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Consumer Guide to Diamonds, 2nd edition
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You Are Here: Books About Antiques > Antique Diamonds > Item 44 of 127
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$20.00
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Available from Amazon
Price Last Updated : 7-30-2008
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Features
Paperback: 47 pages
Publisher: Joseph's Jewelry March 1, 2000
ISBN-10: 097000740X
ISBN-13: 978-0970007407
The Midwest Book Review, December, 2003
An excellent laymans guide…a highly affordable "must-read" for anyone considering a hefty monetary investment in these precious stones.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Book Description
Are you going to spend a fortune on a diamond engagement ring?
Are you afraid you will make a mistake?
Do you know what an ideal cut diamond is?
I assume your answers to these questions are yes, yes, and no (or maybe). Consumer Guide To Diamonds was written to help you to spend your fortune without making a mistake and to tell you in great detail what an ideal cut diamond is.
Judging by the number of pretty bad diamonds I see as a jeweler, gemologist, and appraiser, people are not going about looking for diamonds correctly. Consumer Guide To Diamonds offers real-world guidance in purchasing this high-anxiety, esoteric, and very expensive product, which most people buy at least once in their lives.
The book is deliberately concise, not straying from too far from the practical business of real-world diamond shopping for ordinary people.
The four C's of diamonds, clarity, color, carat weight, and cut, are thoroughly explained, but the emphasis is on cut, the angles and proportions of the diamond, which determine its brilliance and fire.
The cut, the most complicated and least understood aspect of diamonds, by jewelers and consumers alike, has the greatest potential for manipulation to fool the consumer. For example, diamonds are commonly cut to be smaller or larger in size than they should be for their weight. The former gives the illusion of more carats for the money, the latter of more size for the money. Both are discounted in price from a nominally sized diamond and both usually suffer in brilliance due to their poor proportions. And unwary consumers commonly buy both. The book tells you how to spot this common trick.
Although an interesting background about diamonds is given, the book also addresses at length the misperceptions and misinformation that underlie the considerable consumer anxiety about diamonds.
Price lists, and diamond grading papers are also discussed. In addition to engagement ring diamonds, other common jewelry products with small diamonds are covered. Numerous real life anecdotes and humorous asides are given.
The book also covers synthetic diamonds, imitation diamonds, diamond enhancements (yes, they doctor diamonds) and recutting diamonds to remove chips or improve appearance. Appraisals, an area with great problems of incompetence are discussed at length. Finally there is a section on practical tips about the mechanics of the jewelry itself: matching a wedding band, types of precious metals, cleaning, and care.
Please note: the third edition of Consumer Guide to Diamonds is now on sale at amazon. This edition brings the topics to life with 64 through-the-microscope photos of diamonds, 24 illustrations, and 3 facsimiles of diamond documents. A lot has happened in the diamond world in the 3 years since the second edition was published, especially concerning cut and ideal cuts. The new book is up-to-date on these developments. At 108 pages, it is more than twice the length of the second edition.
Reader Reviews
Before I began shopping for an engagement ring for my fiance, I knew absolutely nothing about diamonds. Determined not to make a mistake in my purchase or pay more than I should, I researched the subject intensively. I bought six different books on the subject of buying diamonds, went to countless diamond dealers including many on 47th Street in NYC, and learned enough over time to make an informed purchase. The best single aid to my education, by far, was Joe Mirsky's book. His explanations were clear, objective, comprehensive and honest. His emphasis on the importance of the quality of the cut in determining the beauty of a diamond is right on! End result: a very happy fiance!
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Consumer Guide to Diamonds, 2nd edition
by Joseph Mirsky
Available from Amazon
Price: $20.00
on 7-30-2008
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