Handbook of Gemmology

Reviews

What people are saying about the printed 5th Anniversary Edition

Saarah Hyder posted this wonderful video on Facebook. She is now the proud owner of the 5th Anniversary Printed Two Volume Edition of The Handbook of Gemmology. To view, click here

Daniel writes 'I have just received the books and I am very happy! They are monumental and delightful, but friendly to the reader. While browsing through them I was pleasantly surprised by the approach of the subjects and the illustrations (see the trigonal crystal system exemplified with Toblerone!) I look forward to studying them. Thank you very much for the books, and for the autograph too'.

Margaret writes 'Hi Geoff, WOW I could not be happier. The books arrived, all in good condition, and they are beautiful, thank you so very much, I have already started reading and I'll be sure to boast all about them every chance I get!!'

Bas writes 'The books have arrived. Wow Wow Wow. I expected a lot, but this exceeds my expectations. A peace of art! What a huge job with a great result. Both content and photos. Thank you so much'.

Leroy writes 'Geoff, first off I'd like to thank you for making all my other resource books virtually obsolete, that's right, Liddicoat, Sinkankas, Read, Anderson, Nassau, Koivula and all the others, collecting dust on my shelf. Going through the Handbook of Gemmology I & II for just over a month now, I am convinced I will not open up any of my other books ever again. Bravo my friend so easy to read and follow, extremely concise and complete the photo's are incredible, the best money I have ever spent on gemmological related items period. For anyone who is on the fence when it comes to ordering this master work, trust me you will not be disappointed'.

Dick Hughes writes 'Your books just arrived, safe and sound. Wow! Fantastic piece of work. My hat’s off to you. YESSSSSS!!! Sincerely, Dick

Michelle writes 'I collected your beautiful books from the post office today. I have had a look through both volumes (with plenty more reading pleasure ahead) and you have done a wonderful job bringing together the science, the beauty and the wonder of gemstones. As an enthusiastic gemmologist who collects gem specimens (and, it must be said, also collects books), and teaches first and second year students at the GAA, your books are both a valuable resource and a superb addition to my bookshelf!'. Thanks Michelle!

Kathi writes 'Absolutely THE best book on the subject so far. Beats any other publication I have. Handbook is the wrong word, though!

Bruce writes 'Geoff, I think your work, as exhibited in your 2-volume Handbook of Gemmology is the definitive exposition on the subject. I thought Webster's original work and its progression in the 70s was the best treatment on the subject for many years, but your contemporary work far surpasses his accomplishment. Just as Deere, Howie & Zussman's Rock Forming Minerals is the definitive multivolume set for mineralogists and petrologists, and Koivula and Gublelin's 3-volume work on inclusions sets the standard on inclusion information, with Alan Hodgkinson's Gem Testing Techniques providing landmark information on that subject; your work on the science of gemmology is the finest and most complete exposition on the subject I have ever encountered. Congratulations on your efforts, and your prescience in making the work available both electronically, and in published volumes'.

What people are saying about the 4th Digital Edition

Review in Journal of Gemmology Check out the wonderful review by Andrew Fellows by clicking here

Alfonso writes: 'Be sure that your history and work will be marked as a watershed in the history of Gemology by the source of knowledge, the beauty of the photos and mainly the sharing, detachment and financial disinterest for your work.'

Michael writes: 'I have only just got the book but I am already very impressed by the fantastic amount of knowledge here and the staggering beauty of the photography. Magnificent!'

Gowri writes: 'I have just downloaded the new edition to my Mac and what a great New Year present it is! I have just flipped through the pages and the photographs are so vivid, real and exhilarating. I am sure I will treasure this book, derive immense pleasure and obtain great knowledge of gemmology.'

Bruce writes: 'What a tremendous contribution to Gemmology! I can hardly imagine the years of work it has taken to produce this magnificent effort.'

Peter writes: 'It is an immense project you take on. I must say with every issue I have thought you won't be able to improve on them but you always seem to be able to!! Great dedication!'

Helmut writes: 'This edition is stupendous! I don’t know how you can make this any better? Great contribution to the science of Gemmology'.

Gary writes: 'I took a quick look at it last night and I thought it was awesome. I'm currently in the GIA GG program and your book has some good information that GIA doesn't discuss, for example using magnetic properties to assist with gem ID. This should prove helpful, so I'll try this on my next box of test stones in my ID course!'

What people have said about the 3rd edition

Anthony wrote 'Thank you for such an excellent contribution to the scientific literature of gemology. I consider it of enormous value and I appreciate the enormous work and scholarship behind it'.

Mark wrote 'Hi Geoff, What a great book! I'm gonna take my time with it and let it brew'.

Suzann wrote 'This is the greatest book on gemology I have ever seen. It has it all. Don’t need any of my other books. It is a truly beautiful book'.

Paul wrote 'The book is comprehensive, logically organized and beautifully illustrated. A "must have" for any gemologist and gem enthusiast'

Kym wrote 'Well I have downloaded the copy of the HBOG and it is fringin fantastic well done I have only flicked half way thru but love it…'

What people said about the 2nd edition......

Kirk Feral wrote ‘I am so pleased with what you have done! Let me congratulate you on your excellent job of organizing and presenting this information in a way that is concise and easily understood. It was a good call to place the overview of the theory of magnetism under the chapter on gemstone chemistry’.

Miles Mason wrote 'It has been an excellent companion for the diploma course and I believe explains several concepts more clearly than some of the notes from the course'.

Peter Grumitt wrote 'You have indeed taken up an immense project but as years go on people will look at your book as a legendary publication. Every one of my customers who received a copy of your book were seriously impressed. It has become one of those 'must have' books for anyone in the trade. It will be obvious to anyone who buys your book that there is a huge amount of effort behind it. You were the first to do this and you've set a very high bench mark!

Alan Wetherall wrote 'I thought that the first edition was brilliant and I am always referring to it. The update looks great! May I wish you all the very best with The Handbook of Gemmology it is a must for all gemmologists and is very much a handbook of the future today!

Joseph Haber wrote 'I can't tell you how much I like this book!! The information is extremely current, the presentation is crisp and clear and the photography is fabulous.

What people said about the 1st edition......

Tom Chatham from Chatham Created Gemstones wrote “Your research on gemstones made in the laboratory was the most complete, in depth accounting, I have ever read; almost too in depth. I can see some new competitors growing out of your factual information”

Egor Gavrilenko, Director of Education, Instituto Gemológico Español wrote “The contents are serious and well explained, the diagrams help a lot, they are clear and well selected and of course the gorgeous photographs by Tino Hammid! They transform the book to a kind of luxury object, and combined with its didactic value they make it really unique!”

Evert Botha of Embee Diamonds wrote "The Handbook of Gemmology has exceeded all our expectations and drags the dusty manuals into the 21st Century"

David Hughes of Pala International wrote “It’s the sort of reference you’ll find yourself coming back to time and again in pursuit of answers to questions or clarification of terminology or science”

Other comments...........

Conny Forsberg of GemologyOnline wrote: 'Publications spanning the entire subject of basic gemmology are few and not showing up every day. In May of this year I received a new publication by Canadian gemmologist Geoffrey M Dominy who just released his contribution to the field of gemmology.

It is distributed digitally for a variety of platforms and is aimed at beginners as well as professionals. The language is straight on and easy to grasp and the subdivision of the eBook into chapters guiding the beginner from the foundating chemistry and physics into the world of gemstones and their properties is well thought through. Illustrations many times show gemmological/physical principles with the aid of every day objects and situations. This approach makes the understanding easier for beginners who then can relate to familiar things. There are many photographic illustrations of very high quality showing everything from inclusions, different gem color qualities and the mining of gemstones. As a fantastic bonus the book contains a whole section of gemstone images by the well-known gem photographer Tino Hammid, called ”Reflections”.

If you are looking for a nice and up-to-date publication covering the field of gems and gemmology where you have most of the information you need, go for it. I will for sure recommend this as one of the must have to everyone thinking of becoming a gemmologist and asking me the question what books to start with.

To be completely honest I will always keep The Handbook of Gemmology in my iPad or Windows 8 pad, as that is one of the real benefits, if already being ”mobile” you can carry a complete gemmological reference book without adding any measurable weight to your bag'.

The International School of Gemmology wrote ’The Handbook of Gemmology is so amazing that I find it difficult to put into words the true importance of this work. Rather than give our readers a long, drawn-out, well-deserved glowing review of this amazing project, let me simply say this:

“The Handbook of Gemmology” by Geoffrey M. Dominy replaces Richard T. Liddicoat, Jr’s. Handbook of Gem Identification as the single most important knowledge and reference resource in the world of gemology and gemstones.”

This interactive masterpiece on DVD virtually eliminates the need for 90% of the other gemology reference books on the market, and costs only: US $49.95 on DVD. Seriously! If this project were printed and bound it would have to cost over $400.00. By using the latest digital technology of the “flip-book,” Geoffrey Dominy has accomplished what many thought was a totally impossible task: Utilizing the finest minds of this industry to produce the ultimate handbook on gemmology, and provide it at a price that everyone can afford!''

Frans Jonker from ‘The Online Jeweller Magazine’ wrote 'I simply love having it available wherever I go, as I have it installed it on my desk-top as well as my iPad and iPhone (although you must buy the Deluxe Edition to be able to do so). The extra $10 are indeed money-well-spent!''

Jacomien Labuschagne, gemmology instructor at University of Stellenbosch in South Africa wrote “I would just really like to thank you so much. I was able to download all the files now. Thank you for the effective service”. “Then, wow, thank you for this amazing, thorough handbook. One can see that it is a real teacher that wrote this book. I'm enjoying the practical examples; from the Toblerone and Kellogs box to explain the crystallographic axis, to Pink Floyd’s example of dispersion. I can’t wait to try out the Hodgkinsons Method of Visual Optics with the class, I’ve never heard about his before. You have definitely managed to make a huge contribution. Honestly, I didn’t think this handbook was as thorough, easy to understand and beautifully laid out. I have already recommend it to my students”.

David D on Facebook wrote ‘In a world where the know-it-all elite seem to want to cloud the issues with a much mumbo-jumbo to make their profession as difficult to access as possible (maybe to protect their position) it’s refreshing to see an educator take the opposite approach. CONGRATULATIONS! If every text book writer approached their craft the way you have, the world would be a MUCH more knowledgeable place.’

Zhao Xu, studying gemmology at Vancouver Community College wrote 'I think this electronic book is really a very very very brilliant idea and especially it’s readable on all of the devices. And I love how you arrange the topics together in this book. I happen to complete the FGA course as well as GIA diamond course and I’ve experienced how differently GEM-A and GIA teach gemmology. I have to say, your electronic book is just perfect because it not only covers the basic and essential knowledge of gemmology, but also indicates how to identify gems in a very practical way! When Donna mentioned about this electronic book in our class, all I could think was I would like to own it right away'.