Australian Gemmologist Review of Secrets Of The Gem Trade (2nd edition)

Richard Wise’s book Secrets of the gem trade, Second Edition, is beautifully narrated and illustrated. With the addition of 171 new images, the book now contains 277 vivid and breathtak- ing images that capture both the heart and mind of the reader. This Second Edition has been completely revised and expanded to 404 pages, with 11 new chapters. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular gemstone, making it an easy to use reference book.

The author, with over 30 years’ experience in the gem trade, generously and wholeheartedly shares his vast experience and knowledge of the gem trade and gemmology to encourage the reader to ‘think outside the box’ when it comes to appreciating the beauty and value of gemstones. He states there is more to a stone’s worth than what the current market says. He guides you on assessing the gemstones, what pitfalls to avoid, and encourages you to “Pick the Best!”

The book intertwines the value of a stone from both ancient times to the time we live in today.
For example, the humble carnelian which is rarely given any accolades now, was a very important stone in Roman and Grecian times. The author shows that we are connected to our past through gemstones – that they are not merely stones but speak to us of our history, tradition, culture, art, religion and family. It was through reading this book that I was able to possibly unveil a mystery about what stones were used as the eyes of an ancient statue that existed in a town called Tal Tamar in North East Syria close to where my mother was born. The story about the statue, which measured some 40 metres high, was that it had green eyes during the day, but that close to dusk