Diamonds 101: A Diamond Buyers Guide Paperback – Large Print, March 29, 2013

If you're looking to buy a diamond or lots of it for your sweetheart or for any other reason, and you're searching for a book or manual to guide you through the process, look no further...get this guide because it's all you will ever need.I hardly write reviews on products I purchase but I had to write one for the author of this book because he totally blew me away with both information and deep insights on buying diamonds.In fact the author made things so easy and so clear that you will make no mistakes when buying the diamond of your woman's dreams. You will be precise on what exactly to buy so much that even the diamond dealer will think you're a dealer too. Thereby, saving you a few thousand dollars in the process of buying that beautiful 'bling' that will make your lady fall in love with you all over again.On a scale of 1 to 10, I will give this book a 9+. A 9+ because I don't give anything a 10.So quit searching for a diamond-buying guide. This book is all you will ever need. Thank you author for the time you invested in writing a book so insightful and yet fun to read as this one :)Louis

Great intro to diamonds. Easy to read and very explanatory.

Even I cannot afford good diamonds yet, I learned how to identify a good one, and to avoid scams. I recommend this book for people who like to buy jewels, to make jewels, who are urban treasure hunters, or just for curious like me. It is a very pleasant reading. I just miss more pictures, and a reference guide with best places to buy as retailers or dealer. I would like to know a good and reliable manufacturer.

This is a great book, with the information I was looking for. Funny and educational, this really helps you to understand the world of diamonds.

Diamonds 101 ReviewI hate giving less than stellar reviews, perhaps because I usually do better homework before purchasing something.Diamonds 101 is written with a nice flowing style. Sort of like you're at the bar and Dirk Rendel, the author, is giving you a tutorial on Diamonds. Like a good buddy it is not just technical, but also all the caveats and booby traps along the way, and how to avoid or minimize them.So where are the disappointments?Not a single illustration of a diamond! As he describes what a diamond looks like you feel like you're communicating with an astronout on a distant planet, and he only has texting capability. No picture, illustration, annotations, arrows showing what the "table" is vs. the "culet". Did I mention the depth, girdle, crown, and pavilion? These are just some terms to describe a diamond. What an egregious oversight. This is a buyers guide, right? To prepare you to look knowledgeable when shopping and examining diamonds.Poor proofreading. On page 98 he writes about security paperwork for you diamond. The sentence ends with "…embossed logos, watermarks, and micro lines, to ensure that certificates are not easily forgotten". "Forgotten"??? Did you mean "forged"? On page 125, regarding on replacement value of a diamond, he writes "This amount may is usually enough to replace the item…..". Dirk, fire that proof reader. "May is"?His example of calculating a price based on the Rappaport List is a doozy, on page 87. He goes through the methodology of calculating a base price of $43,700. But wait, there are additional factors to account for. The methodology moves forward but the "Base Price" magically changes from $43,700 to $39.100!Perhaps he got confused by the miserable table on page 86, which is a Rappaport List Sample. There is a 9 or 10 column table. Confusing enough that I am not sure. Instead of a neat 9 column table it is on two lines, and virtually noting has rational spacing or lines up. Sloppy. Confusing. Totally unnecessary.In closing, as a light read (this book is not a 6 month training manual), with excellent rational street wise tips, I would have given this a 4 or 5. But not in the shape it is presented. Then you start to ask yourself is his methodology correct on other topics?Time to buy another book on buying diamonds.

Great book with helpful information.

I HAVE BEEN A DIAMOND ENTHUSIAST FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS. I READ EVERYTHING AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AND I HAVE PURCHASED MANY BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT. THIS BOOK BY DIRK RENDEL IS THE LEAST INFORMATIVE AND EXTREMELY OVERPRICED TO BOOT. I LEARNED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVEN A BEGINNER. HE MAKES NO EFFORT TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS A GREAT DIAMOND WITH REGARD TO MEASUREMENTS. THE FACT HE PROVIDED ABSOLUTELY NO PHOTOS OF DIAMONDS OR EVEN A SAMPLE GIA REPORT IS ABSURD. I EMBARASSED MYSELF BY READING THIS BOOK. I KEEP ALL THE BOOKS I PURCHASED ON THE SUBJECT FOR REFERENCE, BUT I THREW THIS BOOK AWAY ON THE SAME DAY I RECEIVED IT. THE BOOK IS PURE GARBAGE AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE NAME DIRK RENDEL BECAUSE OF IT.

I knew nothing about diamonds until I read this. It is interesting how they make and grade a stone. It will make you think twice before you purchase.

bien reçu merci

Insightful, peppered with wit. A solid book I refer to often. Would recommend to any first time Diamond enthusiasts.