popular topic.....I'm looking for contemporary designs with an Asian elegance and simplicity.BKK and Phuket...any out there that aren't a fortune?

Of course, there is a huge variation in prices, depending primarily on the stones you choose. I gave you the name of my jeweler in Bangkok. I'll be making my annual trip there soon. I think you'll be pleasantly suprsied by the prices. My girlfriend went with me lasy year, and bought herself half a dozen pairs of pierced earrings, rubies, emeralds, different colors of sapphires - each pair was in the US$40-80 range.

I'd recommend buying in Bangkok, as the prices are better in Bangkok than in Phuket and the selection is much larger.

As always, know your prices, and know your jewels, as bargaining anywhere in Asia is de riguer.

Would appreciate name and address as well.

The jeweler I've been using for the last 20 years: SJ International, 125/8 Sawankhalok Road, Dusit, Bangkok, phone 02-2342446, 02-2342447, 02-2411875

Call them and they will pick you up at your hotel and return you to your hotel after your shopping.

kathie---where is that road that your jewerler is on??/ we will check them out next spring.....

i would just add that my wife's bkk. saphire earings usually cost $300-450---the stones are quite large however and we thought that was really cheap...heavy gold 18K and above average stones....

rhkkmk, I really couldn't tell you exactly where the jeweler is located. I always just call them for transport.

As you mention, price depends on size and quality. I've purchased sapphires that were $1500 a pair, and ones that were $40. You have some buying experience in Bangkok, I'm sure you'll do fine.

Once when I was planning to buy some very fine rubies, my jeweler here in Seattle told me which mine I should ask for, and my jeweler at SJ brought some from the back room.

Is it better to buy jewelry in Bangkok or Hong Kong? Since jewelry is such a blind item, how do you know how low to go when bargaining, which I assume one must do? Is there a "rule of thumb" in regard to an average percentage below the original asking price?

If you are looking for jewelry with sapphires or rubies, Bangkok is the place. I'd recommend Hong Kong for jade.

There is absolutely no "rule of thumb," as some places start with a good price, others quote a price at least double what you should pay. Know how much you'd pay for an item in your own country. You should be able to get a piece of jewelry for no more than half that in Bangkok.

kathie---is the store in the city or outside....for instance how long a taxi ride is it from the penn?? if you remember...i know that is a subjective question in bkk...
happy thanksgiving
bob

Kathie, can you tell me if any of the jewelry you buy has diamonds as well.
I have recently lost a large sapphire and diamond ring and was wondering if I should wait to replace it next Nov 2004 when we are in Bangkok.
Normally how long does it take to manufacture? We will only be there 4 days..
thx

four days is a short....generally diamonds are not cheap in bkk, but saphires are very cheap....i have bought diamond studs before but felt i paid too much...cheaper than usa however...and beautifully set....buy a diamond at home and take it with you and have it set in bkk with their stones...they can mail to you...i have done this too with complete success...

My wife and I went to Gems Jewellery (which seemed to have a deal going with the hotel to encourage a visit). The store is amazing - worth seeing even if you don't buy anything. A crew of Thai women in traditional Thai dress greet you at the door. You get a tour of the workshop, then into the store itself. It is the size of a Wal Mart. There is an elevated fish tank filled with sharks that blew my mind. Oh yeah the jewellery.... We bought a number of very nice items - mostly Siamese rubies. Also for sale were pictures made of gem fragments - really beautiful!

Kathie,
Do you have any quick tips on what to look for in good-quality gems? Also, realizing that one needs to shop at a reputable store for quality, but how does one really know whether what they are offering you is good. You have an established relationship with your jeweller, and I'm sure they give you the best stuff; but for the rest of us who is dealing with them for the first time, would they try to pawn off the lower quality gems on us, thinking they'll never see us again anyways??

Two things are good "insurance" in buying jewelry in Bangkok (or anywhere else in the world).

1. Go to a reputable jeweler.

2. Know something about the kind of jewelry you want to buy. Know what you're looking for, but also know what the best quality gems look like. Visit a very good jeweler in your area, and ask to see pieces similar to what you want to buy. Look at the stone through a jeweler's loup, ask questions about color, cut, construction of the ring or other piece of jewelry.

My rule of thumb is that I should be able to buy a piece of jewelry in Bangkok for one fourth of the price in the US. I no longer have to bargain at my jeweler to get that price.

My jeweler in Bangkok was able to duplicate an earring jacket in 4 days. I asked about having a ring reset, and they said they could do it in 4 days as well. GIven the huge variety of jewelry carried by a place like SJ, they may well have something already made up that will fit your needs.

By the way, SJ is located in the Dusit area of Bangkok, a 20-25 minute ride from the Royal Orchid.

When we were in BKK in March Gem Jewellery sent mini busses to the ship - I, of course, bought - but in retrospect paid far too much - will definitely go to SJ on our next trip in Feb.. thank you for sharing..

Kathie has great advice ... as I now realize after being scammed. I wasn't even looking for jewelry, not even tempted! Until a fellow on the street said that Royal Lapidary was open to the public that day (he said they normally sold to wholesalers... just the fact he approached us should have been our first tip-off that something wasn't right) and that they also had lots of crafts. The crafts lured me there but once I started looking at rubies ... well let's just say my husband and I were a bit too spontaneous. The shop looked very above-board and other people were shopping, however the salesman said the prices were fixed (second tip-off). We ended up paying $2500 for a tennis bracelet. Got back here to Saudi Arabia and 6 days later it occurred to me we had probably been scammed. Took the bracelet to a few jewelers and they said the rubies are real, but we shouldn't have paid more than about $1400 for the bracelet (they sell some here that look very similar for a slightly more). It might appraise much higher in the States, I don't know, but I still feel cheated. Anyway, I'm not sure what to do. My husband thinks I should let it go, that we learned a lesson. But I'm tempted to try to get my money back ... might call the store and see what they say. I don't expect satisfaction, but at least I'll have given it a try. It's all very embarrassing, even knowing I'm not the only one ... my friend said she overpaid for a ring a few years ago.

Laura,

About 15 years ago my wife and I spontaneously went to a rug auction, not because we were in the market for a rug but just for the fun of it. We unexpectedl saw a rug we loved and bought it for $2000. When we got it appraised for insurance purposes, we learned it was worth $1200. Reflecting on it, there was no question in our minds that the auction was rigged.

So, we considered it a lesson learned and, in the big scheme of things, not at a terribly expensive cost. Most important, we've enjoyed the rug every day for the 15 years since we bought it. Hopefully you'll be able to do the same regarding your bracelet.

Very specific BKK jewelry question -

Is platinum readily available in BKK and at good prices? I am allergic to every other kind of precious metal (sad but true!), so I am constantly looking for different types of platinum jewelry and interesting pearls.

Any helpful hints for this type of specific jewelry shopping in BKK (or HK) would be appreciated. Will be traveling to HK and BKK in March.