalized examples, the book should be easy reading for the young people who are thinking about their first diamond purchases." Lapidary Journal "Useful, informative and pleasing...The Sixth Edition of the Diamond Ring Buying Guide is a significant improvement over the Fifth Edition, and it continues to be an excellent reference book—good value for both the serious diamond shopper and the diamond and diamond jewellery enthusiast." Peter Perrin, PhD, Canadian Gemmologist "Expanded in both content and quality and number of illustrations to cover the significant changes that have occurred in diamond technology and the diamond ring industry over the last five years...This 6th edition still represents excellent value for money, and it is a very useful guide for those interested in purchasing a diamond ring. Gemmologists will find the information contained in this buyers guide up-to-date, accurate, and well presented." Australian Gemmologist "A wealth of information...delves into the intricacies of shape, carat weight, color, clarity, setting style, and cut—keeping explanations streamlined enough so even the first-time diamond buyer can confidently choose a gem." Booklist "Fact-filled, succinctly written...There’s no doubt this guide is a valuable asset to the retail jewelry buyer. Sellers concerned about shoddy competitors" might do themselves a favor by making this book available to those clients who are eager to find that optimum blend of value, quality and service. This is a definite thumbs up!" C.R. Beesley, President, American Gemological Laboratories.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments
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