These highly informative guides by Renee Newman are an indispensible aid to anyone interested in being a "savvy" buyer of gems and jewelry. A comprehensive mix of technical and practical information, illustrated in full-color and sharp B/W photos. These books show how to evaluate and distinguish the genuine from the imitation.
Renée Newman is a gemologist (GG, GIA), lecturer, writer and author of 13 books on gems and jewelry. Her books are used throughout the world as buying guides, sales-training tools, class texts and references for jewelry professionals.
This book, in tandem with Schumann's Gemstones of the World, is a great resource for those with casual to intermediate interest in gemstones and gemology. While Schumann's book is a great quick reference with values for identification, Newman's buying guide offers helpful information from a jeweler or investors perspective. I especially appreciated the consolidated format and the inclusion of which varieties are typically treated and which are more rare and desirable. I would definitely recommend this guide book to those new in the hobby.