Gemstone Buying Guide:
How to evaluate, identify, select and care for colored gems
by Renee Newman, G.G.
Gemstone Buying Guide
|
|
| Acknowledgements |
7
|
| 1. Colored Gem Price Factors in a Nutshell |
8
|
| Price Factors Explained |
8
|
| Two Common Beliefs Which Warrant Review |
15
|
| Colored Gem Pricing |
16
|
| 2. Shape and Cutting Style |
18
|
| Gemstone Terms Defined |
19
|
| Traditional Cutting Styles |
20
|
| Fancy Cuts and Cutting Techniques |
24
|
| Carving |
27
|
| Drusy Gem Materials |
31
|
| 3. Carat Weight |
33
|
| Size Versus Carat Weight |
33
|
| Effect of Carat Weight on Price |
34
|
| Estimating Carat Weight |
35
|
| 4. Gemstone Color |
36
|
| Evaluating Gemstone Color |
37
|
| How to Examine Color |
39
|
| How Lighting Affects Gem Color |
40
|
| 5. Judging Clarity and Transparency |
42
|
| Gemstone Inclusions |
43
|
| Gemstone Blemishes |
45
|
| Examining Gemstones for Clarity |
45
|
| How Lighting Can Affect Your Perception of Clarity |
47
|
| Do We Need Grades to Evaluate Clarity and Transparency? |
48
|
| 6. Judging Cut Quality |
49
|
| Judging the Face-Up View |
49
|
| Judging the Profile |
51
|
| How Cut Affects Price |
54
|
| Judging "Life" |
55
|
| 7. Evaluating Star and Cat's-Eye Stones |
56
|
| 8. Treatments |
59
|
| 9. Synthetic Stones |
63
|
| Synthetic Versus Natural |
64
|
| 10. Deceptive Practices |
65
|
| Misnomers |
67
|
| 11. Gemstone Descriptions |
68
|
| Amethyst and Other Quartz Stones |
71
|
| Chalcedony |
75
|
| Chrysoberyl (Alexandrite, Cat's-eye...) |
80
|
| Emerald and Other Beryl Stones |
82
|
| Garnet |
86
|
| Iolite |
91
|
| Jade |
92
|
| Lapis Lazuli |
100
|
| Malachite |
101
|
| Moonstone and Some Other Feldspars |
102
|
| Opal |
104
|
| Peridot |
112
|
| Spodumene |
113
|
| Ruby and Sapphire (Corundum) |
114
|
| Spinel |
118
|
| Tanzanite and Other Zoisites |
120
|
| Topaz |
122
|
| Tourmaline |
124
|
| Turquoise |
128
|
| Zircon |
130
|
| Ammolite |
132
|
| Andalusite, Apatite |
133
|
| Azurite, Benitoite |
134
|
| Charoite, Calcite |
135
|
| Diopside, Fluorite |
136
|
| Hematite, Natural Glass (Obsidian, Moldavite) |
137
|
| Larimar, Prehnite, Rhodonite |
138
|
| Rhodochrosite, Sugilite |
139
|
| Sphene (Titanite), Variscite |
140
|
| Test Your Gem IQ |
141
|
| 12. Caring for Your Gems |
142
|
| Birthstones and Anniversary Stones |
146
|
| Suppliers of Jewelry and Stones for Photographs |
147
|
| Bibliography |
150
|
| Index |
153
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