My fiance and I are shopping for a loose diamond (for obvious reasons) and wonder if there are good, reputable deals to be had in Thailand. <BR> <BR>Has anyone done shopping of this sort in SEAsia? What did you find? <BR> <BR>Thanks so much!

Since diamonds, like gold, very much trade at the international market price there is absolutely no reason to assume that "good deals" can be had on diamonDs in Thailand any more than one might obtain in Bombay, Antwerp or Amsterdam. For cut and set stones, prices can be somewhat cheaper than western countries simply because of the lower labour costs and overheads of the trading houses. <BR>

There is an old saying: "If you don't know furs, know your furrier." Same thing applies to diamonds. Are you diamond experts?

As others mentioned diamonds are priced so standardly on an international basis, you can't get much more of a discount in foreign countries to what you can here in the US. <BR> <BR>However, if you are in the market for colored stones, you can do better in other countries. Emeralds are "bargains" in Columbia and Brazil, and you can get good prices on rubies and especially sapphires in Bangkok. I've purchased lots of stones over the years in Bangkok, and have a favorite jeweler there. If you bring unset stones back to the US, they enter duty-free. Set stones are charged duty. I find that I can get sapphires and rubies for half of the US wholesale price. You do need to know what you're doing, develop a good eye for color and deal with a reputable jeweler. <BR> <BR>(One of my favorite signs was in a hotel room in Phuket: "Do not buy jewels from vendors on the beach as you would not in your own country." Obviously, good advice!)

Katie - Could you supply the name and address for the jeweler in Bangkok who you use? <BR> <BR>Thanks.

Sure, The jeweler I've beein buying from for over 15 years is S.J. International, 125/1 Sawankhalok Road, Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand. Phone: 2432446 or 2432447. Call and they will pick you up at your hotel and return you there for free. (This is a service offered by all of the good jewelers I know of in Bangkok.) <BR> <BR>Lily is the person I've dealt with there.

I too would agree that S.J. is excellent. My wife has used them a number of times over the past years and we also had a jeweller friend in NY who purchased many of her items from them.

Thank you! My husband will be in BKK this fall and I am hoping that he'll bring me back something....

Pas, it's interesting that you mention jewelers from the US buying from SJ. Many years ago I was in line at a money changer in Bangkok (in the days before ATMs there) and struck up a conversation with the woman behind me. We chatted about shopping, and I told her I was going to SJ to buy sapphires. She was a jeweler on a buying trip and was headed to SJ as well.

Well it is such a small world, who knows? It might have been the same person. Anyway, I better not say anymore or I will have people accusing me of being a sales rep for the company!