Jewelers Buyers Guide

Have you ever had a chain break right after you bought it? Have any of your stones fallen out of their settings? Do you wonder if your 'gold' jewellery is really gold? This guide shows you how to spot poor craftsmanship and imitation gold or platinum and gives you a wealth of information on chains, mountings, multi-coloured gold, and platinum alloys. The book is paced with colour photographs and step-by-step guidelines on: evaluating craftsmanship; making practical choices; detecting fake metals; caring for your jewellery; determining karat value; finding a good buy.

Over 400,000 Copies in Print Know What You Want, Know What You re Buying, Learn the Secrets to Get the Most for Your Money Easy to Read Easy to Understand Practical Complete Instant Answers ... to All Your Questions Completely Updated & Expanded 7th Edition Purchasing gems and jewelry can be a magical experience, filled with excitement and anticipation. But lack of information, error, or misrepresentation can make the thrill of buying a gem or piece of jewelry confusing, intimidating, overwhelming, and costly. To help you avoid the pitfalls and keep the magic, two internationally respected experts on buying gems and jewelry put their inside knowledge to work for you in this easy-to-read, easy-to-use guide. It is filled with practical advice and is designed to make it easy for you to have all the information you need to buy gems and jewelry with confidence. Recommended by consumer and jewelry trade reviewers around the world, it is already in use in over 100 countries and has been translated into Spanish, Arabic, Greek, Hungarian, Russian and Japanese. Over 400,000 copies are now in print and this revised, updated, expanded edition covers even more: buying and selling on the internet, dazzling new diamond cuts, recently discovered gems and new treatments and trickery to look out for. There are fascinating mythical and magical tidbits, and "practical tips that could only come from an insider." In simple, straightforward terms you ll learn about the four Cs and how to juggle them to get what you want, "at the price you want to pay;" what to "look for, " and "look out for;" all about gold and platinum, jewelry design, and some of the country s leading designers. You ll learn what questions to ask and what to get in writing, and even how to select the jeweler, appraiser, and insurer. The authors leave no stone unturned to give you everything you need to know whether you are a novice or a connoisseur. With "Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, " you ll find the experience can be a joy, and the gems and jewelry you select a source of "lasting" pleasure

New edition of the "unofficial bible" for jewelry & gem buyers. Explains how to buy diamonds, pearls, precious & other popular colored gems, gold & jewelry with confidence & knowledge. This authoritative book includes new sections on design & style, pearls, gold & platinum, as well as full coverage of recently discovered new gems to look for...& new treatments & trickery to look out for. Easy to read & understand, Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide covers every aspect of purchasing & enjoying jewelry & gems.

to this edition In working with my own clients to acquire gemstones and jewelry since this book was first published in 1984, they have pointed out that most people buy "jewelry" and not "gemstones." Because the book offers so much practical advice and money-saving tips about buying jewelry, they urged me to change the title. So, in this edition The Complete Guide to Buying Gems has been changed to Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide. Consumer and professional response to the book has been very gratifying. Almost 14,000 hardcover copies are in circulation. We have received hundreds of letters, phone calls and in-person comments about the helpfulness and interesting information it provides. We thank you for encouraging us to make the book more widely available by bringing out this softcover edition. We have taken the opportunity of this softcover edition to update the price guides for diamonds and colored gemstones and, in light of the increase in both the popularity and price of pearls, to add a price guide for them in the "Guide to Popular Gems and Their Prices." Also, we want to take this opportunity to comment further on gem invest ment, taking into account major developments since the original manuscript was written in 1980.

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".

Anna M. Miller, a jewelry historian and gemologist, has written a practical, accessible field guide that will help you find the best pieces at the best prices.