FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[cascaillou]

I highly recommend the following book (english language):

Tables of gemstone identification, by Roger Dedeyne & Ivo Quintens (costs around 90$)

This is primarly a gemological data book which compiles exhaustive reference data for for gem identification.

However I think it is a must-have for anywone interested in minerals, because the data in the book is also very valuable for identifying minerals.

Note that similar data can also be found on geminterest(dot)com

[Matt_Zukowski]

Another good book in english is Gemstone and Mineral Databook by John Sinkankas.

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody! This manual should be interesting. Despite I'm a gemmolgist, I didn't know it. Normally I use the tables by Birgit Gùnther, from Idar-Oberstein. Mrs Gùnther was a teacher of mine a the Deutsche Gemmologische Gesellschaft and those tables are very well done and moreover updated. Recently a new edition came out, with all of the updatings. I will consider highly the book of Dedeyne and Quintens too, and also the J.Sinkankas as well, even if I think the latter shouldn't be so updated, because he died in 2002, almost 10 years ago! But the personality of Mr Sinkankas is not to be discussed!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[cascaillou]

The book you suggest:

'Tables of gemstone identification', by Birgit Gùnther, third edition (reworked and updated)

Is the all content of the book traduced into english language?

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Well, it is already written both in German and in English, double language!

[cascaillou]

OK I know what I'm getting for Christmas :-)

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Well done Cascaillou! For your information, the price is about 85 €, not so much!!! Greetings by Riccardo.