About the Book
This updated and revised 8th Edition provides concise yet detailed information on diamond quality evaluation, lab-grown diamonds, fakes, gem treatments, cutting styles, gold, platinum, palladium, silver, alternative metals, settings, ring selection, diamond grading reports, gem care and buying tips. Its a visual guide that helps you select the best diamonds and mounting for your budget and needs. Written in clear, everyday English, with lots of colour photos, the book shows you step-by-step how to evaluate diamonds and settings. It has helped thousands of diamond buyers make smart choices and is a useful reference for jewelry salespeople when answering customers questions about diamonds, precious metals and settings. A Gems & Gemology review described the previous edition of the Diamond Ring Buying Guide as An entire course on judging diamonds in 155 pages of well-organised information ... the book serves as a checklist for the purchase, mounting and care of a diamond. The photos are excellent. Brides magazine wrote: "Want to feel truly confident in the jewelry store? Read the 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 and the massive colour photos that reveal what diamonds look like under a loupe".
About the Author :
Renée Newman is a respected gemologist and author of eight guides on gems and jewellery. Her books are used throughout the world as buying guides, sales-training tools, class texts and references for jewellery professionals.
Review :
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. Kudos to Renée Newman for again delivering exactly what she promises her readers: a guide that will help buyers make smart choices when it comes to purchasing diamonds and diamond jewelry. This is an excellent resource to recommend to potential purchasers who are looking for sound, professional insights to help make the most of every budget and avoid disappointment in the process. Jewelry Appraiser
"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 youve got an honest salesperson) and the massive color photos that reveal what diamonds look like under a loupe." -- Brides magazine.
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 . . . 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
Fact-filled, succinctly written . . . Theres 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, Former President, American Gemological Laboratories. JCK Magazine
"A wealth of information . . . delves into the intricacies of shape, carat weight, color, clarity, setting style, and cutkeeping explanations streamlined enough so even the first-time diamond buyer can confidently choose a gem." -- Booklist
"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 . . . an excellent reference bookgood value for both the serious diamond shopper and the diamond and diamond jewellery enthusiast." -- Peter Perrin, PhD, Canadian Gemmologist
"An entire course on judging diamonds in 156 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.
... 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. The benefits and cautions of 14-ct vs. 18-ct gold are compared, as are the pros and cons of the different metals. 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, pavé, flush and bar settings, along with invisible setting, a method of displaying stones without visible metal support. 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. 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 diamonds 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. The numerous updated photographs help illustrate current styles, and the streamlined text addresses commonly asked questions and concerns. -- THE JOURNAL OF GEMMOLOGY, 37(3), 2020
