Diamond Ring Buying Guide: How to Evaluate, Identify and Select Diamonds & Diamond Jewelry (6th Edition) (Paperback)

~ Renee Newman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This guide has become the standard guide for buyers shopping for diamond rings. Renee Newman, herself, has been recognised frequently as the leading expert on stones and jewellery and her expertise has been used extensively by national bridal magazines and websites, alike. Now expanded and updated to reflect new trends in the diamond and jewellery market, the 'Diamond Ring Buying Guide' offers step-by-step instructions on how to evaluate diamonds and settings. With sections on price comparison, fake stones, synthetic diamonds, proper gem care, and selection of gold and platinum settings, this guide will provide consumers with all the information needed to make an educated purchase. More full-colour photographs and examples of diamond rings showing new cutting styles and diamond clarity are now included.

About the Author

Renee Newman, GG (GIA) is a gemologist and the author of the popular series of gem and jewelry buying guides. She has traveled extensively to the gem centers of South America, Asia, and the South Pacific. Her books are used throughout the world as consumer buying guides, gemology course textbooks and references for jewelers, dealers and appraisers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: International Jewelry Publications; 6 edition (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929975324
• ISBN-13: 978-0929975320
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #581,860 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The pictures show what others try and explain, October 9, 2002

By	Jeffrey Sauro (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This book is definitely a great resource to have when you're buying a diamond. I picked this up near the end of my search, so I had come to know most of the basic diamond information like acceptable table ranges, clarity and color ranges. The photos were extremely helpful because no other source I have come across provides you with full color close ups and defections of inclusions. What's a knot, feather, facet? What do they look like? Are they bad?

*Princess Cut*
I was looking for a princess cut diamond (the square one) and unfortunately this book mostly focuses on rounds. That's important insofar as the acceptable table and depth proportions are slightly different for princess cuts (FYI-get below 80%, around 70% is even better). Don't disregard the dimensions! At first I only judged size by carat weight, but a lot of that weight can sit below the diamond-hence you want a lower depth percentage. For example, a 2.0 carat princess cut that's 7.11 x 7.14 will look bigger than a 2.30 carat that's 6.69 x 7.30. With princess cuts, you also want to be as square as possible-anything with a length to width ratio bigger than 1.04 starts looking rectangular.

Another thing to keep in mind is the difference in Gemological Certificates. I found out early that an EGL G SI1 is just not the same as a GIA G SI1. Make sure you're comparing apples to apples here. There should never be a $1000 difference in price for the same cut, color and clarity. I found GIA much more consistent and rigid than EGL and eventually just ruled out the EGL certified diamonds. Try it yourself: ask to see the same size, color and clarity in GIA and EGL, 9 times out of 10 the GIA is more colorless and has fewer inclusions.

...

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Diamond Info Than Anything On The Internet..., March 31, 2003

By	John Cook (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Unlike diamond websites, this book isn't trying to sell you diamonds. It just lays down the facts about what to look for when buying diamonds and rings.

Newman's book is loaded with color pictures and info that you won't find on the Internet. For example:
1. Lots of close-up photos of diamonds with different clarity grades to help you learn to judge clarity yourself
2. Microscope photos of diamond inclusions.
3. Close-up photos of diamonds with a variety of cutting defects as well as examples of well-cut round and non-round diamonds. These pictures are far more helpful than diagrams I've seen on the Internet.
4. Diamonds of different colors and color-grades
5. Pictures showing how to detect diamond imitations along with tests for spotting fakes
6. Close-up photos of fracture-filled and laser-drilled diamonds and good info about diamond treatments
7. A wide variety of settings and ring styles from basic solitaire rings to unusual designer styles
Thanks to Newman's book, I was able to understand what I was looking at when jewelers showed me diamonds through their microscopes. And contrary to what one reader wrote, Newman doesn't make it sound like every jeweler is out to cheat you. She just helps you know when you've found a good jeweler and a good diamond. This book is worth far more than it costs. Don't go diamond shopping without it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous resource for the novice buyer!, June 30, 2003

By A Customer

It's amazing how Newman makes diamond learning so easy and fun. She outlines what to look for when buying all types of diamonds, and gives clear, concise explanations of all the price factors, not just the 4 C's. Then she illustrates her points with lots of helpful photos. You'll learn things about diamonds from this book that you won't find elsewhere.
But this book is more than just a top-notch diamond book. It helps you choose the right ring mounting and setting style for your needs. It gives tips on buying custom-made rings and it has information on gold and platinum that I haven't seen elsewhere.
I've been to a lot of jewelry stores, but none were able to explain diamonds as well as this book. In fact, if you read this book, you'll know more about diamonds than many of the salespeople. You'd be making a big mistake if you bought a diamond without first reading the Diamond Ring Buying Guide. It helped me save a lot of money