[Jewelry making - Article 01403] - Re: [Orchid] Buying Gems in Thailand

[J&N Holt]

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    Tammy, Having bought stones in Thailand most of the past nineteen
    years, I'll try  to condense my knowledge of the subject into two
    words: "CAVEAT EMPTOR".  If someone is looking for a "good deal"
    they had better know what they are looking at and be adept at
    bargaining. If your mom wants to pick up a couple of  pieces just to
    have as a reminder of her trip, that's great. As for buying for you,
    presumably for later resale, you'd do better in Tucson. Having said
    all that, gem shopping in Thailand can be a lot of fun, even
    adventurous fun. If you don't have some expertise in gemology and
    haggling, just set a limit on what you're willing to lose, just like
    in Vegas, and dive right in. If you do get some good deals, you're
    ahead of the game. Either way, you've had fun doing it. Bangkok is
    pretty overwhelming, particularly for the first-timer. Without some
    sort of intro into the gem trade, your  experience there will be
    strictly at the retail level. For the more adventurous, a trip to
    Chantaburi during the Friday and Saturday gem market will bring you
    closer to the "wholesale" action. There, anyone can play, but you'd
    better know the game. Still, it's an aspect of  Thailand that few
    tourists see, compared to the multitudes who pass through Bangkok
    every year. I've also bought in Mae Sot, a town in Northwest
    Thailand on the border with Myanmar (Burma). I've found good buys
    there, but again, Haggle is the necessary language. There is an
    article in the November 2003 issue of Lapidary Journal  about the
    writer's buying trip to Mae Sot you and your mom may find
    interesting. I don't know if any of the above has been of any use to
    you, but I've had fun writing it. It gets me mentally geared up for
    another trip over there this February. 

Jerry in Kodiak


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