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Gemstones of the World: Third Edition

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Manufacturer: Sterling
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About the Book
Gemstones of the World is truly the single volume that every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound needs: it’s the cornerstone of the field. And this updated edition contains a host of new findings on “Gemstones for Collectors,” additional gems in the “Table of Constants,” and the “double fraction” figures that experts have long wanted—a very special new feature.

All the gemstones are treated in their many variations: more than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough, natural, and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on the gemstone’s formation, structure, physical properties, and characteristics, along with the best methods of working, cutting, and polishing it. There are even full treatments of lesser-known gems, from andalusite to vesuvian, and a special section is devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials are also covered, such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl. Charts and tables help collectors identify unknown gemstones and check for genuineness.

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What those that bought it thought...
THE Gemstone Resource...
 
Review Date: January 9, 2007
Reviewer: Reading It All, Orange County, CA USA
From my title I guess you get the drift that this is THE gemstone resource book that everyone needs...I passed my older version on to a friend before noticing that the publish date for this one had been extended and I have never been so lost!

This book's small format lends itself to tucking in a briefcase, purse, backpack, whatever...it is indispensable at Gem or Jewelry Shows! I have yet to look up a stone that is too obscure to be included and the revised version has even more indepth listings of Rare/Collector stones. The photos are a true representation and usually include rough, cab and facet examples. Along with the basics: Structure, Refractive Index, Color, etc...Schumann includes a brief history and lore of the gem as well as locations of current mines.

This is as accurate a resource as you will find for an industry that is literally changing as I write this.
Affordable Classic
 
Review Date: June 12, 2007
Reviewer: xencindy, Sky Valley, CA
I'd waited years for a recent edition of this book, even used, at a reasonable price. Now it's finally affordable as a new hardback.
I was kinda hoping for a book that would let me compare my gemstones to pictures and identify them. This book helped me understand why that kind of book is NOT possible. The best part, for people like me, is the way the many testing techniques and tools are explained, logically and in layman's terms. The book helped me see that learning to use techniques and tools to identify gemstones on my own is possible, and it will undoubtedly help me figure out which tools to invest in first.
Readers familiar with metaphysical uses and astrological correspondences will probably wonder why Schumann chose the sources he did for that type of information, which seem to match neither the traditional nor the esoteric uses. He probably should have stuck to hard science, which is the real strength of this book.

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