Gemstones: Quality and Value, Volume 2

This long-awaited English translation of Mr. Suwa's second book on the judgment of gemstone quality and value has finally arrived. Just as with the previous "Gemstones" volumes, this book is written simply enough for the layperson to understand, while providing information based on the author's experience that will also benefit those in the jewelry trade.

Following the same format and style of Volume 1, this volume uses high-quality photographs to introduce 20 new gemstones including fancy-colored diamonds, more types of rubies and sapphires, and some more relatively unknown gemstone species. Also included are amber and pink coral, and a discussion of diamond shape and cut.

The third chapter contains detailed discussion of the factors that establish a gemstone's value--species, origin, treatment, beauty, tone, defects, and size.

A bold introduction sets the tone for the book, and a series of value comparison charts provides a rare look at the relative values of all the gemstones covered in Volumes 1 and 2 of this series.

For those readers who enjoyed the Volumes 1 and 3 of Mr. Suwa's "Gemstones" series, this book will no doubt provide additional pleasure and insight.