Books About Diamonds, Gems & Jewelry

Consumer education is a Delmonte-Smelson priority. Our knowledgeable sales associates are trained to fully answer your questions and to help you make informed decisions. Here are some of the books they recommend to help you learn about buying, selling, appraising, owning, collecting and just plain enjoying diamonds, gems, jewelry and watches. We've organized them into three groups: The Basics, For Your Engagement & Wedding, and Buying Guides.  If you have a book you think we should share with others, please let us know.

The Basics

An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry by Harold Nieman. Reissue edition, Thames & Hudson, 1994 This book is wonderful! Filled with extremely well photographed color and B&W photos of museum quality pieces, used to illustrate the jewelry terms being defined. more

Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones by Simon & Schuster. Fireside, 1986 Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones provides both the connoisseur and the casual collector with a compact, easy-to-use volume describing more than 100 rare varieties of minerals whose beauty and mystery have possessed our imaginations from time immemorial. more

Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling by Antoinette L . Matlins, Antonio C. Bonanno. 3rd edition, Gemstone Press, 2003 New, revised, expanded edition of the first and only book of its kind. Covers the latest gems, synthetics, treatments, and instruments. 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 instruments are needed, how to use them, where to get them, and what should be seen for each gemstone. more

Jewelry: Fundamentals of Metalsmithing by Tim McCreight. Brynmorgen Press, 1997 Offers clear and insightful instruction from a master teacher. It is lavishly illustrated, both with demonstration photos taken in the author's studio, and with photographs of finished jewelry from a wealth of talented artists. Tim McCreight is an artist, teacher, and author of six previous books about working with metals. more

The Encyclopedia of Jewelry-Making Techniques: A Comprehensive Visual Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Techniques by Jinks McGrath. Running Press Book Publishers, 1995 This book is a very useful guide for those who wish to set up at home or in a small retail business since it provides the reader with enough information to confidently tackle all but the most difficult jobs.This book can also help the adventuresome to expand their scope by providing a lot of technical info which allows one to expand one's range of thinking. more

The Design and Creation of Jewelry by Robert Von Neumann. 3rd Rei edition, Chilton Book Company, 1982 I use this book often as a reference guide and it is one of my favorites. When I first started making jewelry 7 years ago, this was one of the first books I bought. Intended as a textbook, it's a good, basic, easy to understand book for the novice jeweler. more

Timepieces: Masterpieces of Chronometry by David Christianson. Firefly Books, 2002 A renowned watchmaker unfolds horological history from the sundial to the atomic clock, accenting the inventions and artistry of the craft in a colorfully attractive book. more

Kids' Crafts: Cool Jewelry: 50 Stylin' Projects to Make by Rain Newcomb. Lark Books, 2004 From simple bead stringing to working with wire, there's a wide variety of fabulous jewelry to make, and lots of creative techniques to try. Every attractively photographed page encourages experimentation, imagination, and personal artistic expression at the same time. more

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For your Engagement & Wedding

Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love by Antonio C. Bonanno. 2nd edition, Gemstone Pr, 1999 "Recommended reading . . . for any couple about to get engaged." - Paul Harvey, Paul Harvey News more

Planning a Wedding to Remember: The Perfect Wedding Planner by Beverly Clark. 6th Spiral edition, Wilshire Publications, 2002 The 23 chapters in this hefty, spiral-bound planner cover everything from announcing the engagement to developing a budget to planning flowers, photography, prewedding parties, and the honeymoon. Clark gives couples the information they need to start thinking about their special day, and then provides them with the organizational tools to create their own special, personal celebration. more

Esquire's Things a Man Should Know About Marriage: A Groom's Guide to the Wedding and Beyond by Scott Omelianuk, Ted Allen. Riverhead Books, 2000 Witty and ultimately wise, this succinct guide offers valuable information about everything from the entire engagement up unto the Big Day that any man will find useful. Not cutesy or overly macho, this book strikes the right balance in offering advice to make the man the best groom he can be. more

The New Book of Wedding Etiquette: How to Combine the Best Traditions with Today's Flair by Kim Shaw. Prima Lifestyles, 2001 Wedding ceremonies are still about love and romance, a special moment that creates a beautiful and everlasting union. But not everything related to weddings stays the same over the years. Etiquette evolves, rules change. And who can keep up with all of today's complicated family issues? With the help of this book, you can stay on top of it all and learn how to combine timeless wedding traditions with the latest trends and social styles. more

The Clueless Groom's Guide : More Than Any Man Should Ever Know About Getting Married by Peter van Dijk. McGraw-Hill Companies, 2003 While the primary purpose of this text is to offer light-hearted commiseration with grooms-to-be, a great deal of useful information is provided on everything from buying the ring and setting the budget to dealing with soon-to-be-in-laws and making the guest list. more

Before You Buy an Engagement Ring: With a 4-Step Guide for Making the Right Choice by Nancy N. Schiffer. Schiffer Publishing, 1999 What should one know to choose an engagement ring? The answers are all here, with facts and practical advice that is easy to understand. Learn how to determine what you should pay, where diamonds come from, and how to judge their cut, color, clarity and weight. Learn about popular colored stones, different metals, and the many classic, modern, and unique ring settings. more

Buying Guides

Diamond Ring Buying Guide: How to Evaluate, Identify and Select Diamonds & Diamond Jewelry by Renee Newman. 6th edition, International Jewelry Publications, 2003 "Highly recommended! Excellent photographs. Another easily read and understood guide by a respected gemologist" more

Jewelry Handbook: How to Select, Wear & Care for Jewelry by Renee Newman. International Jewelry Publications, 2007 If you’d like to look good in your jewelry and be a smart buyer, consult the Jewelry Handbook. It’s like a Jewelry 101 course... more

Diamonds: Know What You Are Buying & Selling by B. J. Tadena. Rough Stones Company, 1999 B.J. Tadena's book on buying and selling diamonds is truly an excellent and vital resource for anybody in the market for buying and selling diamonds. I would recommend this book especially for guys looking for engagement rings for their significant other. Tadena gives a very informative and in-depth look at the finer points of picking out diamonds and their good qualities and how to spot imperfections, without boring the reader but giving inciteful knowledge a consumer can understand. more

Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide--How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence and Knowledge by Antoinette Matlins, A. C. Bonanno. 5th edition, Gemstone Pr, 2001 Updated price guides and advice on cut, settings, and metals; questions to ask before purchase; advice on selecting a jeweler, appraiser, and insurer; and charts of diamond gradings, gem names, and more. more

Gem & Jewelry Pocket Guide: A Traveler's Guide to Buying Diamonds, Colored Gems, Pearls, Gold and Platinum Jewelry by Renee Newman. International Jewelry Publications, 2001 Important information on how to select jewelers and appraisers; a chapter on notable gem sources and which countries are noted for specific gems; information on coral, ivory and amber; precautions one must take when buying from an unfamiliar source; and customs regulations, duties and how to use lab reports. more

Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald Buying Guide: How to Evaluate, Identify, Select & Care for These Gemstones by Renee Newman. 2nd edition, International Jewelry Publications, 2002 Illustrated with color photographs showing close-ups and magnifications of details such as finish, settings, cut, clarity, flaws, and fakes. Sections on testing and judging the real from the fake are sophisticated enough for professionals to use. more

Gemstone Buying Guide: How to Evaluate, Identify, Select & Care for Colored Gems by Renee Newman, John Raimo. 2nd edition, International Jewelry Publications, 2003 Written for both consumers and professionals, this guide gives pointers on how to buy gemstones, with advice on price comparison, quality evaluation, fake stones, gem treatments, and gem cleaning and care. more

Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide--How to Buy Diamonds, Pearls, Colored Gemstones, Gold & Jewelry With Confidence and Knowledge by Antoinette Matlins, A. C. Bonanno. 5th edition, Gemstone Press, 2001 Completely Updated, Expanded, Revised.New edition of the "unofficial bible" for jewelry and gem buyers. Explains how to buy diamonds, pearls, precious, and other popular colored gems, gold, and jewelry with confidence and knowledge.This authoritative book includes new sections on design and style, pearls, gold, and platinum, as well as full coverage of recently discovered new gems to look for. more

Colored Gemstones--The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide : How to Select, Buy, Care for & Enjoy Sapphires, Emeralds, Rubbies and Other Colored Gems with Confidence and Knowledge by Antoinette L. Matlins. Gemstone Press, 2001 Lack of information, error, or misrepresentation can make the thrill of buying a gem or piece of jewelry confusing, intimidating, overwhelming, and costly. Buyers need a source of expert guidance. This practical, comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide provides all the information you need in order to know what to look for, and what to look out for. more

Gold & Platinum Jewelry Buying Guide by Renee Newman. International Jewelry Publications, 2000 Like her other well-regarded guides (e.g., The Gold Jewelry Buying Guide), this book is profusely illustrated with color photographs "most by Newman" showing not only the beauty of finished jewelry but close-ups and magnifications of details such as finish, settings, cut, clarity, flaws, and fakes. Sections on testing and judging the real from the fake are sophisticated enough for professionals to use. more

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