Paul Downing is a well known expert on opal, he has written many books on this beautiful gem. Opal is a little touchy - you don't want to handle it too roughly. Paul will bring you up to speed on both cutting this gems and making jewelry from it.

Pansy Kraus has written many magazine articles on Lapidary (rock and gem cutting) and jewelry making. This book has a lot of great information for the beginner, and will get you on the road to making cabochons and other basic lapidary crafts.

This book outlines a variety of jewelry making techniques that have been used through the years to produce fine jewelry. The book also has many good photos, and would be an excellent reference.

This book explains a variety of metal processing and handling techniques that have been used through the years to produce fine jewelry. The book also has many good photos, and would be an excellent reference. I own a copy of this book in my personal library and heartily recommend it.

Presents excellent for ideas on technical specifics. With great photos, the book is extremely helpful when figuring out project options on how to construct various types of jewelry. Simply browse through the many photos and dream up great ideas for jewelry of your own. Great inspiration for the creative mind.

Intended as a textbook, this book is a good, basic, easy to understand book for the novice jeweler - lots fo great inspiration and guidance for your jewelry projects.

Elizabeth Olver teaches jewelry making and design at Central St. Martin's College of Art & Design in London where she earned her BA in jewelry making and design. Her work is sold in many stores and galleries including Harrods, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
This visually stunning guide provides readers with the techniques and advice they need to transform jewelry designs into reality. First it examines the basic elements of design, including size, material, function and color. Next it considers the conceptual style in which the crafter wants to make the piece, such as geometric, figurative, and organic.

Each design concept is explored with a discussion of its main characteristics and how they can be conveyed through jewelry design as well as an overview of the essential tools needed to create each design element.

Making jewelry at a professional level has never been so simple with this new guide. Inexpensive materials and cleverly adapted traditional methods make success inevitable.

A book for all skill levels, every technique is photographed step by step with thorough explanation of common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Includes more than 50 original and stunning projects such as an octagonal ring, domed ear studs, a forged choker, and a brass bangle. The valuable introduction presents basic skills of simple jewelry making, how to build a collection of tools, types of metal to use and the best design techniques.

The Complete Book of Jewelry Making is a beautifully illustrated guide to jewelry-making techniques. Most of the examples are contemporary and all well-illustrated with great color photographs. The book depicts step-by-step how-tos of seven different pieces, detailed with words and in pictures. A fine introduction for buyers as well as for budding artisans.

This fine book provides a comprehensive introduction to cold join techniques for the beginning metal smith. Twenty-one projects of sophisticated and contemporary jewelry designs. These include brooches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings. The instructions are supported by excellent photography, making each easy to follow. This book is definitely worth getting.

This book is an excellent reference for anyone who works with Precious Metals Clay. It is written so a novice can easily follow, as well as provide backup to an expert looking for firing temp, time or options for glass, gold, etc. It has a good mix of expert advice and project inspiration.

Of the many books on wirewrapping none is as clear or has more helpful diagrams for beautiful wirewrapped jewelry. It is highly recommend for any level wirewrappers. Learn to make simple and fancy rings, bracelets, earrings, crosses, stick pins and pendants. Single and multiple bead design as well as wire only designs. Many great ideas and beautiful wirewrap works of art jewelry art are displayed in this book.

Twenty-four artists share their one-of-a-kind creations--incorporating marquetry, laminates, assemblages, and carvings crafted from both ordinary and exotic woods--along with general explanations of their techniques and ruminations on the appeal that woodworking has for each of them. It takes some degree of skill to achieve the sophistication of this work, but if you've always longed to try woodworking and have been intimidated by the process or the list of equipment, making jewelry is a good place to start.

This book covers diamond cutting techniques, the location and pricing of rough diamonds, and pretty much all you need to know about polishing and production of the popular round brilliant diamond. I won a copy of this book, and I have read several books on diamond cutting, but I consider that this is the best of them all. Highly recommended.
 

This inexpensive, short little book was the first book on faceting I ever purchased, even before owning my first faceting machine. The author assumes no prior knowledge and starting from the beginning, and explains everything in simple, down-to-earth terminology. He covers all the basic aspects of faceting that a beginner needs to know from materials & tools to dopping techniques, and from a standard brilliant cut to some more difficult cuts. Some excellent hints at the end, together with handy tables. A lot of good, basic information is packed into this small volume. In combination with the Vargas books, they spell out all you need to know to start faceting.

Check Price or Purchase Facet Cutters Handbook

This is the standard reference for amateur facetors. Years ago, Glen and Martha Vargas taught hundreds of folks how to facet in their shop, and this book came out of their experiences. I have a copy and use it regularly, and used it quite a bit when I was first starting out cutting gems. Easy to read and full of reference information, especially on facet materials both common and rare, natural and synthetic. If you own a faceting machine, this is a great reference to have - I highly recommend it.

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Mr Scovil is well known as a photographic artist who specializes in minerals, gems and fossils. Get this book and you will learn from the best in the field.

Another well known reference work on faceting. Gerald Wykoff has authored a number of books related to lapidary and jewelry making - he is a very experienced craftsman. This book will provide the knowledge you need to produce cut gems of the highest quality.

Check Price or Purchase Techniques of Master Faceting