Diamond Ring Buying Guide

Rating:
Summary: An invaluable resource for the inexperienced buyer!
Review: I bought this book and several others to prepare me for engagement ring shopping. I shouldn't have wasted my money on the others. The book is clean and concise. After reading the book I was thoroughly prepared and confident to go out and shop for a diamond ring. I know I would have ended up with a much lower quality diamond and/or payed thousands more for an engagement ring and center stone without the expert advice from this book.

Rating:
Summary: Informative but not "all-encompasing"
Review: I had little knowledge of diamonds and spent several weeks researching on the web. I came across several glowing recommendations on this book. It's an enjoyable read and there are many colorful and striking photos. However, the author spends too much time covering topics like valuable "colored" diamonds and not enough time on specific tips on engagement jewelry. Personally, I would advise the thrifty spender looking for an engagement diamond to "browse" the web and just hit the jewelers. You could easily do without this book. Websites (...) were much more helpful than this book. (...) You can find out great information about the 4 C's anywhere on the web. You can find pictures, and most anything. If you would like to read one book and not spend so much time surfing, then this may be for you. But be warned, I picked up more information from surfing than reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: An invaluable resource for the inexperienced buyer!
Review: Jeff Ostroff here, from BridalTips.com. We recommend this book on our site because it is by far the best diamond book ever made. I love it because like our web site, they warn you of scams other books ignore or gloss over. This gem of a book is 130 GLOSSY pages of mostly color photos, and very easy to read text that will elevate you to expert shopper. After reading this book which is so easy you can do in one night, you'll know more than many salespeople, I guarantee you. Topics covered include diamond terms, the 4C's, chart of actual sizes in carats, detailed mechanical drawings, stunning color photos of every diamond cut & shape, photos of diamond colors show you shades of yellow, and treated diamonds. How to judge the cut, with lots of color photos to show you the results of good and bad cuts. There's also color photos of every single inclusion, crack, cloud, and bubble you are likely to see and photo examples of every clarity grade from I3 on up. That is the best part and makes this book worth it's weight in gold. Then there's photos to help you tell the difference between fake and real, fracture fills, synthetic diamonds. There's even chapters devoted to gold rings and platinum rings, with lots of beautiful color photos. Buying tips, custom ring tips, diamond cleaning, storage, preventing diamond switching, and lots more. This truly is a diamond bible.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: The Fifth Edition is even better than the Fourth. Photos are excellent and the knowledge imparted is accurate, well-presented and contains practical, hard-nosed facts that will serve the buyer very well. Much better than the average "let's go shopping" book. Mike Roussel-Dupre', GG (GIA)

Rating:
Summary: Informative but not "all-encompasing"
Review: This is a great, objective place to become familiar with the ins/outs of what to look for in a diamond. I have been to several jewelry stores recently and gotten a diamond education, but also pressure to buy a diamond. If you read this book you will not need a jewelry store education and you will know as much about diamonds as some of the employees behind the counter!

Rating:
Summary: An easy place to start the daunting task of an engagement
Review: This is a great, objective place to become familiar with the ins/outs of what to look for in a diamond. I have been to several jewelry stores recently and gotten a diamond education, but also pressure to buy a diamond. If you read this book you will not need a jewelry store education and you will know as much about diamonds as some of the employees behind the counter!