ileen

Planning a trip to Estonia, Would like to buy some small amber jewelry for gifts.
Wondering if anyone has experience in buying these. And any idea what would be the price range?
Just want to be prepared so I am within my budget.
Thanks, have a great day.

ileen

Looks like Estonia is not a popular destination!
Still hoping I will get some tips on my shopping.

spaarne

I didn't see any amber in Tallinn but did come across a beautiful well stocked amber shop in Vilnius, Lithuania. The name is, of course, The House of Amber. I bought a small amber charm for my daughter. Going south through the Baltic countries?

lauren_s_kahn

There are tons of places to buy amber in the Baltics. I have to admit I was not too interested when I was there as I have a piece of amber jewelry from St. Petersburg from years back. Just ask when you get to wherever you are going.

ileen

Thanks for your replies.
Looking forward to my travel adventures and as always a little bit of souvenir shopping.
Problem with jewelry is that one never knows what is real and what is fake. Of course, I should be smart and just shop at the reputable stores instead of street vendors.
Thus was asking for help. Will consult hotel staff for some suggestions.

Rubicund

Definitely don't buy from street vendors, if there are any, or from people in bars or hotel lobbies. You'll be buying expensive plastic.

One of the favourite tricks is the "I've just come from a trade show and have this amber surplus from my samples".

ileen

Rubicund--Thanks for this tip. Never heard it before during my travels, so now will be aware.
Have a great weekend.

Dukey1

I agree about the plastic fakes, and they are quite cleverly-made. We saw them when we were in the Baltic in several locations so be very aware and careful.

ileen

Plastic looking like amber!
Well, novice shoppers like me will have hard time figuring what is plastic and what is real.
Reminds me of my China trip where one can buy pearls for hundreds of dollars or extremely cheap. Often it is pretty hard to tell what is real. Of course the high end stores are the safest place to shop to get top quality products.
So, I guess, will enjoy my new experience and be cautious at every step.
Everyone have great time planning your trips.

lauren_s_kahn

Lots of plastic "amber" in the Baltics. Buy from a reputable place. I bought my piece in the Hermitage years back because I was worried about the fakes. If you are just buying a souvenir and don't care than a fake may be sufficient; if you want the real deal then buy in a shop where they give you a certificate. It is exactly like the difference between a real Versace and a knock off from Chinatown in NYC.

basingstoke2

Not just plastic amber but also pieces that have been made from amber bits that are ground and then molded. They look like the real thing but are cheaper to make. Sometimes the price reflects that, sometimes not. An honest shop will tell you.

spaarne

Here is the amber shop I found in Vilnius. http://tinyurl.com/3uwqrlf. It was an upscale place filled with amber everything. I didn't know about plastic forgeries but this store doesn't look like it would be doing anything underhanded. But who knows?

ileen

Thanks for your help and the new tips.
The latest air tragedy has me concerned about future travel trips.

Kind of scary to note that a huge plane with so many innocent passengers can just vanish from the air.

I know we should be brave because traveling is just so exciting and full of fun, pleasure and of course a perfect way to learn about lands far away.

Have a splendid weekend.