Cambridge NKJV Topaz Reference Edition

A quick look at the Cambridge NKJV Topaz in calf-plit and goatskin, and how it compares to the competition.
Written review biblebuyingguide.com/cambridg...
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Cambridge provided a discount for the brown calf-split and loaned me the blue goatskin for this review. I was not required to give a positive review.

[@ronnievonner]

Nobody does reviews like you do, they have helped me with a lot of Bible purchase decisions.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thank you!!

[@artistocracy]

Hi Randy, I am so glad that you showed the Thomas Nelson Premier NKJV in black goatskin and also the blue Cambridge Topaz NKJV because I have both of these on the way to Australia as we speak. I also boughtt the Schuyler Quentel NKJV which is also on the way here. I can't wait to try each one out and have the them all in my everyday bible reading experience. I shall also be reviewing them. I got the Schuler and the Cambridge to get as close as possible to the KJV Treveris which I read all the time...so they will be very much alike by size and weight as my favourite Treveris. One thing I really like about Thomas Nelson NKJV is that it has great contrast between black ink and paper, and I read he sigle column a lot but it is a bit heavy, so these new NKJV's should be less bulky in the hand.

[@Brad-mc7ut]

Thoroughly enjoyed your review like always. I hope they give you free review copies from here on out with all the potential customers watching!

[@ekklesia5224]

Thanks for sharing, I really like the layout of the Topaz editions.

[@poplarmeadow]

Great review as always. I own the Nelson NKJV Preaching, NKVV Quentel, and the NKJV Nelson Premier V by V. All three of these I would rank ahead of this Tobaz. It is too expensive and as you said, the poetic formatting should have been included.

[@Giancarlo_1997]

The New king James version MacLaren series Bible is very GOOD it’s my favorite one I also have the V B V Nelson with red letter but I like the MacLaren much better black letter text and bigger font.

[@georgebarlow3724]

Let's hope they fix those issues for the upcoming KJV Topaz.

[@crucified4me]

Superb review, Randy! I watched the whole thing 😄 Potential buyers will have a pretty good idea on what to expect.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thanks!!

[@BibleLovingLutheran]

While he is one of the best in the biz I find it hard to subscribe since he denies the Trinity.

[@nobodyspecial1852]

​@@BibleLovingLutherandenies how?

[@higiniomorales459]

I'm going to purchase the Goat skin version the moment they release the KJV Topaz.

[@shanefisher5528]

Great review Randy. I would really like that if the print was larger. The optimum font size for my blindness is 14 pt. or larger. But, I still love to watch these reviews. God bless you and your wife.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thank you!!

[@del4316]

great honest review. The fact of the non poetic setting in the Topaz is a real shame. I've cancelled my order and will go for a Quentel

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thanks!

[@JohnnyMacs-BibleNightInCanada]

Wow. Loan. Smh. Come on Cambridge. It's an honour to have the legend Randy Brown do your review. Next time don't loan anything to him. He should recieve one of every colour and skin to review, gladly. Thanks for another great review Randy! ❤️

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thank you!!

[@gleasonparker1684]

@@BibleBuyingGuide amen. Feed randy the BIBLES.

[@carmennooner2027]

I didn't know that Schuyler went to goatskin only. That takes them off of my list of publishers! Thank you for that information.

[@gleasonparker1684]

Amen. Me too. After ONE good QUENTEL. First one from evangelical bible was damaged.

[@MFPWM2010]

Just curious, why don’t you like goatskin?

[@carmennooner2027]

@@MFPWM2010 $$$$$$$$$!!!

[@b.rocket]

I have 8 bibles with this 28 gsm paper and they all feel like they would rip really easily. I actually like the Thomas Nelson paper better. Great review

[@gleasonparker1684]

I think Nelson is 36. I like it more than 28 gsm.

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

I have the same issue with my goatskin KJV Clarion (it wants to hang open too much, you almost have to fight against the floppy cover). Goatskin is beautiful and certainly a nicer tactile experience than calf split, but there is something to be said for the stiffer cover. You like calfskin paste down, me personally I'm wishing these Bibles were available in hardcover! I wonder why Cambridge didn't use the full NKJV reference suite, they had plenty of room there. I am deciding between the calf split Topaz and Thomas Nelson Verse-By-Verse. Right now I am leaning Topaz.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

I love a good hardcover. I've actually considered rebinding some of my favorite Bibles in hardcover.

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

@@BibleBuyingGuide It's one thing I love about TBS - pretty sure all their Bibles are available in hardcover and they are very well made and very affordable.

[@peterpascone6942]

Thank you again so much for the wonderful review, always fantastic. I forgot to ask: Do you think the NKJV Topaz is held back by the decreased amount of references? Thank you 😊

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thank Peter! It's really hard to say because there are so many things to consider. Quality is better than quantity, and if you have other tools then just having this many is more than enough. If you have no other tools, then the more the better. So, I think it depends on each person's circumstances.

[@peterpascone6942]

@@BibleBuyingGuide You know that is so true; sometimes there are cross references that don't specifically tie into the topic of the verse, so yeah, I definitely would rather have very high quality and pretty specific references, so true ☺️

[@gleasonparker1684]

At 20.20 I realise I do have BOTH Nelson and TOPAZ in 10 POINT FONT. I think I like Nelson better. Dark PRINT and lots of white space.

[@gleasonparker1684]

10 POINT FONT is quite readable in Nelson comfort PRINT. In TOPAZ it just looks plain when compared to CONCORD and TURQUOISE and CAMEO in dark and semi bold PRINT.

[@user-nu9ky1ly2f]

I’d love to see this in the NIV

[@gleasonparker1684]

I wonder if KJV TOPAZ will use the regular CAMBRIDGE print of say CONCORD. Or use a non descript text like in first 2 ..ESV and NKJV.

[@fishersofmen4727]

Is the print on that NKJV Clarion bolder than on the NASB Clarion or is it just me?

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

They're the same. It could be my lighting. I'll try to fix that.

[@peterpascone6942]

I really wish Cambridge would publicize how many references the NKJV has, to compare with Schuyler Quentel?

[@gleasonparker1684]

I HAVE THE ESV TOPAZ IN RED CALFSKIN. LOVELY.

[@peterpascone6942]

I thought; how great it would be if Schuyler included Thomas Nelson's Topical Index in there NKJV QUENTEL AND CANTERBURY.

[@gleasonparker1684]

I wonder if they have the full set of New King James Version references and notes?

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

It does have the full set.

[@gleasonparker1684]

@@BibleBuyingGuide Thanks. Did not look like it.

[@peterpascone6942]

I thought the calf split were also to get the colored art guilding?

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

They just have the standard gold.

[@gleasonparker1684]

If Schuyler brought back the calf skin in BLUE that you liked..I would buy it. Even though I DO HAVE it ALready in Goatskin. And in PSQ.

[@einarengemoen2486]

Thanks

[@gleasonparker1684]

I have decided I like the TOPAZ AND BIG PRINT. EVEN THO NOT poetic in psalms. Especially in red calfskin for ESV.

[@gleasonparker1684]

I like double column of TOPAZ. Easy to read. Also a Cambridge. Quality.

[@gleasonparker1684]

Nelson makes some good premier bibles in goatskin. At 1/2 Schuyler price. And w/ large print same as Quentel. In PREACHING BIBLE it is bigger. AND in calfskin.

[@Kashikai21]

Does this have the same issue as the KJV topaz? With the stuff added to the epistles of Paul and in hebrews or is that only the KJV topaz thank you in advance I know this video is 3 years old haha

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

No. They have to license all other translations and they can't make changes to them. They're the officlal printer for the KJV, so they hold the license for it.

[@Kashikai21]

I’m saying you did a review on the kjv topaz and they added where these verses were written at the end of the verse instead of under and you said in your video that you didn’t like that (neither do I) so that’s why I’m asking if the nkjv topaz is the same way or did they not do that this time?

[@Kashikai21]

Oh so your saying since they originally printed the kjv they can do what they want but with the other ones they can’t

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

@@Kashikai21 correct. They can make minor adjustments to the KJV, but no other translations.

[@Kashikai21]

Thank you for replying i appreciate it !

[@gleasonparker1684]

Note to CAMBRIDGE et al. I have NEVER seen a BIBLE reviewed favourably by Randy THAT I didn't buy.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thank you!!

[@gleasonparker1684]

I heard today that the best-selling and the most profit margin for Cambridge is the CAMEO Bible which at 8 POINT FONT is very readable with the bold and dark PRINT that Cambridge specializes in ...especially in the King James versions. TOPAZ is nice but could use some of the readability of their KJV BIBLES.

[@markzabilla8281]

I think Cambridge knew that if they made the perfect Bible, I’d stop buying Bibles lol. The retention of the capital letter, after a comma looks lazy to me. I suspect it has something to do with the NKJV copyright rather than simply laziness on the part of Cambridge. It bothers me too, enough that I had to stop using the NKJV Topaz. Sad, because it checks all the other boxes for me: non-Chinese Bible, great paper, a margin for notes, amazing feeling goatskin. The English major in me simply sees grammatical errors in the awkward capitalized letters mid-sentence.

[@julianj7d374]

if that was in black letter AND poetic setting I would buy it yesterday.

[@gleasonparker1684]

Evangelical bible Does NOT have calfskin So I got it from Amazon. Also no set delivery time from ebs or tbs although I paid 24 dollars at TBS and extra also at evangelical bible.

[@gleasonparker1684]

TOPAZ did NOT follow the Quentel format.. two columns with big print and references at the bottom. I think they have wasted a lot of space on the side by sneaking in some small references that are hard to read and thinking somebody's going to want that extra space to write in. I certainly wouldn't write in a Bible that cost that much.

[@gleasonparker1684]

Seems like Clarion has more references altho smaller print. When will they EVER learn. Probably why people only buy KJV from Cambridge.

[@keithclayton1271]

6:11 \m/ I am IRON MAN \m/ ...just kidding. I love all your reviews Mr. Randy. God bless.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

Thank you!!

[@gleasonparker1684]

I still like the Peaching bible.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

The Preaching Bible is hard to beat.

[@peterpascone6942]

For me, the poetry broken up interrupts my reading flow.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

I can see that. I sometimes want it to flow better but still be set apart from prose.

[@gleasonparker1684]

A FEW MONTHS LATER I AM LEARNING TO LIKE TOPAZ. FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE NOT ALWAYS CORRECT.....AT LEAST NOT F9R ME.

[@thaliaguthrie9614]

Why is it called Topaz?.

[@BibleBuyingGuide]

It's named for the gem in Revelation. They've used gems for names before, so they've decided to continue that.

[@gleasonparker1684]

Expensive is not always better.

[@gleasonparker1684]

NO poetic setting for psalms is a losing formula for TOPAZ. Trying to change something that has worked since 1920s is usually not wise.

[@joeseczulaica3053]

I do not like bibles that has referenceI I would rather let the Holy Spirit teach me scripture God says in his word that I do not need man to teach me I can understand why God Says that Go re Genesis chapter 6