Gemstone glossary links?

[debrashaw]

I want to be able to link my product descriptions to a website that is a reference guide to gemstones - like the one I bought from Rings & Things.  For instance, I am describing a Rhyolite piece and would like my customers to read the section in the R&T Guide.  Is there such a site?

[Todd]

We have a version of our Gemstone Index, the reference guide you bought, online. It contains everything you have in your index, maybe even more depending on when you bought it.  You can find it Here

[Polly]

Hi Debra,

Sorry I didn't catch the subhead in your question the first time I read it.

I think that all of the sites that list a well-rounded batch of information (a brief explanation of composition, a bit about appearance and likely treatements, plus some history and/or popular uses) are Web sites that sell their gemstone items.

The only types of Web sites that don't sell anything, that have gemstone information, are rockhound / mineralogical sites.  These are either (or both) technical web sites with a dizzying array of mineralogical and chemical compound terms, or else are very hobby-oriented, and talk about where to go mine your own stones, or are somewhere in between

It takes hundreds of hours of research both online and with gem and mineral books, to put together a good gemstone reference.  So I think what you're running into, is that no one spends that much time on putting together a good-quality index, unless it helps them sell something and/or provides a service or extended product information for their customers who are looking to purchase those items.

http://www.mindat.org  is a good reference for minerals, but what is and isn't included, is fairly haphazard for your purposes.

--Polly

[WriteBrainedWoman]

Another good nonvendor site I visited while writing Rings & Things' guide was the International Colored Gemstone Association's website (http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/). Though about half of the stones it lists are precious ones.


Melissa

P.S. Hello to the Marketing Department, from your former copywriter!

[Russ Nobbs]

Hi Melissa!

Nice to hear from you. Thanks for reminding me of that site. I don't think I bookmarked it and I'm always looking for stone info.

I know you wrote a lot of the text in the Gem Index before you moved on. You should be proud to hear that I learned that some Chinese vendors check out our Gem Index to see what names we give to some of the stones they only know by the Chinese name.  Pretty cool, eh?

[WriteBrainedWoman]

Hi Russ!

That IS really cool to hear! Does that mean I get to add "English teacher" to my resume?

Congratulations on the continued successes of Rings & Things!

Melissa