Media Reviews: Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide

Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide: A Traveler’s Guide to Buying Diamonds, Colored Gems, Pearls, Gold and Platinum Jewelry
by Renée Newmann GG
International Jewelry Publications, Los Angeles, CA, 2001.
Soft-cover, 4-1/2" x 7", color, 156 pages, $11.95.

Reviewed by John S. White.

Every once in a while, a book comes along that really makes you appreciate the effort that went into it. This is such a book. I should let you know at this point that I proofread certain sections of this book while it was in production and offered suggestions, but this should not undermine my genuine appreciation of this fine pocket guide. It was brilliantly planned, painstakingly researched, and beautifully produced, yet it is small enough that it fits easily into a purse, pocket, or palm, where its presence is hardly noticeable. No guide of this size, priced as low as this one, can cover everything that a novice gem or jewelry purchaser might want to know, but this handy little book comes closer to covering all of the important bases than any similar guides have managed to do. From good descriptions of the most popular gem materials (plus gold and platinum), to jewelry craftsmanship, treatments, gem sources and jewelry suppliers, appraisals, documentation, and even information about U.S. Customs for foreign travelers — it is all here.

Supplementing the text are 108 color photographs, most taken by the author, which effectively relate to the subject matter and are uniformly excellent. There are three pages of bibliography, a carefully compiled list of books and journals to help readers explore further.

One feature of Newman’s book is that it is always thoroughly and conscientiously researched. She seeks expertise from all quarters until she is satisfied with the accuracy of her text. Several well-reputed workers in this field are mentioned in the Acknowledgements section for their assistance, showing her efforts of making sure her information was correct. I heartily endorse this wonderful pocket guide.