How I bought gemstones in Thailand!
I had a long-standing dream - to buy precious stones at a cheap price... So I decided to realize it in Bangkok, knowing that the world's largest cutting centers are located in this city.
Before the trip, despite many years of experience working with precious and semi-precious stones, I made inquiries about the peculiarities of the Thai trade, wrote down the addresses of major dealers, and also read on the Internet many scary stories about counterfeits and how they fool our brother by selling him garnets instead of rubies. Armed with all this knowledge, I went to Mahesak Road with hope in my heart and money in my pocket.
And here I am. The huge selection is breathtaking. Under the bright sunlight, display cases with sapphires, Brazilian opals and Burmese rubies glow like crazy.
I go into the first small boutique. None of the sellers speak English. I have to explain myself with gestures, point my finger at nuggets and write down the characteristics I need on a piece of paper. A shaky understanding is established. The sellers show me several strings of rubies and sapphires at exorbitant prices. I understand that in order to reach competitive figures, I would have to spend an eternity in this store. I decide not to waste time, politely say goodbye and continue my search. I reach a huge jewelry pavilion, where Indian-looking sellers sit around the perimeter and play electronic games on their smartphones. Not the most businesslike atmosphere, I think. Well, okay, emotions aside, we need to realize an old dream!
After visiting a dozen counters, I finally settle on a pleasant young seller who has a small selection, but is ready to accept orders at the prices I need and deliver them the next day. To celebrate, and wanting to show my serious intentions, I buy from him a beautiful blue faceted kyanite weighing 4 carats.
The next day - I am in the same place at the indicated hour. My seller lays out the desired product in front of me, but..., at the same time he calls completely different, understandably, inflated prices... I am at a loss. I ask a reasonable question: “How is this possible and where are the promised numbers?” He throws up his hands and says that at “my prices” he didn’t succeed. Here's a simple explanation. And this day is my last day in Bangkok and there will be no other opportunity to buy stones. But there is nothing to do, I begin to select the stones and get ready to buy them at deceptive prices.
An hour later the choice is made; the stones are wrapped, placed in bags, labeled and counted. The moment of reckoning has come. I open my wallet and realize with horror that I forgot to add into it the amount that was spent yesterday on 4-carat kyanite (and it was a significant amount...). Frightened, I look from my wallet to my seller and tell him that I only have 60% of the money he wants. He looks at me as an enemy of the people and understands that a lot of time has been spent on me, that I have no other money and that, most likely, he will have to give up the goods at a deep discount. He still thinks for some time, during which time, for greater pity, I empty the Thai change from my wallet and begin to diligently count it. Finally, he makes a desperate gesture with his hand and gives me my emeralds, garnets and labradorites.
Hooray! Victory!
I rush with full sail to the hotel and start packing my suitcase.
Dream come true! There will be something to please myself and my jewelry lovers!
Author: Tatiana Vincent
Holidays in Thailand
As you know, a girl’s best friend is diamonds and other precious stones, and Thailand is famous for its gold and silver products with precious stones, so while relaxing on the Cote d’Azur, if you wish, you can still go on a luxurious shopping spree at jewelry outlets. Colored gemstones are extremely popular among foreign tourists: sapphires, rubies, diamonds, emeralds. Thai sapphires are of high quality and are characterized by a rich dark blue color; they are not large in size and rarely weigh more than 1.5-2 carats. Pink, purple, green are also found, and if desired, you can find rare star and yellow sapphires. Thai rubies have a brownish tint (garnet) and are a popular gemstone for making jewelry. Diamond, as a jewelry stone, is popular because of the unique play of light in its facets. Interestingly, there are colored diamonds (they are found in a ratio of 1:10,000 and are considered the most expensive stones in the world).
Many women respect pearls as a symbol of perfection. In Thailand, it is grown on sea farms, so pearls and products made from them are almost the cheapest, but this does not detract from their quality. Many of the pearl farms are open to tourists.
A huge number of precious stones from all over the world flock to Thailand through a network of dealers, so you will find this “good” in the country in abundance and you can purchase them without much effort in small shops and from a tray on the beach, and in shopping centers, and in a specialized store , at a jewelry factory, where you can not only purchase your favorite piece of jewelry, but also watch jewelry craftsmen at work, and also learn a lot about the mining of precious stones in the country. Such jewelry factories are located in the resorts of Pattaya, Phuket and Samui; free excursions are usually organized there. A very large factory-store Gems Gallery International is located in Bangkok, where you will find a wide variety of products.
The provinces of Chanthaburi or Kanchaburi are traditionally famous for the mining and cutting of valuable natural stones. Jewelry production is also well developed here, so tourists often come here on excursions to buy high-quality gold jewelry and souvenirs with precious inserts. Stones also come into the country from neighboring countries Myanmar, Burma, Sri Lanka, India, and in Thailand you can buy high-quality stone even cheaper than in the country where it was mined.
It is best to buy jewelry and precious stones in large stores, or order from representatives of jewelry factories (when purchasing jewelry in stores, you will be given a certificate for the stone confirming its authenticity). It is not recommended to buy anything significant from someone else, since in Thailand, as in many other countries, there are scammers trying to sell fakes. Small gems in the kingdom are usually not counterfeited due to their low prices. The retail sale of gems and jewelry in Thailand is subject to relevant trade regulations, which are carefully enforced by the government and industry.
In Thailand, 18K, 20K and 22K gold is commonly used to make gold jewelry, and 24K gold is used for items without gemstones. Products made of gold in denominations of 14K and below are rare. The stores sell gold jewelry in yellow, white, pink and other shades of gold. In the kingdom you will find very high quality and inexpensive silver, with a huge variety of design solutions.
What are pearls and what is the difference between natural, freshwater and cultured pearls?
- Natural pearls
Pearl is a precious stone created as a result of a mollusk’s defensive reaction to the introduction of a foreign object into its shell. In the natural environment, this object is a grain of sand, and the process of adding it to the shell occurs when the sea is rough. Subsequently, the mollusk begins to “protect itself” and “envelop” it with a protective layer - mother of pearl. This is how a real pearl turns out.
- Are cultured pearls fake?
This is the most common myth, however, it can be safely refuted. Cultured pearls are real, natural pearls that are grown in the natural environment, only with human participation. If, in the case of wild nature, a grain of sand is washed into an oyster naturally - for example, by sea waves, then in the case of cultivated cultivation - the kernel is ground out of the shell and manually planted into the mollusk. This is the only difference in the technology of growing natural and cultured pearls. Subsequently, the oyster is placed in the desired environment - fresh or sea water. After which, over the course of 2-8 years, nacre grows on the inserted core.
What determines the color of pearls - the process of “coloring”
Color - depends directly on the shade of the sink. If the core is placed in a shell with a pinkish tint, then the pearl that comes out will be of the same color. Sometimes they resort to coloring a pearl by artificially introducing color pigment into the mollusk. Such manipulations are carried out approximately a year before the end of pearl cultivation.
The largest pearl farms in Thailand
First of all, you should pay attention to what a pearl farm looks like and how they arrange their “wards”.
As a rule, pearl farms are located on small islands, several kilometers from the coast. The oysters themselves are secured on special cables and “thrown” into the sea - in the most natural position.
Gemology is the name given to the science that studies the physical and optical properties of stones.
The largest farm, which is already in its third generation engaged in this craft, is Amorn Phuket Pearl. The products of this company are considered the highest quality and valuable. The organization's flagship "office" is based in Phuket. The farms themselves are located around, on small islands. One of the most famous is on the island of Rang Yai. You can go there on an excursion not only to buy pearls, but also for a first-class vacation. White sand, turquoise water...Details in the article Rang Yai Island.
Pearl farm. Maximum real environment
Jewelry store in Phuket - a precious “highlight” of Thailand
Why is it worth visiting a jewelry store in Phuket during your vacation?
Jewelry store in Phuket.
Since ancient times, Thailand has been famous for the skill of its jewelers. Especially when it comes to creating exclusive products by hand in single copies. Therefore, there are a lot of exclusive products here. The quality of Thai gems and jewelry is recognized internationally. Thailand is also the world leader in the number of cutters of colored stones. Currently, more than 1 million Thai residents are employed in the jewelry industry , that is, a lot.
Now almost the entire business of colored stones goes through Thailand. Therefore, this is a very good choice. And low price. The Kingdom is both the largest importer and exporter of precious stones! Jewelry making is based not only on gems mined in the country. These are sapphires, rubies, garnets, onyxes, jades, opals, zirconiums and peridots. Also, for a long time, precious stones have been delivered to Thai cutters by the carload from the richest deposits of nearby countries - Sri Lanka and Myanmar - for processing. Moreover, in Thailand you can buy high-quality stone even cheaper than in the country where it was mined. Therefore, you NEED to buy jewelry here! Thailand exports its jewelry products all over the world, hence this turnover is constantly growing.
Using Thai Jewelry Products
Even such a well-known brand as Pandora uses Thai precious stones in its jewelry. Therefore, there are many similar companies in Thailand. Which, in turn, offer their customers prefabricated bracelets. But they will be discussed in another article. Consumers of Thai jewelry include such highly developed countries as Switzerland, Australia, Hong Kong, the USA and Belgium. Also among the newest markets growing at a fast pace are Taiwan, Denmark and Canada.
A large share of clients are also from the CIS. Our women , who recently lived behind the Iron Curtain, are not accustomed to the fact that jewelry made from silver, gold and natural precious stones can be so large. As if it is not a jewel, but beautiful jewelry. But at the same time – quite attractive in price. Therefore, now all this beauty has become available to us as freely as to all women in the world. So let's take advantage of these wonderful opportunities!
Thai jewelry made from silver and natural gems is of high quality, unique design and affordable prices.
Lifetime warranty on products purchased from a jewelry store in Phuket.
The state understands the importance of jewelry for the well-being of the country and contributes in every possible way to its development. Therefore, about thirty years ago, the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA) was created to promote the development of the industry. As a result, under the leadership of the TGJTA, the once artisanal jewelry industry has grown into a leading industry on a global scale. TGJTA also works closely with the Department of Commerce, which oversees the Department of Export Promotion (DEP).
Both government and private institutions are focused on providing training and education in the field of gemstones and jewelry manufacturing. However, in Thailand, as elsewhere, there are scammers. But gems in the kingdom are not usually counterfeited due to their low prices. The retail sale of gems and jewelry in Thailand is subject to relevant trade regulations. Compliance with these rules is carefully monitored by the government and industry organizations.
The state sets requirements for the quality of jewelry But, for example, the tax policy in the country is such that it allows us to keep prices for silver and stones the lowest in the world. Thai silver is of the highest quality - the so-called 925 sterling silver. That is, it is understood that the presence of pure silver in the product must be at least 92.5%. Therefore, Thai silver is in great demand all over the world.
Thus, Thailand silver jewelry has the highest quality at the lowest price!
A characteristic feature of silver jewelry from skilled Thai craftsmen is that they are all made by hand in single copies. Therefore, the jewelry is made with great taste and has a unique design. When bringing their ideas to life, the Thais do not skimp on the number and sizes of precious stones used. Therefore, they create jewelry on a grand scale, putting a piece of their soul into it. Jewelry from Thai masters is massive, bright, sparkling, generously strewn with gems.
If we talk about the quality of cutting and product design, then Thai craftsmen are definitely not inferior to many famous brands. Therefore, in Thailand you can really choose decent jewelry at reasonable prices.
Jewelry store in Phuket.
In local jewelry stores, silver jewelry is presented with precious and semi-precious stones, as well as pearls. Silver is usually rhodium plated, which means it is coated with a thin layer of rhodium, a platinum group metal. Therefore, silver items with stones and pearls do not darken. As a result, they remain like new for a long time. When purchasing silver items, a certificate is not issued (except for expensive works).
Jewelry store in Phuket.
Gold , on the contrary, is an export commodity, is of Turkish origin and has an unusual yellow tint for us. But in store windows you can find products made of white, pink and other shades of gold. Which one you prefer depends solely on your taste preferences.
Local stores also widely stock gold and silver items with pearls . You can choose rings, earrings, pendants, and necklaces made from freshwater and sea pearls, which in turn can be natural or artificially grown. You can buy pearls separately or, at your request, a set of pearls will be made from a string of pearls: a necklace and a bracelet.
From year to year, the Kingdom of Thailand attracts and delights hundreds of thousands of tourists from different parts of the world not only with its hospitality. And also with unique exoticism, wonderful climate, heavenly fruits and magnificent jewelry.
Jewelry store in Phuket.
In large jewelry centers you can not only pick up an exclusive piece of jewelry that is no longer available in the world, but also have something made to order. Thai craftsmen will be happy to bring your wildest fantasies to life. In addition, you can change the size of the ring from gold or silver. It is noteworthy that when the size of the products increases, they are not rolled out, but metal is added.
Rules for exporting precious stones from Thailand.
Tourists exporting precious stones from the Kingdom must have a certificate for the product. It is issued at the point of purchase for any gold jewelry. The quality certificate will contain a photograph of the product as well as a description of its properties. Price, name, precious stones and carat of gold. Reputable stores and jewelers provide a lifetime guarantee not only for repairs. Also for cleaning jewelry.
The export of uncut and unframed gemstones from Thailand is prohibited. But these prohibitions and restrictions, provided there are no industrial batches, are not violated only by the lazy... Check the rules for importing into your country of residence and the obligation to declare precious stones separately.
In conclusion, it remains to add that Thai jewelry is made in a huge variety of shapes and styles. These can be accessories with a classic or trendy design.
You can diversify your holiday on the island of Phuket with a trip to the jewelry center. Transfer to the center and back is absolutely free and does not oblige you to anything.
You can order a trip to a jewelry store in Phuket by calling: +6693 2828 000. By calling or sending a message on WhatsApp or Viber. We speak Russian.
We also recommend reading the article about stackable bracelets.
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