Thailand vendors?

[fisiogrl]

Hey!

Heading off on our honeymoon to Thailand in a week and thought that I would see if anyone knows any reputable vendors in Bangkok for sapphires? I know that it is possible to get ripped off (same as anywhere...) and thought that someone might have some helpful tips.

I think that I would like a necklace, but could probably fall for some earrings too if I am not careful...

T

 

[yowahking]

Thailand is the best place and the worst place in the world to buy gems. You are up against a couple challenges. First, there are not many dealers who want to see a private customer. Most of them deal with larger quantity and price tags. The good news is that there are no shortage of places to buy. Many of the retail shops in Thailand have very good prices compared to retail shops in the states. With the new treatments out there, I would certainly consult Mogok for a purchase over $500. If you know what area you are staying in, I may be able to send you to a couple places. Great place to have clothes made, cheap hotels, cheap food, cheap taxi's, cheap trinkets to bring home. Gems, maybe cheap, maybe not. Stay away from people who see you on the street and show you some type of ID like police, fire, dentist, etc. They are phony and try to lure you to a "GOV'T exibition" for gems. Turns out to be a big scam for Tourists who love 50% off games and you will pay 3 times too much for low end stuff.
Hope you get to Phuket as well!

 

[Sasori]

Hi fisogrl
I agree totally with Scott.
There was just an article on my local papers 2 weeks ago on a tourist scam it Thailand Bangkok. The tourist is psychoed into a local dealer's store and was fleeced in exchange for worthless stone.

I'm sure if your are knowledgable and lucky, good deals are plentiful in Thailand.

Nice FOOD!, Friendly People! Fantastic shopping.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Buying jewellery in SE Asia (Bangkok in specific) was some of the best fun I've ever had on a holiday!! Mind you I must have seen wearing a "kick me" sign on my back since I was one of those people who got "taken" in buying both jade and sapphires--but you know what? I have little regret as we had a blast in the hunt; and my sister, who was the recipient of the sapphire earrings, loved them cuz they were her birthstone, a BD gift, and from Bangkok. (and my jade bracelet broke before my trek was thru, likely while drinking too many Bintang beers--poetic justice???LOL)

However, in the interest of safe shopping Scott gives erudite advice. Thing is with all that is offered, and with the multitude of vendors (and "friends" and those looking to promote the same because kickbacks) involved, it becomes a challenge to know what is good and what is questionable.

I wonder, is there such a thing as a better business bureau--or in Bangkok would that we an oxymoron?

?

cheers

Sharon

 

[mogok]

Hello,
Living and working in a gemological laboratory in Bangkok, I can tell you that there are many places here were you can find some good quality gems at affordable prices compared to western shops... But this is right there are also some things to avoid!
The best thing I would advise to a person willing to buy one or 2 gems is to learn a little bit about them before. Knowledge will help you not to do the wrong choice.
Of course if you are not sure about the gem you want to buy you can ask the owner to send the stone to the laboratory I work in:
AIGS Laboratory

Hoping to all Thailand visitors a lot of fun and beautiful gems!

All the best,

 

[The Joker]

I found this to be interesting reading about scams.

http://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/gemscam/afterwards.php

Looks like a buyer beware policy.
Is that someting new??? I don't think so.

Joker....

 

[rubydick]

I lived in Thailand 15+ years working in the gem business. And thus I would vouch for the comments above. A knowledgeable buyer can do well in Thailand. A novice is simply a lamb led to the slaughter.

Rule number one: never let anyone take you to a shop. And that means anyone, Thai, foreign, Laotian, Martian.

This is how it works. When you stroll outside of your hotel or while walking around town, you will be approached by someone who speaks good English (policeman, student, doctor, teacher, always on their day off). They casually start up a conversation, get to know you. Sometimes they are so smooth they take half a day or more before they sink the hook: today is a special day, you can buy jewelry without tax, etc.

Off you go to the store, where they lay it on thick, telling you how you can make so much money buying their goods and reselling them in your country. They bring out letters from other "satisfied" customers, etc. You exit with a swagger, for you'll soon be putting Harry Winston out of business.

At best you return home with sapphires you could have bought cheaper from your local jeweler. At worst, the stones are synthetic or glass.

Gently ask yourself this: how much is your airfare to and from Thailand? Now how much would that increase the price of a $100,000 lot of goods imported into the US?

Did I mention you should never let anyone take you to a shop?

I'll close with a little story. Way back when I was a teenager, I hopped into a Bangkok cab and told him to take me to the Nepalese embassy so I could get a visa. While mired in one of Bangkok's famous traffic jams, the cabbie asked me if I wanted to make a bit of money. Then he laid out the scam. He said he got paid 100 Baht every time he took a foreigner to a jewelry store, whether they bought something or not. He told me he'd not only give me a free ride to the Nepalese embassy, but split the money with me if I agreed to go round to a few jewelry stores with him.

Being near penniless, I said sure. After hitting the embassy, I went on the jewelry store tour of old Krung Thep. I'd walk in, sit down, where they'd offer me a coke and I'd spend 10-15 minutes looking at stuff, then walk out. Back in the cab, and on to the next place. Half a day later, I'd scored a free cab ride and 500 Baht, at a time when for me that was real money (my hotel room was less than 50 Baht). We departed as fast friends, me running fast for the nearest bathroom -- I had drunk so many cokes that I really had to go!

So to sum up, if you are a gambler, go right ahead and buy some sapphire jewelry in Bangkok.

And if you don't like the odds, work with your local jeweler, where, if there is a problem, you'll know where to go for redress.

Or if you're a girl who just wants to have fun, look for a friendly cabbie

PS: Thailand is a wonderful place, filled with wonderful people. You couldn't have chosen a better place for your honeymoon. A few years ago, I was sitting in a Bangkok restaurant with a buddy, telling him how happy I was to be back. He smiled at me and said: "Yes, Dick, it is true. Wherever we go in this world, we get screwed, but here, my friend, they screw us with oil."

Enjoy!

 

[glitterata]

What about the gold and silver in Thailand? Are they good deals? I remember seeing some intricate, pretty bracelets etc. when I was there a decade ago.

They had a nice selection of enamelled rings in one jewelry store--they said things like "love" and "joy." I bought one that said "daring." I couldn't decide whehter it was a bad translation of "courage" or a typo for "darling." I don't remember what it cost, but it couldn't have been much or I wouldn't have spent it on what was essentially a joke.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I bought beautiful 22/24K jewellery in Jogjakarta (sp?)--and from what I recall it was the "best" deal. But it is a distance from Bangkok...

cheers

Sharon

 

[mogok]

Excellent Richard!
I had exactly the same story myself 9 years ago while I was backpacking in Thailand... I was at the end of my trip with 100 THB a day and had to find a way to travel cheap! Then I met this tuc-tuc driver and had free rides visiting tailors and also some jewelry shops where each time we stopped he had some free gas coupon! Travelling was long but when you have time and no money: It was great.
Whatever after 3 days the guys in the shop knew that I was not buying and they stopped the game!

To come back to the subject: You can buy in Thailand, but as everywhere you have to know what you want and how much you want to pay. To make money with gems is difficult and as I say to my students in AIGS: If it was as easy as some people say then all the pilots, stewarts and air hostess would be millionaires... It's not the case so there should be something wrong about these stories!

All the best,