janefrsin

Does anyone have recommendations for places to purchase good (less than US$100) custome jewelry? I am looking for nicely designed pieces with semi-precious stones (amethyst, garnet, opal). Thanks in advance!

kaneda

You must learn the difference between fakes and real stones, otherwise you may get bargains or you may get cheated. A larger dealer will more likely be honest but also charge more. Get some idea of the prices back home. There are a number of gold/jewellery shops along Yaowaraj in China Town which is probably the cheapest and best area.

Kathie

The shops in Chinatown are gold shops that sell the traditional 22-24k gold, really not the stuff to set stones in and not what you are talking about in terms of semi-precious jewelry. There are quite a number of silver shops on New Road near the Oriental, I don't know if any of them have semi-precious stones in silver.

What you are asking for is really not traditional in Bangkok. Jewelry is gold, stones tend to be the local sapphires or rubies.

"Costume" jewelry in the US typically means no real stones, and plated metal rather than the real thing.

You might try some of the big malls or department stores that cater to tourists.

janefrsin

Thanks kaneda and Kathie. Looking to replace an amethyst bracelet (set in 18K gold) that I bought in Singapore some years ago and lost. I bought it for around SIN$300. Will check the dept stores and also the jewelry places I read on this forum for some price comparisons.

Kathie

I wouldn't consider an amethyst bracelet in 18k golf to be "costume." You could check with the jeweler I always use, SJ International.

glorialf

I have purchased several amethyst pieces in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai -- it's my favorite stone. Have purchased it with gold and with silver. I've also bought garnet.Have purchased them at a jewelry store called Susie, some at a jewlery store in River City and some pieces at Orchid jade factory in Chiang Mai as well as some at the store in the Oriental Hotel (in their arcade across the driveway).

glorialf

Oh-- forgot. There is a wonderful and very creative jewelry designer in Oriental Place on the second floor. The name of the store is Amour. I've been buying from her for over 20 years and love her work. She only uses semi-precious stones. Tell her Gloria sent you. You can tell her what you want and she'll draw some designs for you and show you the stones. She did an amethyst and freshwater pearl necklace for me last year and people literally stop me on the street and ask me where I got it.

Guenmai

I buy this kind of jewelry twice a year in Bangkok for myself and friends. My favorite store is the January store which is in the Oriental Place Shopping Arcade on the street in back of the Oriental hotel. It's a two-story, colonial-style building. You can't miss it. If you taxi to the Oriental, there will be a blockade before you enter the Oriental Hotel area. Just get off at that blockade street as you don't wasnt to enter the Oriental's property anyway. You can only go in one direction when you get out of the cab which will be to your right and you'll be on the correct street. You'll notice almost immediatedly to your right a white colonial building, enter through the back door. There will be a guard to open the door for you.

When you enter the building...go right until you come to the lobby. There will be an information desk there. It's a VERY small place so you can't get lost. The January store is upstairs. Bargain hard and knock 50% off right away.

There are two other January stores in Bangkok. There is one in the River City Shopping Center...connected to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel on the river...and then there is one in the Central World Plaza mall at Chitlom skytrain station. I prefer the Oriental Place one. If you're working in U.S. dollar conversion, then it'll now be a bit over a hundred dollars. T

The designs at January are excellent, hip, and very current. I've met the owner and have shopped there for years.
On the last trip, a friend gave me money to buy her a rose...something-or-the-other stone necklace....rose quartz? So, I went to January and there it was and as usual a great design.I think I paid around $125. for it.

Carol...simpson510...from this forum and I were shopping in Boston in October...while at the GTG...and walked into Saks and there was a large display of jewelry which I immediatedly identified as coming out of Bangkok. The exact stone in a similiar necklace that I had just bought my friend in Bangkok, a month prior, was around $400. The jewelry was as high as in the $800 category at Saks. I had a good laugh.

The same friend was just at my place this past weekend and writing me a check for $250. and putting in her order for my next month's trip. Happy Travels!

janefrsin

Thanks Gloria, guenmai. Amethysts and garnets are my favorite stones as well although I won't thumb my nose at any stone Appreciate the leads for shops & price estimates since I don't have much time in BKK to just browse around. There for a business trip where I have a day and perhaps a couple of nights to squeeze in major shopping and eating. I plan to check out Amour, January and SJ International (per Kathie's suggestion). Will post results of my shopping haul to list when I return.

Rgds
Jane from Bay Area, CA

hawaiiantraveler

When you check out Lily at SJ have her show you the section with their semi-precious stones.

We got lots of rings for our daughters and some friends there. They only have one or two show cases but prices were phenomenal.

Rings in silver with stones are anywhere from $12- $85 and with gold starting from around $120 and up.

Aloha!

glorialf

January and Amour on in the same small shopping mall. It's one of the only malls I can deal with because it is tiny and low key and not filled with people!

Kathie

Happy shopping, Jane! Do let us know how you do.

Guenmai

I absolutely love SJ, but for costume jewelry with beautiful, hip, and fresh designs and something that's different, then it's hands down the January store in the Oriental Place Shopping Arcade. Happy Travels!