Gemstones of the World, Revised Edition Hardcover – October 1, 2000

My travels around Asia sparked my interest in buying gems, jade and pearls. After a few false starts, I knew I needed a resource I could carry with me and consult on the spot. Not only do I feel more confident in my purchases, I know see items that are of value that I passed by because I didn't understand what they were. The book covers a great deal of information despite its small format. At first I wasn't interested in the beginning chapters. I thought they were for jewelers or more serious collectors. Now I'm reading them to gain additional insight into this world. The photos are fabulous. Some of the stones in their original forms are more beautiful than the jewelry versions. I purchased the other 2 books offered with this one, but this is by far the best. There is now a 4th edition you can pre-order.

Interesting book. Excellent condition. Good price. Not so good of pictures as I was expecting but lots of them.

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.

Full of great information

I ordered this book for a gift to give to my wifes co worker who is into stones.I have went through three copies over the years from 1997 using it to show my customers what the stones they buy from me should look like. I have been making stone a jewelry for over 43 years and this book is the best one I have come across. What this gemstone book has that no other like it has is its fine color plates of each stone. This makes it a great way to show the public what they are buying such as Lapis Lazuli with its iron pyrite that is found in real Lapis Lazuli and with each color listed and with a color plate to use to show and compare. This book should be owned by anyone who sales stones and anyone who buys stones as it is used worldwide as one of the top trade books of its types.

This small book has very nice pictures and good information about each stone, including where it is found, the relative hardness, availability, and value. I enjoy wearing jewelry, but am not in the jewelry business. This book was recommended by a terrific jewelry artist and it is well worth the price I paid.

I bought the 2001 edition several years ago and found it indispensable at the jewelry store where I worked. Now that I'm getting into the nitty gritty of the Graduate Gemologist program at the GIA, I'm quite pleased to find an updated version available. I expect I'll be taking this to school with me to replace several large, ungainly lab manuals that haunt my desk.This book makes a great cornerstone for any gem library. I own many gem guides and encyclopedias twice the size and weight of this while containing considerably less information. This one has the most complete collection of information and pictures I've seen anywhere at an astonishingly diminutive size. If you plan to buy only one gem book in your lifetime, I highly recommend this one.

A very nice book with lots of high-quality photos and good, basic information.I bought it as a supplement to a gemology textbook, and it fills the bill.The seller is GREAT; This book looks absolutely NEW, I think it must be, yet I paid less than 1/6 the cover price!Fast shipping too....