If you're purchasing gemstones on eBay, the best book available on the market is Gemstones by Cally Hall. This book is completely factual and should be used as guide, especially in understanding the treatments used on gemstones.
I do like to learn to know about gemstones. Actually I have been doing gem's business for more than 20years but I belive that to learn about gemstones will never finish.
Photos, interesting facts, chemical compositions, broad range of stones! The perfect reference for jewelers, libraries, hobbyists, homeschoolers - and to all you crystal/light workers, here is an awesome way to get a view of the crystals mentioned in the text-only guidebooks.
This is a perfect travel sized handbook with excellent color photos and gemstone data to help you make a positive Identification. not only does it cover the very common precious gemstones but lesser known semi precious gems this handbook is a great piece of reference material but is also so easy to follow that it would make for a great introduction of gems to children as well
THIS BOOK IS CHOCK FULL OF INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THE MOST POPULAR GEMSTONES AND EVEN SOME MORE RARE ONES. IT HAS MORE PICTURES THAN MOST OF THESE GEMSTONE GUIDE BOOKS, WHICH IS AN ADDED TOOL FOR IDENTIFICATION AS WELL AS GIVING YOU SOMETHING LOVELY TO LOOK AT.THE MORE HOURS WE SPEND LOOKING AT GEMSTONES AND PICTURES OF THEM, THE CLOSER WE GET TO ABILITY TO ID MORE ACCURATELY. .IT ALSO GIVES YOU AN INDICATION OF WHAT COLOR SATURATION AND NUMBER OF INCLUSIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE WITHIN THE STONE YOU ARE GETTING TO KNOW. THERE IS ALSO A LOTTA INFORMATION IN THE BOOK ITSELF. YOU WON'T BE SORRY..AS THEY SAY, YOU CAN STUDY A COLORED GEMSTONES AND DIAMONDS A LIFETIME AND STILL LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY. THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE LOVELY YOUR STONES BECOME...AND WITH THIS BOOK YOU ARE SURE TO FIND PLENTY NEW DESIRABLE TO LOOK FOR ON EBAY, BY KEYING LOOSE GEMSTONES, THEN ENTERING THE STONE YOU FOUND IN THIS BOOK...THANKS, TERI