2 comments about Dinosaur Collectibles.

1. Being a dinosaur collector, I found this book interesting and quite comprehensive. Full of pictures and good quality printing! Though there are still rooms for improvement. For example, the list of the Carnegie collection is not complete, neither is that of the Jurassic Park series. The prices contained for some of the items are not realistic, too. Despite the above, I still love this book very much. Thank you!



2. Any collector of dino toys/models/replicas simply MUST HAVE THIS BOOK! As well as being a fountain of info of interest to the collector it is wonderful for just browsing through. Mike Fredericks and Dana Cain have done dino lovers everywhere a wonderful favor by producing this wonderful, long overdue book. (A big tip of the cap also to "Big-Time Dino Collector Par Excellence" Dean Walker who supplied copious amounts of beautiful photos). If you love dinos and you don't have this book, you my friend are living a lie!

1 comments about Amber: Jewelry, Art, & Science.

1. An excellent book that gives a lot of amber information in an easy to read format. Lots of beautiful illustrative pictures.

5 comments about Pearls (Fred Ward Gem Book).

1. I don't know what impressed me more, the spectacular photography or the effortless and fascinating way Fred Ward helped me understand pearls. He takes the mystery out of buying pearls. I will not buy pearls again without reviewing this book.



2. This book with 62 pages explains everything you need to know about Pearls. In addition to the knowledge of pearl for a consumer, this book also goes into great details in the trade of pearls. It covers the geographic sources of pearls, the competitive producers, and logical prediction of future market.
   I enjoyed it a great deal.



3. great pictures and interesting information. I enjoyed this book. It packs a lot of interesting information in a small, easy to read, book.



4. It's a small book yet it covers an amazing amount of information on the history of pearls, the environment under which they are cultivated, the buying and caring of the different qualities, and other fascinating topics. If someone is "into" pearls, then this is the book to have.



5. This book is like eye candy, at least for the lay person. I devour all of Fred Wards books. Wonderful combos of photos, history, quality info, etc.

2 comments about Diamonds: Know What You Are Buying & Selling.

1. THE BOOK IS AIMED AT INFORMING THE RIGHT CONSUMER AND DIAMOND BUYER ABOUT NATURAL GEM-QUALITY DIAMONDS.THE AUTHOR 'S INTENTION IS TO EDUCATE THE READERS TO KNOW HOW TO EVALUATE THEIR OWN DIAMONDS.IT ALSO SHOWS THE READER THE PRACTICAL WAYS TO IDENTIFY A FLAWED DIAMOND WHEN BUYING ONE.



2. B.J. Tadena's book on buying and selling diamonds is truly an execellent 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. I would defintely recommend this book to anyone in the market for diamonds, be it personal pleasure, an investment, or just a special way to say "I Love You"

5 comments about Jade.

1. Jade, by Roger Keverne, is a complete review of all the jades, all the deposits, all the mines, the history, (and with jade this is a long one.) the lore, the geology. Jade features a collection of articles by contributors from around the world, most members of the FRIENDS OF JADE, and all experts in their fields. Whenever I need to seek an answer, a representative photo, in short, anything in jade, here it is, in one book. If you are interested in jade, to sort out the truth from the rumors, the real from the fake..... this is THE jade book.



2. Extremely great book on the subject of jade. Book even includes the very rare today "Wyoming Jade"...should be a book devoted to that subject.



3. From this heavy tome, you will learn how artists "let the jade speak to them" before carving wondrous works of art. The properties of jade are perfect for carving because its molecular structure is tightly bound. Jade can suffer great detail in carving without cracking or chipping.

   Jade is either nephrite or jadeite. Cheaper substitutes are bowenite and serpentine, so the buyer must beware.

   Keverne takes us on a jade "trip around the world" from the Pacific Rim to Mesoamerica. The latter finds are a great mystery, because no known source of jade in Central America is currently known to exist. The photographs in this book are tightly focused and glowing. Keverne continually displays his expertise in his subject. He includes an excellent index and bibliography. Like David Grimaldi's thorough book on amber (Amber: Window to the Past), this book is the authority on the subject of jade.




4. From this heavy tome, you will learn how artists "let the jade speak to them" before carving wondrous works of art. The properties of jade are perfect for carving because its molecular structure is tightly bound. Jade can suffer great detail in carving without cracking or chipping.

   Jade is either nephrite or jadeite. Cheaper substitutes are bowenite and serpentine, so the buyer must beware.

   Keverne takes us on a jade "trip around the world" from the Pacific Rim to Mesoamerica. The latter finds are a great mystery, because no known source of jade in Central America is currently known to exist. The photographs in this book are tightly focused and glowing. Keverne continually displays his expertise in his subject. He includes an excellent index and bibliography. Like David Grimaldi's thorough book on amber (Amber: Window to the Past), this book is the authority on the subject of jade.




5. I study Jade Culture of the Orient and I use this reference for the good bibliography, and illustrations. It is an attempt by the now defunct 'Friends of Jade Society' to compile a comprehensive reference on jade and ancient and historical jade cultures from all over the world. For most of the world it is reasonably accurate, but unfortunately the Chinese section concerning jade has more errors than a freshman essay. This is even more embarrasing since most of the book is devoted to Chinese jade culture. A more detailed list and discussion of these errors and problems is available upon request.

No comments about Collector's Guide to the Pyroxene Group.

5 comments about The National Gem Collection.

1. If you have visited the National Collection and want a souvenir to remind you of the stunning array of unique World Class Gems then this is the book for you. Both the format of the book and the superlative quality of the photography make this book the next best thing to being in the exhibition hall. There is a fairly light weight coverage of the gemmology in the text, but it mostly focusses on the history and ownership of these fabulous gems. The National Collection is unique, no where else in the world is there such a concentration of fabulous jewels with such an interesting history, with the possible exception of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. This book is a fitting celebration of such a marvellous collection.



2. This is a beautiful book with lots of interesting information on the gem collection.



3. "The National Gem Collection," by Jeffrey E. Post, features photographs by Chip Clark. The book is a beautiful celebration of the title collection, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The informative text discusses the history of the collection, facts about types of different gemstones, and specific pieces in the collection.

   The full-color photography is really stunning, and brings a rich assortment of gems to glorious life. Some of the historic pieces pictured are the blue Hope Diamond, the diamond Napoleon Necklace, the Hooker Emerald, and more. Also shown are a colorful collection of "fancy" diamonds, a rare red diamond, the 858-carat uncut Gachala Emerald, the delightful "pink tutu" (a band of dainty rose quartz crystals on a large smoky quartz crystal), a dazzling group of fire opals, a lapis lazuli carving from Afghanistan, and more.

   I appreciate how the book celebrates gemstones at various stages: uncut, cut, and set in artfully crafted pieces of jewelry. Many different types of gemstones--aquamarine, garnet, spinel, chrysoberyl, turquoise, etc.--are covered. Features such as a scanning electron microscope photo of the inner structure of an opal give the reader a deeper understanding of the science behind gems. From start to finish, this book is a marvelous feast for both the eyes and the brain.




4. This review is for the paperback version of the book, which I loved. It has a lovely balance of terrific photos & explanations of the various sources of the featured gems. It serves as a nice beginning reference when you have heard the terms sapphire & red sapphire (huh? I thought red gems were rubys or spinels) and would like to know more about which gems are related to others.
   
   And did I say the photos are just wonderful? Enjoy!



5. Excellent information on the history of gemstones, understanding color and cuts. Exquisite examples, beautifully photographed. A must for anyone interested in gemstones or the history of jewelry.

No comments about Cenozoic Fossils 1: Paleogene.

2 comments about Exotic Gems: How to Identify and Buy Tanzanite, Ammolite, Rhodochrosite, Zultanite, Sunstone, Moonstone & Other Feldspars (Newman Exotic Gem Series).

1. Renee Newman knocks it out of the park again!!!! In her latest book Exotic Gems: How to Identify and Buy Tanzanite, Ammolite, Rhodochrosite, Zultanite, Sunstone, Moonstone & Other Feldspars (Newman Exotic Gem Series) Ms. Newman opens the world of the exotic to her loyal fans.
   
   The great thing about any Renee Newman guide is that she writes for everyone - the professional jeweler, gemologist and hobbyist will all be able to glean important information and inspiration from her books.
   
   In the first volume of her Exotic Gems series Newman looks specifically at Tanzanite, Ammolite, Rhodocrosite, Zultanite and several of the Felspar family of gems (Moonstone, Labradorite, Spectrolite, Sunstone and more).
   
   In words that everyone can understand she walks you through the chemical, physical and optical qualities and then she takes you to the mines, shows you what it takes to cut some of these exotics and then finishes up with some of the most gorgeous photos of faceted gems, carved gems and gems in jewelry...and she even talks about the Metaphysical Lore of the gem.
   
   The popularity of the television shopping networks has opened up a new era in gems in jewelry - there was a day when gem Rhodocrosite was considered to soft for jewelry and it was only found in mineral collections - those days are gone and Renee Newman's book give us the information we need to make decisions about using these materials in jewelry and for those looking to purchase them.
   
   This book is worth buying just for the "eye candy" value - delightful to see such a great range from bridge to fine jewelry - cutters to carvers. Thanks Renee - I am looking forward to volume two!



2. Another marvelous book in Renee Newman's collection! Very well written, easy to understand yet so knowledgeable. A plus are the beautiful and informative pictures covering the process from the gemstones being mined to being set in finished gorgeous jewelry! A must-have book to enjoy and learn about wonderful gemstones in an always expanding jewelry field.

5 comments about Tears of Mermaids: The Secret Story of Pearls.

1. The secret story? How about the made-up story? Mr. Bloom has succeeded in spreading gossip about people in the pearl industry - people he barely knows. He should stick to talking about the pearls, maybe then he'd get his facts straight. I'm not impressed by people who turn things around or exaggerate in order to make their "research-based" books more interesting. Of course you can't believe everything you read - in "US Weekly" or in "Tears of Mermaids."



2. Stephen G. Bloom's "Tears of Mermaids" is a spellbinding journey through the world of pearls. Bloom is a born story teller and the reader is transported from the depths of the sea to pearl farms of the Pacific to sales venues round the world, and, ultimately, to appreciative purchasers. Although there are neither photos nor detailed biological descriptions of the bivalves that produce the treasures, there are detailed descriptions of the process of producing pearls and the people involved. This book is an adventure, leaving the reader to wonder who would play Bloom in a movie. My vote would be for Sean Connery, the original James Bond.



3. TEARS OF MERMAIDS is a detective story, an adventure story,and a primer for those of us wanting to know what is meant by a "natural" pearl, a "cultured" pearl and a "freshwater" pearl. Spurred on by the childhood vision of his mother's pearl necklace, Stephen Bloom traveled 30,000 miles to unravel the secret story of pearls, a story chock-full of greed, cruelty, mystery and breathtaking beauty. Coincidentally, just as I finished reading TEARS, I found a circa 1936 photograph of my mother wearing a black dress and a stunning double-strand of what appeared to be perfectly matched akoya pearls. Wow! I had never seen those pearls before. Where did she get them? She grew up with modest means in a small rural town. And, suddenly, like Bloom, I was mesmerized by the pearls. Now, I have begun my own journey, unraveling the secret of my mother's pearls.



4. You can tell this book was written by an academic: it is totally lacking in personality. I would bet money that this author was on a sabatical and said to himself: 'i gotta get somethnig published to keep my job. What's a subject that hasnt been covered, that i can research and get published?'
   Unfortunately for us, he came up with a reasonably interesting subject and got someone to publish it.
   Nothing comes to life in the pages of this book. The author mires himself in countless meaningless facts about the business of pearls but when it comes to the people involved in the business, they may as well be mollusks. Every character is DOA. All the author can seem to ask is how much money do you make and how many mollusks do you shuck in an hour.
   I admit I only read 2/3 rds of the book and, for that, i think i deserve some type of endurance award.
   I love to read and I have the greatest respect for people who can sit down and spend a year or more creating a 250 or 300 page book. But this guy leaves a bad taste in my mouth. He's earnest, utterly humorless, tonedeaf, writes like a junior in a third rate college and makes me want back the money I spent on this book - and I borrowed it from the library!



5. This is a fascinating look at the history of pearls, natural and cultivated. The author has such enthusiasm for his topic that it led him on a far-flung search for information about where, how and why pearls are found and fashioned.