AUD$24.50 GST Inclusive
Packed with close-up photos, this new full-color guide shows you how to judge diamonds on the basis of how they look, rather than just on how they're graded.
The Diamond Handbook is a comprehensive guide to evaluating and identifying diamonds, which is aimed at trade professionals, gemology students, serious diamond buyers, and people who want more diamond evaluation information than they can get on the Internet.
Besides providing in-depth information on diamond grading, it compares the new cut grading systems and diamond light performance reports of various gem laboratories.
It also discusses and illustrates new diamond treatments and lab-grown diamonds.
An entire chapter is devoted to the recutting of diamonds, and another chapter covers the history of diamond cuts and illustrates antique and estate diamond jewelry styles.
The first chapter gives a brief overview of diamond formation, sources, diamond properties, lighting and diamond examination techniques.
Chapters on fancy-colored diamonds, fluorescence, branded diamonds and diamond grading reports are also included.
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Reviews:
"Gives the trade reader virtually all the essential information needed to buy and sell diamonds.
The book is an advance of the same author’s Diamond Ring Buying Guide (6th edition, 2002).
"The text covers everything the buyer needs to know, with useful comments on lighting and first-class images. At all relevant points the author gives an up-to-date list of references.
"No other text in current circulation discusses re-cutting and its possible effects, and the author’s discussion of the new topic of branded diamonds conveniently brings together a number of examples of particular cuts peculiar to different firms. . . . Brief and useful notes describe the present position of synthetic gem diamond and treated diamond. Rip-offs are soberly described and sensation avoided. This is a must for anyone buying testing or valuing a polished diamond and for students in many fields."
Journal of Gemmology
"The text covers everything the buyer needs to know, with useful comments on lighting and first-class images. At all relevant points the author gives an up-to-date list of references.
"No other text in current circulation discusses re-cutting and its possible effects, and the author’s discussion of the new topic of branded diamonds conveniently brings together a number of examples of particular cuts peculiar to different firms. . . . Brief and useful notes describe the present position of synthetic gem diamond and treated diamond. Rip-offs are soberly described and sensation avoided. This is a must for anyone buying testing or valuing a polished diamond and for students in many fields."
Journal of Gemmology
"The Diamond Handbook covers all aspects of diamond evaluation. All of the material is presented in a very readable and intuitively structured format. The photographs are of high quality and provide good illustrations of the information that is covered. The tables are excellent. and provide a concise, at-a-glance overview of some of the things I find myself having to look up on occasion, e.g. cause of color in natural fancy colored diamonds. At 186 pages, the Diamond Handbook is a very manageable size and the quality of the publication recommends it as a ‘ready reference’ and a pleasure to read.
"I believe that the Diamond Handbook would be a valuable addition to any appraiser’s bookshelf. Its compact size and clear layout make it perfect to grab for a quick reference during an appraisal, and its readability makes it accessible to the layperson. I can easily see pulling it off the shelf to help illustrate an explanation to a client or customer, or to use one of the fine photographs as an example of a particular inclusion. At only AUD$24.50, I think the Diamond Handbook is too well priced to pass up."
Jewelry Appraiser
"Impressively comprehensive. . . . a practical, well-organized and concisely written volume, packed with valuable information. . . . Newman familiarizes us with some diamond-district jargon and supplies us with a survival kit for our journey into the jewellery jungle. And of course, she walks us through the 4 Cs. In fact, Newman has given us a fifth C: Cut quality. She explains the importance of proportions and finish to the brilliance, fire and overall beauty of a diamond, and how these factors can affect the price of a stone by as much as 50%.
"As a facetor, I am always pleased to see the critical importance of good cutting not only acknowledged but emphasized. In this respect, Newman has made me very happy. She covers the history of diamond cuts and cutting styles, and even devotes an entire chapter to the re-cutting of diamonds (information I have not seen elsewhere) and how the cutter works his magic. Even more valuable, however, are two chapters about how to judge the cut of fancy shapes and round brilliants. Here the reader learns about the consequences of bad cutting (bow ties, windows, fisheyes and nailheads) and how to recognize them. The "anatomy" and proper proportions of a round brilliant are discussed in detail, along with symmetry and polish.
In addition to his fifth C, we are also given two T’s: transparency and Treatment status. Newman feels that these three factors, taken in conjunction with the traditional 4 C’s, supply us with a more complete and reliable set of pricing parameters. I agree. In particular, transparency (and its relation to clarity) has been little understood and seldom addressed in most popular publications.
"The Diamond Handbook, is subtitled How to Look at Diamonds & Avoid Ripoffs. This phrase neatly summarizes a major theme of the book–a theme that is both sound and refreshing. Learn to use your own eyes when judging a diamond! Don’t rely overly much on lab reports. Get to know what you like (and dislike) in a diamond. Discover your own sense of beauty. She reminds us that we are buying a gemstones and not a lab report: "We need to strike a balance between using our hearts and our minds. We also should realize that our opinion of a diamond is just as important as that of a gem laboratory." Just do your homework, compare, and know what you are paying for.
"As you have probably gathered by now, I like this book a great deal. . . .The Diamond Handbook is destined to become an indispensable reference for the consumer and trade professional alike."
Canadian Gemmologist
"This is a new book that aims to update the diamond buyer’s knowledge of what has happened to diamonds, diamond set jewellery, and the diamond industry over the last decade or so . . . Those readers familiar with previous editions of the author’s Diamond ring buying guide will note the addition of useful information on antique cuts, recutting, diamond gracing reports, and appraisals to this book. In addition the chapters covering fluorescence, synthetic diamonds and fancy cuts have been updated.
"As this reviewer has become accustomed to, the text of this book is accurate, clear and very consumer oriented. That is not to say the gemmologist will not learn quite a lot by carefully reading and considering the oft very thoughtful arguments presented by the author. In summary, Diamond handbook is a useful addition to both the popular and gemmological literature."
Australian Gemmologist
How the Diamond Handbook differs
from the Diamond Ring Buying Guide
Most of the photos and explanations of diamond quality are different, and there are more photos illustrating diamond cut and clarity.
There’s a chapter on diamond grading certificates and reports.
A chapter on antique cuts and jewelry discusses the history of diamond cuts and describes the various jewelry periods, using photo examples of diamond jewelry.
There’s an entire chapter on diamond fluorescence.
The chapter on synthetic diamonds describes the new lab-grown diamonds and explains how fluorescence can be used to distinguish them from natural mined diamonds as well as other identification techniques. It also explains the characteristics of types 1a & b and types 2a & b diamonds.
A chapter on fancy colored diamonds has been included.
It compares the new cut grading systems and diamond light performance reports of various gem laboratories.
Diamond recutting is discussed, and before and after photos are provided
A chapter on branded diamonds shows and describes many of the branded fancy shape diamonds on the market.
The discussion of cut quality has been divided into two chapters, one that focuses on judging the brilliance of fancy-shaped diamonds and another that discusses how to evaluate the pavilion, crown, table, girdle, culet, symmetry and polish of round diamonds.
A glossary is included.
Overall, the Diamond Handbook is more advanced and has more in-depth information on diamond evaluation than the Diamond Ring Buying Guide.
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