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Gem Identification Made Easy: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling by Antoinette Matlins.

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DESCRIPTION:  Hardcover with printed laminate covers.  Publisher: GemStone Press (2016).  Pages: 400.  Size:  9½ x 6½ x 1½ inches; 1½ pounds. This is the first and only book that explains in non-technical terms how to identify diamonds and colored gems, and how to separate natural gems from imitations, treated stones, synthetics, and look-alikes. The book's approach is direct and practical, and its style easy to understand. In fact, with this highly accessible guide, anyone can begin to master gem identification. Using a simple, step-by-step system, the authors explain how to properly use essential but uncomplicated instruments to identify stones, what to look for gemstone by gemstone, and how to set up a basic lab at modest cost. Three of the instruments are inexpensive, portable, pocket instruments that, when used together, can identify almost 85% of all precious and popular stones. The key to avoiding costly mistakes and recognizing profitable opportunities is knowing both what to look for and what to look out for. This book will help you to: Open your eyes to the types of treatments, imitations, synthetics, look-alikes, and fakes in the gem market today; Learn how to tell the difference between them. Quickly spot: Synthetics, including synthetic emeralds and diamonds; Filled diamonds; Diffused blue sapphires and red rubies; HPHT-treated diamonds; Determine how to spot the newest composite imitations; Learn how to identify recently discovered gems such as Mandarin garnet, red emerald, and North Carolina s chromium-rich emeralds; Discover new treatments such as surface coatings to create fancy color diamonds and improve or change the color of many gemstones; Know when to seek help from a professional gemologist or laboratory; Become more professional in your business or hobby.

CONDITION:  NEW. NEW hardcover with printed laminate covers. GemStone Press (2016) 400 pages. Unblemished, unmarked, pristine in every respect. Pages are pristine; clean, crisp, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, unambiguously unread. Satisfaction unconditionally guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PROMPT SHIPPING! HEAVILY PADDED, DAMAGE-FREE PACKAGING! #8618.1a.

PLEASE SEE DESCRIPTIONS AND IMAGES BELOW FOR DETAILED REVIEWS AND FOR PAGES OF PICTURES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.

PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.

PUBLISHER REVIEWS: 

REVIEW:  "Gem Identification Made Easy" is the first and only book that explains in non-technical terms how to identify diamonds and colored gems, and how to separate natural gems from imitations, treated stones, synthetics, and look-alikes. The book's approach is direct and practical, and its style easy to understand. In fact, with this highly accessible guide, anyone can begin to master gem identification. Includes over 150 photographs and illustrations over 80 in full color!

Using a simple, step-by-step system, the authors explain how to properly use essential but uncomplicated instruments to identify stones, what to look for gemstone by gemstone, and how to set up a basic lab at modest cost. Three of the instruments are inexpensive, portable, pocket instruments that, when used together, can identify almost 85% of all precious and popular stones.

The key to avoiding costly mistakes and recognizing profitable opportunities is knowing both what to look for and what to look out for.

Gem Identification Made Easy will help you:

Open your eyes to the types of treatments, imitations, synthetics, look-alikes, and fakes in the gem market today.

Learn how to tell the difference between them.

Quickly spot:

Synthetics, including synthetic emeralds and diamonds.

Filled diamonds.

Diffused "blue" sapphires and "red" rubies.

HPHT-treated diamonds.

...and much more!

Determine how to spot the newest "composite" imitations.

Learn how to identify recently discovered gems such as “Mandarin” garnet, red “emerald,” and North Carolina's chromium-rich emeralds.

Discover new treatments such as surface coatings to create “fancy color” diamonds and improve or change the color of many gemstones.

Know when to seek help from a professional gemologist or lab.

Become more professional in your business or hobby.

REVIEW:  Enjoy learning about using the tools of the gem trade from two renowned experts.  Revised, updated and expanded edition of the first and only book of its kind. Covers the latest gems, synthetics, treatments and equipment. Easy to use. Practical. Non-technical. Shows how to identify diamonds, colored gemstones and pearls, and separate them from fakes and look-alikes. Explains what equipment is needed, how to use it, where to get it and what should be seen for each gemstone. Faster than you can imagine, anyone can learn to identify most of the gems and imitations found in the marketplace. This practical volume is the key to avoiding costly mistakes and recognizing profitable opportunities. Essential reading for collectors, investors, jewelry lovers, hobbyists, jewelers, antique dealers and gemology students. With this highly accessible guide,& ; anyone can begin to master gem identification.

REVIEW:  Antoinette Matlins, PG, FGA, is an internationally respected gem and jewelry expert, author and lecturer. With over 1 million copies of her seven books in print in nine languages, she is the most widely read author in the world on the subject of jewelry and gems. Honored with the international Accredited Gemologists Association's highest award for excellence in gemology, Ms. Matlins’ books are widely used throughout the world by consumers and professionals in the gem and jewelry field. Her books include “Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide” (over 400,000 copies now in print―the only book of its kind ever offered by “Consumer Reports”); “Colored Gemstones: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide”; “The Pearl Book: The Definitive Buying Guide”; “Gem Identification Made Easy”; “Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love”; and “Jewelry & Gems at Auction: The Definitive Guide to Buying & Selling at the Auction House & on Internet Auction Sites” (all published by GemStone Press).

Former gemology editor of National Jeweler magazine, her articles and comments on buying and selling gems and jewelry and on gem investment have appeared in many national and international consumer and trade publications. She is also the author of the "Gemstones" chapter in the Encyclopedia of Investments, second edition.

Ms. Matlins has gained wide recognition as a dedicated consumer advocate, and continues to spearhead the Accredited Gemologists Association’s nationwide campaign against gemstone investment telemarketing scams and other types of consumer misrepresentation. A popular media guest, she has been seen on ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, educating consumers about gems and jewelry and exposing fraud.

In addition to her educational work, Ms. Matlins is retained by clients worldwide to seek fine, rare or unusual gems and jewels for acquisition.

Antonio C. Bonanno, FGA, ASA, MGA, was founder and president of the National Gem Appraising Laboratory and director of the Columbia School of Gemology near Washington, D.C. He held the coveted "Master Gemologist Appraiser" title (MGA), the highest distinction awarded to gem and jewelry appraisers from the American Society of Appraisers. He worked with gems and minerals for over sixty years, specializing in forensic gemology, and was frequently called as an expert witness in a wide range of court cases. A Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain With Distinction, he was highly esteemed in the field and holds a place in the prestigious Gemstone Hall of Fame. He founded the Accredited Gemologists Association, which created the Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology in his honor after his death in 1996.

REVIEW:  An easy-to-use book that shows how anyone can learn to identify most of the gems and synthetics found in the marketplace. This practical book is essential reading for collectors, dealers, or students alike on how to avoid costly mistakes and recognize profitable opportunities.

PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS: 

REVIEW:  Originally published in 1989, Gem Identification Made Easy caters to a very broad audience of gem enthusiasts. It serves to inform and educate inexperienced gemologists, a good reference tool for seasoned veterans. Overall, this book contains a wealth of valuable information on simple, practical testing methods, written in a concise, easy-to-understand style.

Many tips and tricks for detecting treatments and how to differentiate between natural and synthetic materials are covered. Of particular interest in this latest edition is a section dedicated to identifying glass-filled rubies, which have plagued the market in the last few years. This chapter will clearly help even novice gem buyers and sellers avoid a costly mistake regarding this material.

Overall, this is a welcome addition to any gemological library, especially for the gemologist who must rely on portable instruments. If you’re in search of a “how-to” book full of vibrant images, this is not the one for you. If you are a gemologist at any level in need of a practical guide to gem testing or a reference guide, then you will be quite satisfied with this book.  [Gemological Institute of America].

REVIEW:  By Antoinette L. Matlins, P.G. and Antonio C. Bonanno, F.G.A., A.S.A., M.G.A. Enjoy learning the tools of the gem trade from two experts. As in Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide, Matlins and Bonanno make gem identification fun and interesting rather than tedious--even for those without a scientific inclination. Gem Identification Made Easy is the first and only book that explains in non-technical terms how to identify diamonds and colored gems, and how to separate natural gems from imitations, treated stones, synthetics, and look-alikes. The book's approach is direct and practical, and its style easy to understand. Using a simple, step-by-step system, the authors explain how properly to use essential but uncomplicated instruments to identify stones, what to look for gemstone by gemstone, and how to set up a basic lab at modest cost. Three of the instruments are inexpensive, portable, pocket instruments that, when used together, can identify almost 85% of all precious and popular stones.

Gem Identification Made Easy will help you open your eyes to the types of treatments, imitations, synthetics, look-alikes, and fakes in the gem market today. Learn how to tell the difference between them. Quickly spot: Synthetics, including synthetic emeralds and diamonds, filled diamonds, diffused "blue" sapphires and "red" rubies, HPHT-treated diamonds, and much more. Determine how to spot the newest "composite" imitations.Learn how to identify recently discovered gems such as "Mandarin" garnet, red "emerald," and North Carolina's chromium-rich emeralds.Discover new treatments such as surface coatings to create "fancy color" diamonds and improve or change the color of many gemstones.Know when to seek help from a professional gemologist or lab. Become more professional in your business or hobby. With this highly accessible guide, anyone can begin to master gem identification. 400 pages, over 150 photos & illustrations, over 80 in full color; index. Hardcover.

REVIEW:  With the consumer rights spotlight focusing ever more intensely on disclosure responsibilities and their legal ramifications, gem and jewelry professionals are looking for a reliable resource to protect themselves. The newly released “Gem Identification Made Easy: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling” (GemStone Press) by Antoinette L. Matlins, P.G., and her late father, Antonio C. Bonanno, F.G.A., A.S.A., M.G.A., contains the information both professionals and novices need to keep themselves on top of what’s happening in the jewelry and gem market . The book sheds light on many new treatments, synthetics, and imitations, providing practical, simple techniques for detecting each of them.  Perhaps most encouraging for retailers and others in the jewelry trade, most of the techniques are simple, and the instruments required are inexpensive and portable. Anyone can master them.

This award-winning book—which has won a Benjamin Franklin Award for “Best How-to Book”—has demystified the process of gem identification and differentiation for thousands of jewelry professionals and gem lovers since the first edition was published in 1989. The new, fully revised and expanded Gem Identification Made Easy, 4th Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling will update retailers and appraisers about important topics such as treatments and disclosure issues, just in time for the busy holiday season. Full of the kind of information gem and jewelry professionals will appreciate, but written in a style a layperson can comprehend, “Gem Identification Made Easy” is an invaluable handbook.  It discusses the simple, inexpensive instruments needed to do the job, how to use them, and what they show, gem by gem.

Equally important, the book emphasizes when the use of these simple tools may not be sufficient, providing valuable guidelines on when more sophisticated laboratory equipment may be necessary.  The Gem Identification Made Easy, 4th Edition also provides latest information on recent developments, including: Information about the high-pressure/high-temperature techniques (HPHT) now used on certain diamond types—what they are, and how to spot diamonds that might have been treated by these new processes New diffusion techniques used to treat near-colorless sapphires to obtain “padparadscha” (orangy pink), orange, and yellow colors—and how to detect them. New gems such as chromium-type emeralds from Hiddenite, North Carolina—and how to distinguish them from emeralds from other localities. New, easy-to-use, portable instruments for spotting treatments, synthetics, and look-alikes, and how to use them And more…

REVIEW:  The third edition of this accessible and knowledgeable guide to gem identification features updated information on new techniques and gems, including the high-pressure/high-temperature techniques used to treat some types of diamonds, methods for detecting diffusion techniques used to color sapphires, and new instruments for identification. Basic identification techniques are stressed, with instruction in setting up a lab, and discussion of instruments. More advanced techniques are then discussed. A chapter is included on antique and estate jewelry. [“Book News”].

REVIEW:  “Great book … ‘Real life’ gemology.” [Ian Mercer,director of education, Gemmological Association of Great Britain].

REVIEW:  The book you can’t do without … all the information you need, in no-nonsense language. [Rapaport Diamond Report].

REVIEW:  Unlike an academic text, this handbook brings the topic of gem identification down to the level of a layperson, offering not theory, but practical how-to  guides on Gem ID, and the tools that you will need. [Minerallab.com].

REVIEW:  “Gem Identification Made Easy A Hands on Guide to More Confident Buying and Selling" by Antoinette Matlins and A.C. Bonanno. A technical guide on how to properly use easy yet efficient pocket gem testing equipment. This guide will help you identify the many varieties of gemstones and qualities. Strongly recommended for collectors and antique hunters.

REVIEW:  Explanations in non-technical terms of how to use pocket, portable and laboratory instruments to identify diamonds and colored gems and to separate them from imitations and look-alikes. The authors explain simply the proper use of 9 essential but uncomplicated instruments that will do identification tasks, discuss what to look for in various gemstones, and describe how to set up a basic lab at modest cost. Interesting to all who buy or sell gemstones. [Gessweion.Com].

REVIEW:  An accessible, practical guide to gem identification speaks to anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of recognizing and identifying gemstones and synthetics. The authors (father and daughter gemologists) explain how to set up a simple testing laboratory before introducing gem identification instruments and discussing proper skills and techniques. Numerous tables, charts, and black-and-white and color photographs accent the logically structured material, which concludes with an enlightening segment on antique and period jewelry. A useful resource for a specialty audience. Index. [Booklist].

REVIEW:  Focusing on gemology as a science rather than a fine art, the authors have written an honest and straightforward book that lays the groundwork for identifying gemstones in an easy-to-read-and-understand volume. They outline useful information on setting up a lab, securing proper lighting, and identifying the essential and optional instruments used in successful gem identification. They also explain how to identify the myriad inclusions and blemishes found in natural and synthetic gemstones and devote a section to enhancement techniques found in antique and estate jewelry. Recommended. [Library Journal Review].

READER REVIEWS: 

REVIEW:  "Gem Identification Made Easy" opens up the world of gem identification to the jeweler, hobbyist and the curious. I didn't come away with the impression that gem identification is easy, but that some kinds of identification are easy, inexpensive and FUN! Antoinette Matlins makes it clear that the bar to entry into gemology is low. Practice, diligence, and three small instruments that cost less than $200 will enable you to identify 80% of colored gemstones and their look-alikes as well as diamonds and most of their imitations. Since there are at least 3 different gemstones on the market in every color and no shortage of synthetics and enhancement treatments, the skills within the pages of "Gem Identification Made Easy" are invaluable to anyone shopping for gemstones. If gems fascinate you, this book will help you discover if you would like to pursue gemology as a career or serious hobby.

The bulk of "Gem Identification Made Easy" are descriptions of the instruments involved in gem identification, detailed instructions on how to use each, and what they can show you, including many charts which will help you identify stones. The 3 essential instruments that everyone will need are: loupe, Chelsea filter, and dichroscope. The loupe magnifies the stones, revealing inclusions, blemishes, and fillers. The Chelsea filter differentiates between some gems and synthetics. The dichroscope distinguishes single-refracting stones from double-refracting and allows identification of stones by the colors they exhibit. In addition, Ms. Matlins provides instructions for additional tools that one would need to set up a lab: UV lamp, refractometer, microscope. Less essential: spectroscope, polariscope, and immersion cell. For diamonds: SSEF diamond-type spotter and electronic diamond tester. These could cost nearly $3000, but shopping on eBay will bring the price tag down.

The author also dedicates a chapter to "Antique and Estate Jewelry", in which she discusses imitation and alteration techniques frequently found in antique and period jewelry. She advises on how to detect them and includes tables of synthetics and imitations, when they appeared on the market, and characteristics that will help identify them. This is followed by many useful Appendices: a list of gems and look-alikes by color, gem hardness, specific gravities, refractive index tables, tables of dispersion and birefringence, glossary of terms, list of organizations offering gemology workshops or training, equipment suppliers. These are in addition to the many tables and lists in the instrument chapters. Color photos are limited to a center insert, where there are photos of gemstone inclusions and a few other identifying features. "Gem Identification Made Easy" is an easy to understand, practical entry to the fascinating world of gemstones.

REVIEW:  Replacing previous editions with this new current edition. Always happy to have the most current information. I have been a serious hobbyist for years and am now studying for the GG diploma through GIA. All quality resources are very useful and I am pleased to have this newest version.

REVIEW:  As a professional Gemologist having studied gems extensively and also someone who helps instruct already certified gemologist, aspiring gemologist, gem and jewelry retailers (many are not gemologists), gem cutters, hobbyist and consumers, I find Gem Identification Made Easy to be a very worthwhile purchase. It is comprehensively informative, accurate, resourceful, inspiring, and articulate as appropriate for the intended audience with a wide diversity of gemological knowledge. And, it's fun! Let's face it, gems, and jewelry containing them, are expensive toys, and though the money used to purchase them are typically discretionary, I don't know anyone who wants to pay for something that is not what it is represented to be. Very good, basic gemological information contained in this book will pleasingly educate the reader of any of the categories above, but can also potentially save the reader from mistakes worth multiple orders of dollar magnitude beyond the cost of the book (or the recommended basic tools which it explains how to use). The 3rd Edition provides updates that deal with new treatment processes, new synthetics and simulants and gemological evidence that will aid in their identification. I have many reference books on gemology in my library, and I proudly display and use this one. Highly recommended!

REVIEW:  I am a beginning gemology student and have purchased quite a few books to help me with my studies. By far, this book is the most helpful. First, it has all the information I need in one place so I no longer have to look at 3 different books to get the information I need. Second, it is written with the beginner in mind. Ideas and equipment are explained in layman's terms and then used in professional terms so you learn the "lingo" as you go. Many idea and explanations were easily understandable in this book after digging other places. The color photos are great too. This book is interesting for hobbyists and essential for jewelry sales staff, students, and anyone ready to make a smart, informed purchase of a gem. I agree with the reviewer that said this should be mandatory reading for sales people.

REVIEW:  Though I have not yet finished reading this book (I am about half-way through), I can already state that this is an excellent book for any lapidarist, jeweler or gemologist (aspiring or with experience!), or as in my case a hobbyist/collector who just wanted to learn more about how to identify gemstones so as to not totally rely on outside sources. Individual chapters on all the variety of tools, describing how to use them, and providing more info than one could possibly memorize on specifics for all the variety of gemstones - including great advice on how to spot lab created stones and imitations ("fakes"). I will be coming back to this book over and over again as it also is an excellent reference book

REVIEW:  I have never been very interested in science, but gems have always fascinated me and I wanted to know more about them. I actually got this book by mistake, but I'm so glad I did. It was really interesting to read, and very easy to understand. The authors are really gifted in their ability to explain what you need to know, and how to do it. I'm amazed at how much I now know and can do on my own when it comes to identifying gemstones-and my jeweler is also impressed by how many stones I can now accurately identify. Being able to identify gemstones has added a whole new level of excitement, and I would never have been able to do it without having stumbled onto this wonderful book. I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in knowing how to identify stones and fakes, and especially to those who, like me, think it's a subject that's over their head, or "too technical" to be of interest. It isn't - at least not the way it's handled in this book!

REVIEW:  For anyone that wants to know how to identify gems. This is the book for you. Very good information for the beginner!

REVIEW:  If you are a hobbyist, or desire a career in the gemological field, this book is something you should not be without. I would recommend all jewelry stores have their staff read this book BEFORE talking to potential customers. From using instruments to identifying stones, this book has it all! Technical books are usually so dry and boring, but this one is different. It actually covers the material in an easy-to-read, fun format! Have a good time with your gems - and LEARN! Get a copy for yourself.

REVIEW:  The book certainly lives up to its title as I consider this book quite complete for a beginner in evaluating gemstones. I am a hobbyist with quite an extensive collection of semi-precious ( and a few precious) stones, most all of which have papers and specs from the dealers I've bought them from. Quite frankly, the acquisition of the stones was what drove me at the beginning as I had always wanted my own 'treasure chest' but after you've bought pounds of the stuff you end up being curious as to how to differentiate one stone from the other (like nephrite from 'grass' jade, red tourmaline from ruby or garnet, Paraiba tourmaline from Paraiba citrine, blue topaz from aquamarine, etc., etc.). This book is great with this. It is quite comprehensive and not only lists the equipment you would need for 'on the go' evaluating ( at auctions in Asia ) or for the small workshop/hobby center you can set up for yourself in your home but also how to use said tools. It gives you instructions for basic examinations to different levels of more complete ones. I am not saying that you will become IGA or AGS proficient, but this is a great start for even that ambition.

REVIEW:  I am just a beginner on gems and I found this book to be very helpful in my quest to identify different gems. Also helped with what type of equipment one needs to make the process easier. I would highly recommend this book to anyone just starting on gems identification.

REVIEW:  The information inside is extremely helpful to anyone interested in gemstone collecting/buying. Antoinette Matlins is arguably one of the best authors of gemstone literature as she has a wealth of knowledge and a knack for explaining difficult concepts. I am VERY picky about which books I buy to own (as opposed to just reading them at the local library) and this is one book I still "re-visit" quite often for reference.

This book explains the basics of gem identification and the ways to test gems for authenticity. It delves into the depths of synthetic gem production and the various methods used to treat/enhance gemstones. Knowing the differences between Synthetic vs. Heat Treated vs. 100% Natural can literally save you hundreds; even thousands of dollars when inspecting Fine Gems for purchase!

REVIEW:  Excellent update, even for the jewelry professional, because it addresses the new treatments, and ways to easily identify them! (HPHT, lead filling, etc) yet simple enough for the consumer to understand and become educated!

REVIEW:  I have been part of the gem and jewelry trade for over 30 years and a gemologist for over 15 years. When I was at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Shows 10 years ago, I bought a copy the first edition of this fabulous book. I was immediately struck by the way Ms Matlins was able to simplify complex instruments and techniques used to identify gems to the point that literally anyone could learn. On almost every page I learned either a new technique or an easier way to understand and/or use every instrument in my arsenal. I was so impressed that I later bought both the second and third editions so that I could keep up with all of the new developments. Ms Matlins should be congratulated for making this material so available to so many people.

REVIEW:  I am an aspiring gemologist and I have a lot of reference books. This book is my "go to" book when I need a greater understanding of a topic or clarification on how to use gemological identification tools. This book is very well written and easy to read. I'd give it 10 stars. The pictures of gem inclusions are excellent! This book is truly the best guide available to date. All the best!

REVIEW:  Good book for the novice. Well laid out.  Highly recommended. Ideal book for starting out on the quest for buying quality gems and knowing you are getting value for your hard earned cash. Tells you what equipment to buy and what to be aware of, from fake to poor quality gems. It obviously takes years to be an expert in this field, but it will surely help you to avoid being caught out when purchasing gems for yourself.

REVIEW:  Excellent resource. Easy and informative read. This is an excellent and key addition to my gemological hobby resources

REVIEW:  This is an excellent book and resource for gemstone buyers. It gives easy-to-follow details on what to look for, techniques, instruments to use, treatments, synthetic and simulated stones. If you have a passion for gemstones, are a hobbyist or just starting a career in gemology this book is a must have. I highly recommend this book and give it AAA and five stars.

REVIEW:  This book has something for everyone. Lots of tables to help in gem id as well as easy to read instructions on using gemstone identification instruments. Whether brand new to gemology or been around gemstones for a while you will find something of use in this book. a great book for the beginner, a good reference for the intermediate, and the perfect refresher book for the pro.

REVIEW:  There are at least 3 dozen gemstone ID or how to buy the perfect gem books on my shelves. The three that sit next to the computer are Walter Schumann's Gemstones of World and two by Antoinette Matlins - Gem ID Made Easy and Color Gemstone Buying Guide. As a Jewelry Design, Lapidary and Gemology student I am always reaching for one or the other. Thanks Antoinette we always get your best effort!!!

REVIEW:  I had looked through some gemology books in the past, but found them too scientific and intimidating. This book is very readable and informative. The reader will understand how three inexpensive tools can be used to evaluate the majority of gems. The book also describes how the reader can go about getting more information and further expanding their knowledge. This is a book well worth having for anyone wishing to learn about gemology.

REVIEW:  I make jewelry, and sometimes buy in bulk to save money. I may decide to use a colored gemstone that I purchased a year ago. I may not remember exactly what type it is, but remember what types I have purchased in the past. This is nice to have as a reminder of what I have purchased. The only way to know for sure what stone you have purchased is to purchase a machine that can measure the weight and density, and they are very expensive. But in general this can be a good book, if only to learn a little about gemstones.

REVIEW:  This book contains a vast amount of information to both experienced and hobbyist gem collectors. It provides clear explanations of many tools used to help identify stones and is a great resource for helping one to identify stones either in a collection or before a purchase.

REVIEW:  Book is exactly as described, full of great information, and arrived in a timely manner. Haven't been able to get through it all just yet, it may be made easy, but easier than what? :-) Wow, may take me some time to get through it all. I would suggest anyone wanting to take classes in gem identification read this book first to make sure this is what they want to do for a living. LOTS of info!

REVIEW:  This book is everything I was looking for in basic gemology. Its loaded with useful information on what instruments provide a solid base for really looking at gemstones----as a hobby, avocation, or first steps for becoming a professional gemologist. Highly recommend this book.

REVIEW:  I like the layout of this book! Easy to read, nice pictures, and good info. I am a beginner at collecting gemstones and this book has helped a lot! I would recommend to beginners to seasoned collectors.

REVIEW:  This book is comprehensive, detailed, and it is not Dry Dull Reading as so many similar texts can be. If you are in the Gem and Jewelry business, or just a collector you will get something out of this book. Well worth the money!

REVIEW:  A good reference and learning tool. Not so easy, but it will help greatly with my lapidary work. Up to date and includes the latest gem altering techniques. A must if you are investing in quality gems.P> REVIEW:  This book offers the most concise explanations of real gemstone identification instruments and techniques I have spent a lifetime of dealing with gemstones around the world, making lots of mistakes along the way. Most of the basic mistakes can be easily avoided with the tools and information Antoinette describes in the newest edition. A Must -Have!

REVIEW:  Excellent resource for gemstone identification. Quick and easy using minimum tools. Well explained and great images! Very good for beginners to assist in the understanding the complexities of gemstone identification.

GEMSTONES IN ANCIENT HISTORY: Throughout history, gemstones were believed capable of curing illness to providing protection. Found in Egypt dated 1500 B. C., the "Papyrus Ebers" offered one of most complete therapeutic manuscripts containing prescriptions using gemstones and minerals. In the eastern civilizations of China, India, and Tibet, gemstones were not only valued for their medicinal and protective properties, but also for educational and spiritual enhancement. Hereinbelow are a few examples of the uses for and beliefs concerning specific gemstone varieties in the ancient world.

Lapis Lazuli: Most lapis lazuli contains iron pyrite in the form of golden flecks sprinkled throughout the gemstone, the hallmark characteristic of lapis lazuli, often compared by ancient populations with stars in the sky. Lapis Lazuli was among the treasures of ancient Mesopotamia, Byzantium, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. Lapis Lazuli gets its name from the Arabic word "allazward", meaning "sky-blue". Along with turquoise and carnelian, the three are undoubtedly amongst the most ancient of gemstones. For more than 7,000 years lapis lazuli has been mined as a gemstone in Afghanistan, near ancient Mesopotamia, and traded throughout the ancient Mediterranean world.

The ancient source of lapis lazuli was these very same mines at Badakhshan (also known as the “Hindu-Kush” mountains), in the Persian highlands above the fertile Mesopotamian lowlands. The Persian highlands and plateau provided many of the raw materials lacking in the ancient civilizations abounding in the Mesopotamian lowlands (the "fertile crescent"). Records indicate that the Sumerian city of Ur imported lapis lazuli from the mines at Badakhshan as early as 4,000 B.C. In fact, the ancient royal Sumerian tombs of Ur, located near the Euphrates River in lower Iraq, contained more than 6,000 beautifully executed lapis lazuli statuettes of birds, deer, and rodents as well as dishes, beads, and cylinder seals.

Most ancient jewelry typically used one or more of three gemstones (carnelian, turquoise), and lapis lazuli was certainly very popular. How popular? One of the richest examples of ancient jewelry is Queen Pu-abi's tomb at Ur in Sumeria dating from the 3rd millennium B.C. In the crypt the queen was covered with a robe of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, and chalcedony beads. The lower edge of the robe was decorated with a fringed border of small gold, carnelian, and lapis lazuli cylinders. Near her right arm were three long gold pins with lapis lazuli heads, and three amulets in the shape of fish. Two of the fish amulets were made of gold and the third, you guessed it, lapis lazuli. On the queen's head were three diadems each featuring lapis lazuli.

At roughly the same point in time as Queen Pu-abi’s reign in Ur, lapis lazuli was also certainly popular in 3,100 B.C. with the Egyptians who used it in medicines, pigments (ultramarine), cosmetics (eye-shadow), carved into seals, and of course, in jewelry. The famous mask covering the head of Tutankhamen's mummy is inlaid primarily in lapis lazuli, with accents of turquoise and carnelian. In both the tombs of Tutankhamen and Queen Pu-abi, two of the richest tombs in all history, lapis lazuli was featured prominently in both. Called the "stone of rulers," in ancient kingdoms like Sumer and Egypt, lapis was forbidden to commoners, worn only by royalty. Ancient Egyptians believed lapis lazuli to be sacred and used it in the tombs and coffins of pharaohs.

Much of the lapis lazuli which flowed through the ancient land of Bactria and into Ur was exported to Egypt, where it was known as “khesbed”, which translates to “joy and delight”. In ancient Egypt lapis lazuli was widely used as a talisman believed to provide its wearers with good luck and ward off evil spirits and injury. Lapis lazuli was also thought to possess life-giving powers in ancient Egypt. Lapis was used to produce amulets to protect the mummified remains of pharaoh and commoner alike. It was a common practice to place a lapis amulet, engraved with a chapter of the Book of the Dead, over the area where the heart had been removed from the mummified remains (the heart was believed to be the repository of the soul), prior to the sealing of the sarcophagus.

Archaeological discoveries also have made it abundantly clear that coupled with gold, lapis lazuli was valued simply for its beauty as jewelry. Lapis lazuli was also associated with the ancient Egyptian Goddess “Hathor”, goddess of love, music, and beauty, who was often referred to as "the lady of lapis lazuli." Lapis was also associated with both the night sky and the rising run, which was sometimes referred to as the "child of lapis lazuli." The stone was also associated with the primordial waters of the ancient Egyptian creation myth. The Nile was rendered in blue color on grave paintings, blue thought to represent fertility. Lapis lazuli hippopotamuses produced by ancient Egyptian artisans were popular as symbols for the life-giving river.

There’s also some evidence that ancient Egyptian judges wore carved lapis amulets of Ma'at, the Goddess of truth, balance and order. These concepts were fundamental to Egyptian life and the rule of the Pharaohs, who portrayed themselves constantly as "Beloved of Ma'at" and "upholders of the universal order". Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs also described medicinal uses for lapis lazuli, including its use powdered, mixed with milk and mud from the Nile as a treatment for cataracts as well as head pains. And of course the ancient Egyptians made wide use of lapis lazuli as eye shadow. In fact, historians document its use as eye shadow by Cleopatra, last of the Ptolemaic rulers of Ancient Egypt.

Popular with another Middle Eastern people, the Israelites, lapis is generally acknowledged by Biblical scholars to be one of the breastplate stones of the High Priest. To the ancient Hebrews, lapis lazuli was the symbol of success, capturing the blue of the heavens and combining it with the glitter of gold in the sun. It was also believed by the ancient Hebrews that the tablets upon which Moses received the Ten Commandments were of lapis lazuli. Lapis lazuli was also used by the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians for cylinder seals. According to one ancient Persian legend, the heavens reflected their blue color from a massive slab of lapis upon which the earth rested. Throughout the history of the Ancient Middle East, lapis lazuli has often been regarded a sacred stone and to possess magical powers.

The first century Roman historian and naturalist Pliny the Elder accurately described lapis lazuli, though the ancient Romans referred to it as “sapphirus”. The Romans also used lapis lazuli as an aphrodisiac, and associated lapis lazuli with the lord of Gods of the Roman pantheon, “Jupiter” (“Zeus” to the ancient Greeks). Lapis lazuli was also accurately described by Theophrastos, the fourth century B.C. Greek philosopher and naturalist. In addition to its use in jewelry, lapis lazuli has also been used since ancient times for mosaics and other inlaid work, carved amulets, vases, and other objects. In antiquity, as well as in the Middle Ages, there was the belief that the cosmos was reflected in gemstones. Lapis lazuli was associated with the planet Jupiter.

In the medieval world lapis was ground and used as a pigment as well as for medicinal purposes. For medicinal applications, the powdered lapis lazuli was mixed with milk and used as a compress to relieve ulcers and boils. Lapis Lazuli and the mines at Badakhshan were described by Marco Polo in 1271 A.D., though the first written accounts of the mines had been produced three centuries earlier, in the tenth century A.D., by the Arab historian Istakhri. When lapis was first introduced to Europe, it was called "ultramarinum", which means "beyond the sea". It was identified as an emblem of chastity, and was thought to confer ability, success, divine favor, and ancient wisdom.

According to the 17th century “Complete Chemical Dispensatory”, lapis lazuli was effective as a cure for sore throat, used to combat melancholy, and a cure for “apoplexies, epilepsies, diseases of the spleen, and many forms of dementia”. The text also indicated that it could be worn about the neck as an amulet to drive away frights from children (timid children were given necklaces of lapis beads in the belief that they would develop courage and fearlessness) to strengthen sight, prevent fainting, and also to prevent miscarriages. Wearing an amulet made of lapis was also thought to free the soul from error, envy and fear as well as protect the wearer from evil. Ground lapis was also the secret of the blue in ultramarine, the pigment which painters used to paint the sea and the sky until the nineteenth century.

Used as a pigment most extensively in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the secret behind some of the most beautiful Renaissance-inspired paintings was ground lapis lazuli. In no small part due to the tremendous demand for lapis to produce ultramarine, the cost of lapis was exorbitant in Renaissance Europe. A price list of gems in the eighteenth century, using the emerald as the unit of value, ranked sapphire as twice the value of emerald, ruby as thrice the value, and lapis as fifteen times the cost of emerald. Lapis was also popular in inlays. In what was once one of the cultural capitals of Europe, the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in St Petersburg, Russia are lined with lapis. Though most of the lapis used in Russia’s landmark architecture was again, from Afghanistan, lapis lazuli was eventually discovered at Russia’s Lake Baikal, as well as in the Pamir Mountains of Central Asia.

In the ancient history of Mesoamerica, an inferior grade of lapis lazuli was mined in Northern Chile for over 1,000 years by the Moche, a culture from the coast of Northern Peru (200 B.C. to 800 A.D.), who were skilled metalworkers, producing ornaments made of gold, silver, and lapis lazuli. Their traditions were carried forward by their successors the Chimu for another 600 years, the Chimu in turn ultimately absorbed by the Incas. In the ancient world it was believed that ground lapis lazuli consumed as a supplement bolstered skeletal strength and thyroid function. It was also believed to improve sleep, cure insomnia, and was used to treat varicose veins. On the metaphysical plane, lapis lazuli was believed to enhance ones awareness, creativity, extra-sensory perception, and expand ones viewpoint, while keeping the spirit free from the negative emotions of fear and jealousy. Even today lapis lazuli is regarded by many cultures around the world as the stone of friendship and truth. The blue stone is said to encourage harmony in relationships and help its wearer to be authentic and give his or her opinion openly [AncientGifts].

Turquoise: Turquoise was mined by the ancient Egyptians in the Sinai Peninsula from around 6,000 B.C. onwards in one of the world's first important hard-rock mining operations. Archaeological evidence suggests that by 4,000 B.C., the turquoise mines in the Sinai had already been exhausted, so popular was turquoise in the ancient world. Fortunately the ancient world had a second source of turquoise, Persia. The sky-blue variety of turquoise, commonly referred to as robin's egg, is and historically has been the most desired variety. This variety is mined exclusively in present-day Neyshabur, Iran.

Archaeologists also believe that it is possible that some turquoise came to the Near East and the Eastern Mediterranean from China via the Northern Silk Route. The mineral has been valued for its ornamental and talismanic properties since ancient times. In ancient Tibet and China, turquoise was oftentimes valued higher than gold, and was thought to attract prosperity. To the ancient Egyptians, turquoise was known as “mefkat”, meaning joy or delight. Ancient Egyptians carved turquoise into animal figures worn as symbols of their gods, believing that turquoise itself had divine powers. Turquoise has been found in neckwear and bracelets recovered along with the 7,500 year old Egyptian mummy of “Queen Zer”.

The ancient Egyptians not only used turquoise for jewelry, but also wore it as a talisman to keep evil away. Ancient Egyptian Priests stitched turquoise to their upper vests. In ancient Egypt, everyone from pharaoh to commoner wore turquoise. The ancient Persians themselves believed that health, wealth and happiness would be bestowed upon the wearer of turquoise, as reflected in an ancient Persian saying, “the wearer shall never be poor'”. It was worn around the neck or around the wrist in the belief that the wearer would be protected from an unnatural death.

As talismans, the ancient Persians also adorned daggers, sabers and the bridles of horses with turquoise. It was also believed by the ancient Persians that the gemstone would change color to warn the wearer of impending danger. The horse-mounted tribes of Central Asia (Huns, Scythians, Cimmerians, Avars, Magyars, Mongols) wore turquoise talismans with the belief that they would protect against falls, particularly those from horseback. Turquoise was also commonly carved into pendants and beads by the ancient Sumerians, "founders" of modern civilization, as far back as 5,000 B.C.

Some of the most splendid ancient jewelry ever unearthed by archaeologists was found in Queen Pu-abi's tomb at Ur in Sumeria dating from the 3rd millennium B.C., and in the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen's tomb. Turquoise was one of the most prominent gemstones found within these tombs, including on the famous mask of Tutankhamen. Both the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians produced highly sophisticated gold ornaments inlaid with turquoise. In ancient India, Afghanistan, Arabia and Persia, it was believed that the subtle variations in the color of the stone could be read as indications of the health of the person wearing it, and it was widely believed to change color to expose a woman's infidelity.

Throughout ancient Asia as well as ancient Persia turquoise was believed to protect against the “evil eye”, related to the universal ancient belief that some evil sorcerers or witches had the ability to transmit evil with just a glance. In ancient Persia a turquoise gemstone was typically worn on a turban, often surrounded with pearls, in order to protect against the “evil eye”. Wearing turquoise as a talisman was also believed to protect one from floods. Though the ancient first century Roman Naturalist and Historian Pliny the Elder wrote of turquoise, known as “callais” to the ancient Romans, it is believed that turquoise wasn’t really widely introduced into Europe only in the Middle Ages (at the time of the first Crusades) by Venetian traders.

The trade route which developed saw turquoise being transported to Europe through Turkey, which probably accounts for the name “turquoise”, which is French for "Turkish." It was believed in Medieval Europe that a turquoise gemstone which changed color (became dehydrated) was a warning of impending danger for the wearer. Turquoise was also believed to awaken feelings of romantic love, and to enhance virtues such as trust, kindness, wisdom and understanding. Many Germanic peoples also used turquoise as a betrothal stone, and throughout Europe it was believed that wearing a turquoise amulet would protect travelers from violence, accidents, and injury.

Outside the classical world turquoise was also highly valued in Ancient MesoAmerica. As was the case in ancient Tibet, turquoise was sacred to many American Indian tribes. Most Native American tribes believed that a deep connection existed between the spirits residing in the blue sky and the blue stone found in the earth. Turquoise was also used by Native American shamans and healers in rituals and ceremonies. It was believed to enhance mental and spiritual clarity. There are also accounts of some Native American tribes using turquoise to decorate their teeth.

In particular Apache medicine men and shaman regarded turquoise as absolutely essential. Following a rainbow resulted not in a pot of gold but turquoise. Aiding the accuracy of a hunter's aim was another power highly valued by the Apache. The Apache believed that turquoise combined the spirit of water (as in lakes and rivers) and of the sky to protect the wearer from all natural calamities. The Navaho believed that turquoise, when thrown into a river, would bring rain.

The Zuni (of present-day New Mexico) in particular carved fetishes and talismans in the forms of animals, insects and other living shapes. Interestingly the Zuni believed that blue turquoise was “male”, and came from the sky; and that green turquoise was “female”, and came from the earth. Further south to some tribes of ancient Mexico, mere mortals were not permitted to wear turquoise, which was reserved exclusively for the Gods. The Aztecs of Mexico used turquoise for their fine mosaic art and introduced the stone to the surrounding areas, where it became known as “chalchihuitl”.

The color of turquoise ranges from blue and blue-green to greenish-gray, according to the various amounts of copper usually present. Like opal, turquoise is opaque, reflecting light from small transparent layers within the stone. Turquoise sometimes is "matrixed" (known as a “spider web matrix”) with varying shades of gray, brown, or black veins due to the inclusion of various oxides and impurities (often silver), and is greatly desired by many collectors. However the most valuable turquoise is still mined from Neyshabur, Iran, and is known as “robin’s egg blue”, though as is oftentimes seen with ancient specimens of turquoise, when exposed to sunlight or heat, this variety becomes dehydrated and turns "turquoise" green.

Other less desirable deposits of turquoise are found in the Southwestern United States, the Sinai peninsula, Africa, Australia, Siberia, and Europe. Turquoise is typically found in association with and regarded as a by-product of copper mining. It is formed when a chemical reaction takes place after water slowly enters into the rocks containing copper, aluminum, zinc and other phosphates. Bluer turquoise is due to the presence of copper in the gem, greener turquoise due to higher concentrations of iron or aluminum, and yellowish green color due to traces of zinc.

Being relatively soft, turquoise gemstones are sensitive, easily discolored by chemicals, or even the oils and perspiration of the wearer’s skin. As the color may pale when the stone has been worn for a long time, even high-quality stones today are treated with wax or resin and subsequently hardened. This treatment makes the sensitive gemstone more resistant. Turquoise which has a good natural color and is simply hardened with colorless wax or resin has a much higher value than stones whose color has been “improved” with the use of dye.

In the ancient world turquoise was thought to protect against reptile and insect bites (and was even used as an antidote), poisons, eye diseases, accidents and violence. Turquoise was also used to treat muscle aches, pains and soreness, arthritis of the hip, infections, stomach disorders, and bleeding. It was oftentimes used to treat respiratory disorders including asthma, sore throat, and to treat dental complaints. It was also believed to be a cure for blindness, and was sometimes used to predict the weather based on the perceived color changes of the gemstone. On the metaphysical plane, turquoise was thought to facilitate attunement between the physical plane and higher planes of existence, and to foster spiritual growth and awareness.

Turquoise was considered to be a protective stone, a healer of the spirit, providing soothing energy and peace of mind, benefiting those people suffering from low spirits or depression. Turquoise was believed to protect against curses, psychic or magical attacks (sorcery), and was believed to guard babies and young children. On the more profane side, Turquoise was also believed to bring spoils to warriors, and many kills to the hunter. New Age healers regard turquoise as the master healing stone, that it attracts healing spirits, and is useful in the treatment of respiratory, skeletal, and immune deficiency ailments; as well as an aid to tissue regeneration [AncientGifts].

Carnelian: Aside from pearls, which were "discovered" as gemstones by prehistoric man, carnelian, turquoise, and lapis lazuli are the oldest gemstones utilized in the manufacture of jewelry. Carnelian is a translucent form of (chalcedony) quartz, and ranges in color from yellow to a deep red, the color due to the presence of iron oxide. Some of the most ancient examples of jewelry included carnelian. Queen Pu-abi's tomb at Ur in Sumeria dated from the 3rd millennium B.C. In the crypt the upper part of the queen's body was covered with a robe made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, and chalcedony beads.

In ancient Egyptian jewelry the use of gold was predominant, and it was generally complemented by the use of three colors of carnelian, as well as turquoise, and lapis lazuli. For example the orange accents in the famous mask of Tutankhamun were provided by carnelian gemstones. The blood red varieties of carnelian gained great popularity in the ancient world, and were widely used to produce engraved gemstones. Intaglio-incised carving was probably first used to produce seals. The art form is believed to have originated in southern Mesopotamia, and was highly developed by the 4th millennium B.C.

The source for most carnelian in the early Mediterranean were simply gemstones found on the surface of the Egyptian and Arabian deserts. However by the first millennium B.C., carnelian was coming to the Mediterranean from India. The gemstones would reached the Mediterranean either via the Silk Route (if overland) or if by sea, they would have crossed the Arabian and Red Sea by ship, then overland to Alexandria in Egypt, before being distributed by trade across and around the Mediterranean. The ancient Indians were very fond of carnelian. Long beads in excess of 12cm in length (6 inches) were very popular with the Indus Valley populations (present-day Punjab), specimens having been excavated by archaeologists which date back to before 2,000 B.C.

By 1700 B.C. the Minoans (of ancient Crete) had established trade routes from Knossos to Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Scandinavia. Carnelian was one of their major trade goods, along with amethyst, lapis lazuli, and gold. Even as far away as Japan carnelian has been found in Iron Age burials. In earthquake-prone lands such as Babylon and Greece, carnelian served as a talisman of good luck. An ancient saying went: "no man who wore a carnelian was ever found in a collapsed house or beneath a fallen wall." Carnelian was mentioned a number of times in the ancient Egyptian “Book of the Dead”. A "tet" amulet made of carnelian was placed on a mummy's neck to protect the soul of the departed in the afterlife. The amulet was consecrated by steeping it overnight in flower-water, after which it was empowered by reciting the appropriate spell from the Book of the Dead over it.

The ancient Egyptians often referred to carnelian as “the blood of Isis”. According to legend, the goddess Isis shed tears of blood upon the death of her husband, Osiris. The tears turned into carnelian, which she then shaped into a tet amulet. Isis placed the tet around the neck of Osiris to protect her husband as he journeyed to the underworld. In Egyptian mythology Isis was the equivalent of the universal mother-goddess found in virtually all civilizations, and was worshipped as the mother of Ra. Isis was the sister of Osiris (who was also her husband), Nepthys and Seth, the daughter of Nut and Geb and the mother of Horus, the winged Falcon God.

Other early Mediterranean cultures as well believed that carnelian would protect the deceased in the journey between this world and the next. Carnelian was also believed an aid to astral travel in ancient Egypt, and Siberian shamans believed likewise. Ancient shamans believed that carnelian boosted all psychic and magical powers, especially intuitive gifts like psychometry, dowsing, clairvoyance, and astral travel. Carnelian was also widely used throughout the ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Minoan and Phoenician worlds, as well as in ancient Greece, Rome, and Persia for the carving of intaglio gemstones for signet rings and other seals used by dignitaries and merchants to authenticate documents with their own unique personal “signature”.

Many of the intaglio carnelian rings and signets produced by ancient Roman and Greek craftsmen and still in existence today, have retained their high polish better than many harder stones. A particularly noteworthy collection is housed at The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia. Carnelian was probably the favorite gemstone for Roman artisans as they produced the intaglio gemstones so popular in signet rings. Aside from being quite beautiful, carnelian seals and signets had the practical advantage of not sticking to wax. The ancient Mediterranean cultures, particularly the Romans, recommended carnelian gemstones for those of weak voice or timid on speech. It was also thought to give courage to those who wore the gemstone, and also to provide a positive influence on the reproductive system.

As with amber, ancient Romans believed that the darker carnelian represented males and the lighter carnelian, females. In the world of the ancient Mediterranean, carnelian was also believed to be strong protection from the evil eye, referring to the almost universal belief in the ancient world that some evil sorcerers or witches had the ability to transmit evil with just a glance. The ancient Muslims also believed carnelian to protect against the evil eye, as well as bringing happiness to the owner. Carnelian was called “the Mecca stone”. Legend has it that Mohammad's seal was an engraved carnelian set in a silver ring, quite possible since carnelian was often used for signet seals. In ancient Islam carnelian stones were also engraved it with the name of Allah to promote courage in the wearer.

In ancient Tibet, it was believed that the seven treasures of material wealth were gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl, and carnelian. Carnelian was used during the Middle Ages to enhance fertility, requiring that it be worn both by the male and female for those couples seeking a child. It was also believed to protect from miscarriage during pregnancy. The Medieval Christian Mystic Saint Hildegard recorded that carnelian was used to relieve headaches and as a child-birthing aid. In the Renaissance era cameos were frequently carved of carnelian in the belief that it would ward off depression and insanity. It was also believed that carnelian set in jewelry would help overcome shyness or social inhibitions.

Napoleon is said to have carried a carnelian amulet he found in Egypt, as a talisman, echoing the ancient belief that carnelian would bring victory to the wearer in all contests except love. Like earlier civilizations, medieval Europe believed carnelian to be a powerful healer, using it as a remedy for bleeding wounds. A leading medical treatise of the 17th century said of carnelian, “the powder is good to drink against all infections. Carried about, it makes cheerful minds, expels fear, makes courage, destroys and prevents fascinations and defends the body against all poisons. It stops blood by a peculiar property; and bound to the belly keeps up the birth.”

“Carnelian" gets its name from the Latin "cornum" (cornel berry or carnelian cherry). The color of carnelian, which can range from yellow to orange to red and even to brown, is due to the presence of ferric oxide (iron). If the ferric oxides become hydrated, i.e., the stone absorbs moisture, the stone will be more yellow or brown. Conversely, if excess moisture is removed, it will become more red (which explains why it was often heated in the ancient world, even if by laying it out in the sun, so as to enhance the red hues). Carnelian is also fluorescent, showing under ultra violet light either a light blue or yellow-green coloration.

In the ancient world carnelian had many medicinal applications, believed useful in the treatment of open wounds, sores, spasms, fever, infections, nose bleeds, arthritis, and even infertility. It was also believed that a carnelian worn about a woman’s neck would relieve cramps. Carnelian was also believed to relieve back pain, arthritis, fight infections, as well as to improve circulation to help purify the blood. On the metaphysical plane, it was widely believed in Medieval Europe that a carnelian amulet would protect the home from fire and misfortune. It was also believed helpful in finding the right mate, and to help wearers achieve the perfect balance between creativity and mental processing (left and right hemisphere functions), and thus a useful aid for daydreamers and the absent-minded. Carnelian was also worn to enhance passion, desire, and sexuality [AncientGifts].

Malachite: Malachite and Azurite, closely related forms of oxidized copper ore, both occur in the upper levels of copper deposits. Malachite is approximately 57% copper which gives it its distinctive green color. If blue azurite is left exposed to the elements for an extended period of time, it will slowly weather and become green malachite. Of course then it would come as no surprise to learn that both malachite and azurite are oftentimes found together in the same gemstone. Due to its beauty and relative softness polished malachite (and azurite) has been carved into ornaments, amulets, gemstones, and worn as jewelry for thousands of years.

Malachite gets its name from the Greek word "Mala'khe", which means “rose mallow” (hibiscus), referring to the mallow leaf which is colored much the same as malachite. Varieties of mallow are quite common throughout the temperate zones of Europe, where the leaves are oftentimes used in salads. In the ancient world malachite was a famous and very popular semi-precious stone. Its banded light and dark green patterns are unique in the gemstone world, and give it a unique ornamental quality unlike that of any other stone available to ancient artisans. One of mankind’s first green pigments, azurite beads believed more than 9,000 years old have been found near the ancient city of Jericho in Israel.

The oldest malachite decoration on record is estimated to be 10,500 years old. It was uncovered by archeologists in the Shanidar Valley, Iraq. Powdered malachite was used in Egypt as eye shadow even before the first Egyptian dynasty (3100 B.C.). It was also used for tomb paintings from the Fourth Dynasty (2575-2467 B.C.) onwards. Malachite was even considered sacred to the ancient Egyptians, as they believed it was an aid to spiritual communication. Also used for the production of jewelry and amulets, archaeological evidence suggests that the ancient Egyptians first starting mining Malachite about 4,000 B.C. in the Sinai, near what is now the Suez Canal, and in the famous King Solomon's copper mines on the Red Sea (the Timna Valley in present-day Israel).

The Sinai area and its mines were considered under the spiritual dominion of Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of beauty, joy, love and women. Ruins of the old mines, the miners' huts and inscriptions to the Goddess Hathor can still be found in the Sinai. Taweret, the Egyptian hippo goddess of childbirth, was often depicted wearing a necklace of many large beads, some of which were malachite. In ancient Egypt as well as other ancient cultures, malachite was used as a children's talisman to ward off danger, accidents and illness. Even today some cultures will attach malachite to infant's cradles.

Malachite was also a symbol of joy in ancient Egypt, and the phrase "field of malachite" was used when speaking of the land of the dead. As well the ancient Egyptians also wore malachite as a protective amulet against the spells of sorcerers and witches, and also believed that wearing malachite in bands around the head and arms protected the wearer from the frequent cholera epidemics that ravaged Egypt, a logical conclusion since the slaves who mined malachite were often unaffected by the plagues. The alleged cholera-protection powers of malachite may have been due in part to copper's antibacterial properties.

During the cholera epidemics in Paris of 1832, 1849 and 1852, copper workers appeared to be immune to the disease. Keeping that in mind, the use of powdered malachite mixed as eye shadow in ancient Egypt while conferring beauty and style on the wearer, also had other more practical uses. When used as eye shadow, malachite possessed disinfectant and fly-deterrent properties and is believed to have protected eyes from the intense Egyptian sun. The application of eye shadow was believed to provide psychic protection as well. The Egyptian word for eye-palette is derived from their word for "protect." An unadorned and therefore unprotected eye was believed vulnerable to the “Evil Eye”.

Outlining the eyes thus gained significance beyond beautification. The act itself created a personal protective amulet drawn directly on the skin; an amulet that once applied could not be broken, lost, or stolen. Found in tombs of the pre-dynastic period, eye makeup equipment (palettes, grinders and applicators) seems to have also been essential for the afterlife. Following in the Egyptians' footsteps, Greeks also made jewelry and talismans from malachite to ward off evil spells and thoughts. The Greeks also made use of malachite in monumental architecture. According to the first-century Roman Historian and Naturalist “Pliny the Elder”, the famous Temple of Diana (Artemis) in Ephesus (built in 560 B.C.), one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” (four times as large as Athens’ Parthenon), was extensively decorated with malachite.

The Greeks also wore amulets composed of malachite for protection from evil-doers. Since the sun was the enemy of all creatures from the "dark side," an image of the sun was engraved on malachite to protect the wearer from enchantments (“spells”), evil spirits and attacks of venomous creatures. The ancient Romans also made use of malachite for both jewelry as well as eye shadow. The stone was considered sacred to Venus/Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and was used in spells to increase charm and beauty or attract wealthy lovers. The stone was also believed sacred to the Goddess Juno, and was sometimes referred to as the “peacock” stone. The peacock was the distinctive symbol and protégé of Juno. However it could simply be that malachite’s concentric rings resemble the eye like pattern on the peacock feather.

Malachite was also referred to in the New Testament as one of the foundation stones of the post-apocalyptic New Jerusalem. "The foundations of the city wall were faced with all kinds of precious stone; the first with diamond, the second lapis lazuli...the eighth malachite…” The ancient beliefs that malachite could be used as a talisman both to protect children as well to protect wearers from the evil eye, black magic, and sorcery expanded into mainstream Europe by the Middle Ages. Malachite was also worn by travelers so as to detect impending danger, thought to break into pieces when danger was near.

During the Middle Ages powdered malachite was also used as a cure for vomiting, and many Medieval cultures believed that malachite would alleviate menstrual cramps and aid labor, and malachite was often referred to as "the midwife's stone". Malachite gained great popularity during the Renaissance. Historically the most important deposits of malachite and malachite occured at Chessy, near Lyon, in France; in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Discovered in the foothills of the Urals near Ekaterinburg in 1635, by 1820, high quality malachite had become very fashionable for jewelry, frequently mounted in gold and adorned with diamonds.

Malachite is now relatively rare, however the deposits in the Ural Mountains in Russia routinely produced blocks of malachite up to 20 tons in weight (the largest weighing a staggering 260 tons), and was used to decorate the palaces of the Russian Tsars, including the famous Anichkov Palace in Saint Petersburg, and the 264,000 square foot Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow wherein the “Catherine Hall”, the royal family’s private chambers, contained massive malachite-faced pilasters. Perhaps some of the most famous malachite in the world is the “Malachite Room” of the Winter Palace of the Russian Royal family (now known as “The Hermitage” Museum, also in Saint Petersburg).

Designed in the late 1830’s, the Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, the wife of Nicholas I, used it as her drawing-room. The room, including eight columns, eight pilasters, fire-place trimmings and decorative vases is made completely of malachite. Gigantic pieces of malachite were used to make the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral as well, also in Saint Petersburg, wherein malachite faces eight of the ten huge Corinthian columns that support the three-tier two-hundred foot gilded iconostasis (the icon wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church). By the 1870’s, the vast malachite deposits in the Ural Mountains had been virtually depleted to produce these massive architectural wonders. Today, as for millennia past, malachite is been used as an ornamental stone and as a gemstone. Still relatively rare, it possess a distinctive bright green color, and when polished often resembles marble.

The medicinal uses of malachite, according to ancient sources, included its use as an antidote to nausea. It was also believed to be helpful in treating ailments of the heart, throat, asthma, spleen, pancreas, liver, kidney, lungs, asthma, motion sickness, vertigo, hypertension, diabetes, tumors, broken bones, torn muscles, and for reducing swelling and inflammation related to arthritis. In Medieval Europe malachite was worn with the belief that it stimulated the optic nerve, and improved vision impaired by cataracts. Some also feel this gemstone can enhance the immune system and decrease the wearer's susceptibility to radiation illnesses and injury from the electromagnetic pollution arising from the excessive use of televisions, computers and computer monitors, and cell phones.

On the metaphysical plane, malachite was held conducive to increased knowledge, patience, tolerance, flexibility, harmony, and useful in balancing the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of the individual. Contemporary practitioners associate malachite with spiritual growth, as it is said to overcome the bad memories and experiences that took place in past. Many believe that this stone helps to reduce anger, to increase psychic awareness, wisdom, and spiritual “force”. Traditionally it has been employed to aid in the recovery from emotional illness, particularly for releasing feeling of guilt and coping with changes. Psychologically, it can be used to help recognize and release the lingering effects of negative experiences.

Malachite has been also been used to promote success in business and avoid undesirable business associations. Malachite can also aid in concentration and is known as a protective stone in the field of aviation, where it is believed to stimulate awareness and prevent vertigo . Malachite is thought by some to promote friendship, fidelity in love, and to be a stone of good fortune which will bring prosperity and material abundance. Malachite is also attributed with the ability to help clear the path to reach desired goals, enhance emotional stability, and counteract any self-destructive romantic tendencies while encouraging true love. It is also believed by some to raise the wearer's spirits and aid with insecurity, confusion, and lack of purpose [AncientGifts].

VINTAGE JEWELRY: How vintage jewelry brings old-time glamour to the red carpet. Among all the gemstones paraded on the red carpets of Cannes, Venice, Hollywood and New York, some pieces leave an indelible impression. At this year’s Manus X Machina-themed Met Gala, the award for best supporting accessory went to a majestic diamond peacock, its tail curving over one strap of Uma Thurman’s custom-made Ralph Lauren ivory gown. Created as a special order by Cartier in 1948 and comprising 83.89ct of diamonds, the brooch demonstrated the power of vintage when it comes to making a statement on the red carpet.

"Vintage jewelry brings character and a sense of nostalgia to a look," says LA-based British stylist Tanya Gill, who dresses stars such as Kate Winslet, Julie Christie and Jane Fonda. "I love the craftsmanship, the history and the patina. Sometimes I’ll build characters through the jewelry as though I am creating a look for a film."

Gill was responsible for the eye-catching vintage Bulgari bib necklace that Minnie Driver wore to the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2014. Made in 1965, the necklace caught Gill’s eye at Bulgari’s Decades of Glamour pre-Oscar event. "It struck me as so exquisite in design and colour, with the craftsmanship of the turquoise, cabochon emeralds, cabochon amethysts and diamonds, that it would be a unique statement for the right personality," she says. "It was perfect for the statuesque beauty of Minnie Driver."

It’s not only Hollywood’s grandes dames who carry off vintage glamour. At the Met Gala, Anna Wintour’s 29-year-old daughter, Bee Shaffer, was every inch the ingénue in 19th-century diamond chandelier earrings and a slim diamond headband by the New York-based vintage-jewelry specialist Fred Leighton, while at the reopening of Cartier’s Fifth Avenue mansion in September, Sienna Miller accessorised a fresh, floaty Valentino dress with a suite of diamond and emerald Cartier jewels from the 1920s.

The trend for vintage jewelry on the red carpet was kick-started in 1996, when Prada borrowed a 19th-century opal choker from Fred Leighton for a then-29-year-old Nicole Kidman. "It was a wonderful moment for us," recalls Rebecca Selva, Fred Leighton’s chief creative officer and public relations director. "It commanded tremendous attention because it was so different."

The collaboration sparked a long-term relationship with Kidman and began two decades of "beautiful and iconic moments" for Fred Leighton. Selva cites Charlize Theron’s appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2000 as one of her favorites: clasped to the 25-year-old’s tangerine Vera Wang dress were two art-deco diamond clips. "Vera fell in love with the clips and then created the dress around them," says Selva. "The whole image was beautiful; it was Hollywood glamour in the most sophisticated and refined way."

Nowadays, as celebrity outfits are dissected on social media in real time, red-carpet appearances have even more effect on what used to be a very private, elitist market. "The internet has been great in spreading the message about vintage jewelry," says Selva. "There’s so much to discover – people realise it’s not what they thought it was. It’s not your grandmother’s jewelry, and nothing is so rarefied that it can’t be worn. Even our tiaras can be worn as headbands."

For Selva, increased visibility helps to dispel the myth that antique jewelry is outdated. "We have an unbelievable 19th-century diamond snake necklace that looks like the coolest piece anyone could wear, yet it’s almost 120 years old," she says. "It’s waiting for its red carpet moment."

Vintage jewelry’s reputation in the fashion world has been elevated further by Fred Leighton’s collaboration with Net-a-Porter, which began in 2014. Both antique jewels and new pieces from the Fred Leighton Collection (which are inspired by vintage designs) are available online, with prices ranging from £1,500 for a simple pair of drop earrings to tens of thousands for signed vintage pieces by the likes of Cartier, David Webb or Buccellati.

"We’ve had a really positive response, with jewelry often selling out within minutes," says Sophie Quy, fine-jewelry buyer at Net-a-Porter, who travels to the Fred Leighton store in New York up to four times a year to look for pieces. Diamonds, pearls and turquoise are bestsellers, along with chunky gold chain bracelets that customers wear stacked with modern designs. The site also works with Fred Leighton to source vintage pieces on demand.

Antique jewelry has also found a place in uber-fashionable department store Dover Street Market, which carries a selection of vintage rings and Victorian and Georgian tiaras by British jeweler Bentley & Skinner alongside its roster of modern brands. This departure from the notion of dusty vintage emporiums reflects an increasing desire to own something one-of-a-kind. "Vintage jewelry is much more interesting than anything you can buy now," says Max Michelson of the London vintage specialist SJ Phillips. "Instead of being tied to this year’s range, we have 400 years’ worth of ranges, so you’ll always find something that fits."

He says 20th-century pieces are far and away the most popular. "Everyone wants art deco because it’s stylish and nicely made, and being set in platinum it looks closer to modern jewelry than earlier pieces, which are set in silver. There’s also interest in bold pieces from the 1950s and ’60s." Unlike its American counterpart, SJ Phillips doesn’t shout about red-carpet appearances. "That type of advertising works in the States but not here," Michelson says. "Even if a piece has been worn by someone famous, we don’t tell people."

While signed vintage pieces carry a price premium, there are smart buys to be found. "There are some under-appreciated American makers such as Raymond Yard," says Michelson. "But there are also unsigned pieces that are a match to the big names but half the price." The main thing is that it speaks to the wearer. "We never claim that anything is going to be a good investment. It might be, but we’re not an investment broker." Rebecca Selva agrees: "If jewelry is fine and fabricated beautifully, it will hold its value, but I would certainly never sell it as an investment. It’s more about the joy you get from it." [Telegraph (UK)].

VINTAGE JEWELRY: Dust off your old jewelry boxes and open-up the family vault because you might just be sitting on a fortune. That’s the message from London auctioneer Bonhams this week, as they announced new figures showing the soaring value of vintage jewels. Bonhams say the value of antique and period jewelry has increased by over 80% in the last decade - outdoing average house prices in England, which increased by 47% over the same period. Estimates have been abandoned on auction days, as items have been fetching double, sometimes triple, their predictions amid fierce bidding wars. And it’s prompted the auctioneer to launch a campaign urging the public to seek valuations for any forgotten gems they might have stashed away.

“An Art Deco Cartier emerald and diamond bracelet that we sold in December was estimated at £80,000-£100,000 and it made £210,000,” says Jean Ghika, head of jewelry at Bonhams UK and Europe. “These types of instances are our key indicators of a gain in momentum. It’s the quality of craftsmanship that is resonating with buyers, the types of stones that were used back then, compared to a modern piece, are special.” Vogue’s jewelry editor Carol Woolton isn’t surprised by the jewelry market’s strength in the current economic climate. “There are so few investments that are reliable right now - stocks are in a state of insecurity, but gold and diamonds will never be a risky purchase for a rich person trying to maintain their wealth,” she says. “There are limited resources in the world, mines will run out and there is a finite number of precious stones - that’s what gives it a rarity value.”

Even if you haven’t got a spare Cartier brooch in the attic to auction off, it’s worth noting that the trend described extends beyond designer names, and applies to specific stones, metals and eras, too. If the catwalks are revisiting silhouettes from a particular decade, the interest will echo through the jewelry world. “Signed items from the Art Deco period and antiques over 100 years old will always be in demand,” says Ghika. “But we’re now seeing post-war period, 1950s jewelry, as well as pieces from the 1960s and 1970s really performing well too.”

The thing that often prevents people from having their jewelry valued is the assumption that family heirlooms have been set aside because they’re no longer fashionable won’t be worth anything. “People often look at their items without understanding their importance in the context of jewelry history,” says Ghika. “We recently discovered a wonderful and rare Chanel Twist necklace, which a client had brought to a valuation day, but had thought it was just a piece of costume jewelry. But Chanel did make real jewelry as well as pieces in non-precious materials.” This 1950s necklace had a discreet engraving on the inside, indicating that it was actually designed by Coco herself, and it subsequently smashed its estimate of £6,000, fetching £68,500 on auction day.

So how can you tell if something is valuable when digging through an old jewelry stash? Start with the logos and hallmarks, suggests Ghika, noting that the big names (Cartier, Tiffany, Bulgari, Boucheron and Van Cleef and Arpels) will always be winners, but that key names from modern eras (like Andrew Grima of the 1960s, or John Donald of the 1970s) will have equally held their value. Next you should assess the piece’s construction; do the stones have rough edges, are they generously packed in, or was its maker trying to scrimp by using more metal, less diamonds? Even the battered and broken is not entirely beyond hope. “It’s not necessarily the end of the world if something has had some damage,” says Ghika. “Professional repairs, if done well, can be discreet. We have had items come into us in two pieces before and, after it is mended, it hasn’t greatly impacted on the value.”

The best way to truly know what something might be worth is, of course, to get it valued by a professional. Because it is unlikely that you will be able to tell that the sapphires in granny’s heirloom ring were super-desirable specimens from the Kashmir region or the product of a rare mining community that was only operational for a ten years at the end of the 19th Century. “The Bonhams website offers the option to submit photos if you want to get an initial impression from our experts, then we hold regular valuation days all over the UK,” advises Ghika. What you can do for yourself, though, is take care of the stocks you’ve got - whether you’re ready to sell them or not. “If you ever think you might sell jewelry on, then you must keep the boxes,” urges Woolton. “The boxes and the paperwork for stones will really add to their value and save a lot of confusion as to what something is when you sell.”

The worst thing you can do is to let your old jewelry rattle around in a disorganised box. “Don’t over-clean old pieces,” Ghika also warns. “Part of the history is the pattern that it has and if it’s stripped off then it lacks some of its soul.” Other expert tips include not keeping hard and soft stones together to prevent erosion, wiping pearls with a cloth after every wear to remove any oils or perfume, and even splitting pairs of earrings into individual soft pouches so that they don’t rub together. If you’re keen to run with 'gems over property’ as your new investment mantra, the experts say you may have to wait a while for the dividends if you choose more recent pieces. “jewelry takes a long time to appreciate,” says Ghika, who suggests buying classics distinct to particular makers, like Cartier’s Panthère collection. Woolton, meanwhile, tips Dior’s fine jeweler Victoire de Castellane as one who will create the “masterpieces of our time.”

One thing all experts agree on however, is that primarily jewelry should be worn and enjoyed, with any increase in value seen as an added bonus. “It’s all very well owning these wonderful things,” says Woolton. “But if investors lock them away and don’t wear them then you have to ask; where’s the fun in that?” [Telegraph (UK)].

VINTAGE JEWELRY: The rise of online vintage jewelry auctions. As the Blue Moon diamond gets set for auction, our expert has the lowdown on the growing popularity of online sales which is making it easier than ever to bid for precious pieces. The global reach of the internet has raised the profiles of local salerooms and consumer confidence with it. When I was an auctioneer for Sotheby’s it was a one-person show; quite the adrenaline rush, the aim was to keep the “room” engaged in enthusiastic bidding. Today, with online sales increasing, auctions are just as busy but with fewer people actually in the room. Some of the thrill has gone but the benefit of online auctions is that they’ve boosted the profile of provincial salerooms, making them a force to be reckoned with.

At Woolley & Wallis Salisbury Salerooms, for instance, an Art Nouveau Lalique haircomb came up for auction last year. The piece was notable for two reasons: highly collectable names such as Lalique were once the preserve of well-known auction houses. Now, the global reach of the internet has raised the profiles of local salerooms and consumer confidence with it. But the haircomb made a particular impact because it had previously been bought at an auction in Wellington, New Zealand, where it was erroneously catalogued as plastic and sold for around £2,000. Woolley & Wallis’s sale attributed its genuine provenance as horn, and sold it for £29,000.

Here’s my guide to noted provincial auction houses which also offer online auctions. According to Jonathan Edwards, associate director at Woolley & Wallis auctioneers in Wiltshire, underbidders are making a big impact on prices being realized at auction today. There is also the fact that bids are coming not only from the UK but internationally, too. In May last year a natural pearl necklace was sold to an online bidder at the Wiltshire auctioneers for a staggering £89,000, against an estimate of £50,000-70,000. It is the highest-priced jewel sold online at Woolley & Wallis to date.

Fellows auctioneers, which offers more than 40 specialist jewelry sales a year, is witnessing a substantial annual increase in its online sales, which represents around 45 per cent of its turnover now. “Rare pieces are going out to a global marketplace and there is no snobbery about which auction house you bid in any more,” says Geoff Whitefield, insurance manager at Fellows. A client who thought a pair of earrings were costume jewelry was staggered when they went under the hammer for £25,000 this year. Fellows is holding jewelry auctions throughout November and December

Bellmans recently sold a pair of Twenties French platinum-and-diamond bracelets, which linked together to also form a necklace, for £14,000. Jonathan Pratt, managing director at Bellmans, advises that anyone considering buying from an online auction should first check the saleroom’s professional accreditation. “Look for trade-association endorsement, such as the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers (SOFAA), and the Association of Accredited Auctioneers (AAA),” he says. It’s also worth checking that auction jewelry specialists are qualified and have obtained a recognized gemological certificate. Bellmans is holding a jewelry auction on 4 December

The-saleroom.com started its live webcast auctions in 2006. Visitors to the site can browse auction catalogues and place bids over the internet in real time, with live audio and video feeds direct from the auction rooms. The site hosts jewelry auctions throughout the year, so if you are looking for a particular item, simply type keywords into the search engine and it will list suitable lots.

The most important sales are still the preserve of international auction houses Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonhams, not least because of their global reach and relationships with leading collectors and dealers. These are the sales where you will see jewels that will take your breath away, including the Blue Moon diamond going on sale at Sotheby’s Geneva on 11 November. The largest fancy vivid blue, internally flawless 12.03ct diamond ever to come up for auction, with an estimate of US$35-55million, looks likely to break all previous records.

“Auctioneers have adapted quickly to the demand for online bidding,” says Keith Penton, head of Christie’s London jewelry department. “It brings added interest and excitement to the atmosphere of the saleroom, particularly when the prospective buyer’s location is revealed to be in a far-flung location; it’s not unusual nowadays to hear: ‘sold to you on the internet in Bogota’.” (Note: Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonhams are not part of a sourcing portal platform so you will need to go to the individual websites to watch live auctions.)

For Bonhams, which last year conducted 43 jewelry sales around the world, online bidding has encouraged a new clientele. “It’s about bringing the auction experience to millions of people who have never set foot in a saleroom before,” explains Matthew Girling, global CEO and director of jewelry. Online bidders accounted for more than £5m of Bonhams jewelry sales in 2014. This is also reinforced by the increase in volume of registrations it is seeing at Bonhams monthly Knightsbridge jewelry sales.

Sotheby’s has also witnessed an increase in the number of online buyers participating in their worldwide jewelry sales over the past five years. In a 12-month period between 2013 and 2014, it saw a staggering 42 per cent increase in online bidding. So when that “Blue Moon” diamond goes up for auction at Sotheby’s Geneva, make sure you switch on your computer, get out the champagne, and witness a unique gem making history.

Anyone can listen to or watch a live auction by simply clicking on “view as a guest”, although for data protection reasons you will not be able to see anyone bidding in the room. At Sotheby’s and Christie’s major Geneva, New York and Hong Kong sales, both auction houses have their own facility where you need to register on the website to follow the action, which can make for compulsive viewing. If you want to register to bid, you’ll be required to answer a series of security questions and, ultimately, it is still the individual auction houses that will accept your application if you’re registering interest through a sourcing portal.

Once you’ve bid you have entered a binding contract with the auction house and if you are bidding via a sourcing portal such as thesaleroom.com there is a 3 per cent handling charge added to the final price after the buyer’s premium. Make sure you take a good hard look at all the images – including at the reverse image – as well as at the hallmarks. If the auctioneer has stipulated what the item is, then that is their guarantee. Also make sure you’ve checked dimensions so that there are no surprises when your item arrives and is much smaller or bigger than you’d hoped.

View the items first and build a relationship with the auction house: it is always reassuring if you know who you are talking to at the other end of the phone when advice is needed. [Telegraph (UK)].

SHIPPING & RETURNS/REFUNDS: We always ship books domestically (within the USA) via USPS INSURED media mail (“book rate”). Most international orders cost an additional $19.99 to $53.99 for an insured shipment in a heavily padded mailer. There is also a discount program which can cut postage costs by 50% to 75% if you’re buying about half-a-dozen books or more (5 kilos+). Our postage charges are as reasonable as USPS rates allow. ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per book (for each additional book after the first) so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs.

Your purchase will ordinarily be shipped within 48 hours of payment. We package as well as anyone in the business, with lots of protective padding and containers. All of our shipments are fully insured against loss, and our shipping rates include the cost of this coverage (through stamps.com, Shipsaver.com, the USPS, UPS, or Fed-Ex). International tracking is provided free by the USPS for certain countries, other countries are at additional cost.

We do offer U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, Registered Mail, and Express Mail for both international and domestic shipments, as well United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (Fed-Ex). Please ask for a rate quotation. Please note for international purchasers we will do everything we can to minimize your liability for VAT and/or duties. But we cannot assume any responsibility or liability for whatever taxes or duties may be levied on your purchase by the country of your residence. If you don’t like the tax and duty schemes your government imposes, please complain to them. We have no ability to influence or moderate your country’s tax/duty schemes.

If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked 30-day return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price; 1) less our original shipping/insurance costs, 2) less any non-refundable fees imposed by eBay Please note that though they generally do, eBay may not always refund payment processing fees on returns beyond a 30-day purchase window. So except for shipping costs and any payment processing fees not refunded by eBay, we will refund all proceeds from the sale of a return item. Obviously we have no ability to influence, modify or waive eBay policies.

ABOUT US: Prior to our retirement we used to travel to Eastern Europe and Central Asia several times a year seeking antique gemstones and jewelry from the globe’s most prolific gemstone producing and cutting centers. Most of the items we offer came from acquisitions we made in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) during these years from various institutions and dealers. Much of what we generate on Etsy, Amazon and Ebay goes to support worthy institutions in Europe and Asia connected with Anthropology and Archaeology. Though we have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, our primary interests are ancient/antique jewelry and gemstones, a reflection of our academic backgrounds.

Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia antique gemstones are commonly dismounted from old, broken settings – the gold reused – the gemstones recut and reset. Before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, we try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state – most of them originally crafted a century or more ago. We believe that the work created by these long-gone master artisans is worth protecting and preserving rather than destroying this heritage of antique gemstones by recutting the original work out of existence. That by preserving their work, in a sense, we are preserving their lives and the legacy they left for modern times. Far better to appreciate their craft than to destroy it with modern cutting.

Not everyone agrees – fully 95% or more of the antique gemstones which come into these marketplaces are recut, and the heritage of the past lost. But if you agree with us that the past is worth protecting, and that past lives and the produce of those lives still matters today, consider buying an antique, hand cut, natural gemstone rather than one of the mass-produced machine cut (often synthetic or “lab produced”) gemstones which dominate the market today. We can set most any antique gemstone you purchase from us in your choice of styles and metals ranging from rings to pendants to earrings and bracelets; in sterling silver, 14kt solid gold, and 14kt gold fill. When you purchase from us, you can count on quick shipping and careful, secure packaging. We would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from us. There is a $3 fee for mailing under separate cover. I will always respond to every inquiry whether via email or eBay message, so please feel free to write.

  • Condition: Brand new
  • Book Title: Gem Identification Made Easy: A Hands-On Guide
  • Signed: No
  • Ex Libris: No
  • Narrative Type: Nonfiction
  • Dimensions: 9½ x 6½ x 1½ inches; 1½ pounds
  • Original Language: English
  • Publisher: GemStone Press
  • Intended Audience: Young Adults, Adults
  • Inscribed: No
  • Vintage: No
  • Personalize: No
  • Publication Year: 2016
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Language: English
  • Length: 400 pages
  • Author: Antoinette Matlins
  • Personalized: No
  • Features: Illustrated
  • Genre: Leisure, Hobbies & Lifestyle
  • Topic: gemology, gemstones, Hobbies, Jewelry, Tests
  • Item Weight: 1.5 pounds
  • Number of Pages: 400
  • ISBN: 0997014555

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