Renee Newman – författare

The beauty and sparkle and mystique of diamonds is unmatched by that of any other gem in the world. Since early times, diamonds have been treasured as good luck charms, remarkable tools and status symbols and have been worn, collected and presented as lavish gifts. Today, diamonds remain among the most sought-after gemstones and continue to hold their value through good times and bad. In Diamonds, author Renée Newman, a graduate gemologist and author of many trade-level handbooks on gemstones, invites the reader on a journey into the fascinating world of diamonds. This lavishly illustrated guide — which features hundreds of photos, maps and diagrams — covers everything from mining, cutting and evaluating diamonds to the romantic histories of some of the world’s most valuable stones. Diamonds includes chapters on: ; What a diamond is — its significance from antiquity to the present day and what it represents from different perspectives ; The process and history of mining diamonds — the locations (both modern and historical) as well as the techniques used to mine diamonds ; The evolution of diamond cutting — how a diamond is processed and what are the key cuts and shapes to know ; Diamond jewellery through the ages — how diamonds have been used in jewellery from pre-Georgian times to today ; Evaluating and pricing diamonds — how diamonds are priced based on their many value factors, such as colour, carat weight, cut, clarity, and so on ; Man-made diamonds ; The remarkable benefits of diamonds. As beautiful as they are precious and as useful as they are decorative, diamonds continue to fascinate and allure. Diamonds will be a welcome guide for anyone who has felt the romance and power of these fascinating gems. It will also be a useful resource for professionals in the jewellery trade.

Throughout history, pearls have been treasured for their beauty wherever they've been found, from China to the Persian Gulf to Mexico and beyond. Before the creation of cultured pearls, natural pearls were incredibly rare, considered symbols of wealth and power reserved for the elite. With the pearl culturing revolution, pearls became widely available, and they remain an iconic fashion staple for celebrities, athletes, royalty and everyone in between.This lavishly illustrated guide, featuring hundreds of photos, maps and diagrams, covers everything from identifying, culturing and evaluating these gems to the captivating stories of some of the world's most sought-after pearls. Includes chapters on valuation, natural vs cultured pearls, variety and provenance, processing, examples of jewellery old and new and tips for wearing and caring for pearls.As useful as it is beautiful, Pearls will be a welcome guide for anyone who has felt the allure of these spherical gems.