Antoinette Matlins, PG, FGA, is an internationally respected gem and jewelry expert, author and lecturer. With over 1 million copies of her seven books in print in nine languages, she is the most widely read author in the world on the subject of jewelry and gems. Honored with the international Accredited Gemologists Association's highest award for excellence in gemology, Ms. Matlins’ books are widely used throughout the world by consumers and professionals in the gem and jewelry field. Her books include
Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide (over 400,000 copies now in print—the only book of its kind ever offered by
Consumer Reports);
Colored Gemstones: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide;
The Pearl Book: The Definitive Buying Guide;
Gem Identification Made Easy;
Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love; and
Jewelry & Gems at Auction: The Definitive Guide to Buying & Selling at the Auction House & on Internet Auction Sites (all GemStone Press).
Former gemology editor of National Jeweler magazine, her articles and comments on buying and selling gems and jewelry and on gem investment have appeared in many national and international consumer and trade publications. She is also the author of the "Gemstones" chapter in the Encyclopedia of Investments, second edition.
Ms. Matlins has gained wide recognition as a dedicated consumer advocate, and continues to spearhead the Accredited Gemologists Association’s nationwide campaign against gemstone investment telemarketing scams and other types of consumer misrepresentation. A popular media guest, she has been seen on ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, educating consumers about gems and jewelry and exposing fraud.
In addition to her educational work, Ms. Matlins is retained by clients worldwide to seek fine, rare or unusual gems and jewels for acquisition.
Antonio C. Bonanno, FGA, ASA, MGA, was founder and president of the National Gem Appraising Laboratory and director of the Columbia School of Gemology near Washington, D.C. He held the coveted "Master Gemologist Appraiser" title (MGA), the highest distinction awarded to gem and jewelry appraisers from the American Society of Appraisers. He worked with gems and minerals for over sixty years, specializing in forensic gemology, and was frequently called as an expert witness in a wide range of court cases. A Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain With Distinction, he was highly esteemed in the field and holds a place in the prestigious Gemstone Hall of Fame. He founded the Accredited Gemologists Association, which created the Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology in his honor after his death in 1996.
