Diamond Rings / Engagement Rings

[Warrioroo]

Can anyone please advise me of the best place to buy a diamong ring / engagement ring in Chiang Mai? The big jewellery/gems place on San Kamphaeng? How about the shops in Airport Plaza? Budget approximately 30-40k so it wont be a world-breaking diamond, but i would appreciate knowing where to find decent value at least. Its a big event after all and i dont want to mess it up by buying a shiny piece of glass set on an aluminium ring! Any suggestions very welcome... and most appreciated.

p.s. As a newbie i did search the forum before posting Hope i didnt miss the right thread!

[JuniorExPat]

Shiraz on Thapae Road seems to have reasonable reputation amongst the expats I know, no personal experience with them though.

http://www.chiangmai-online.com/shiraz

On the right hand side (going with the traffic) just before the AIS crossroads.

JxP

[cmsally]

Friends of mine visiting bought from the shop at the foot of Doi Suthep. The prices seemed to be lower than the bigger places and have heard from other people everything authentic. Not that I would know, have no experience with gems. But they seemed happy and they did shop around.

[mobile69]

my mrs keeps pestering me for a diamond ring. sorry love , should've negotiated that before we wed :-) how about a new rice cooker?

[chanchao]

Go to Airport Plaza.

Heard some seriously bad experiences with Shiraz. And the other tourist-trap shops are just that.

So do yourself a favour and buy where local people buy: in a shop in a mall.

Do compare prices and there may be some room for negotiation.

[Mahseer]

I bougt a diamond ring for the missus from Airport Plaza. It cost me 52k and hasn't fallen to pieces in the year she she has had it.

Enter where the tuk tuks / taxis park / turn right / up one floor (I think) on the first escalator and there are 2 jewellery shops one to the left and another just to the right. The one to the right has the better diamond collection. If directions dont work out go up one more floor and you'll see the shops there.

[tigerbeer]

i think mahseer is referring to style jewelers. bought some from them before. try to meet the owners if possible and bargain a lot !!

[sceadugenga]

Can anyone please advise me of the best place to buy a diamong ring / engagement ring in Chiang Mai? The big jewellery/gems place on San Kamphaeng? How about the shops in Airport Plaza? Budget approximately 30-40k so it wont be a world-breaking diamond, but i would appreciate knowing where to find decent value at least. Its a big event after all and i dont want to mess it up by buying a shiny piece of glass set on an aluminium ring! Any suggestions very welcome... and most appreciated.

p.s. As a newbie i did search the forum before posting Hope i didnt miss the right thread!

Mate, are we talking a Thai lady here?

For 30-40K you can get three baht gold, a nice ring and an even nicer chain or bracelet. She'll be ecstatic because she knows the value will always be there, try re-selling a diamond and see what you get. Diamonds are a Western thing, the East knows that true love is shown with gold.

Edited June 12, 2007 by sceadugenga

[manuchaomk]

Warrioroo,

Just be carefull about fake diamonds ! doesn't matter reputation of the Store...I suggest to have a look with some expert (for a good diamond analysis). Just in case you think about a diamond ring....

manu

[expatwannabe]

I wouldn't buy a diamond here. They're probably cheaper but I don't know enough about them to avoid being cheated.

I'd go for http://www.bluenile.com/ or http://shop.borsheims.com/Borsheims/ - both are great companies with reputations for fairness.

EW

Edited June 12, 2007 by expatwannabe

[Warrioroo]

Sceadugenga, thats a good point mate.

This is for a Thai lady yes, but she is of the westernised variety - worked overseas for years and pictures the wedding in white dress and all that... will aim to do the big day in a Thai/Western mix style, but i know she would love a diamond ring for engagement. I'm sure the gold will come later... p.s. the Roo is my name is coz i'm a Roos fan...guess u'll be supporting us as we do the Crows this weekend for our 8th win in 9 games!?

Looks like Airport Plaza is the safer place to go. I'm sure they'll provide a certificate and everything, but of course that is just a piece of paper - i could make my own diamond authenticity certificate if i had 10 mins! But looks like it would be the most reliable place...

I vaguely remember some negative reviews of Shiraz also (cheers Chanchao from refereshing my memory).

Has anyone tried the big Gems place out on San Kamphaeng? Massive tourist trap i know, but the selection seemed decent when i briefly checked it out a while back - i dont think locals (thai or farang) go there though. If they were scamming people surely it would be well known by now... Any experiences there buying rings in terms of value, authenticity?

Cheers all, really appreciate the feedback and input.

[nattydread]

Bump...........anybody have any info to add to this topic as i am looking for a ring at the moment......thanks

[sarahsbloke]

There is no tradition of rings in Thailand.

Just don't, waste your money.

Like others have said, if you really have to, buy her Thai gold.

[elektrified]

There is no tradition of rings in Thailand.

Just don't, waste your money.

Like others have said, if you really have to, buy her Thai gold.

That's not especially true. I see many younger generation Thais wearing gold and other wedding rings. Things have changed here a lot.

[kennkate]

Bump...........anybody have any info to add to this topic as i am looking for a ring at the moment......thanks

[kennkate]

Bump...........anybody have any info to add to this topic as i am looking for a ring at the moment......thanks

[gotlost]

GOLD,GOLD,GOLD,GOLD.GOLD:

Edited August 3, 2010 by gotlost

[bjohn34]

I have done business several times at the Diamond Gallery on Chiang Klan Rd across from the Shang ri La hotel.

Got very good service from the manager there and competitive prices. Worth a look.

[true blue]

i bought wifes,diamond ring from shop in airport plaza,few years ago now rember i did bargin with lady and got a discount,there is a big jewellery fair on at airport plaza,at the moment.

[Hollywood13]

I'm confused (seems to be happening more and more)...

Someone mentioned buying 3 baht of gold...what is 3 baht? I mean, I know baht generally refers to the Thai currency, but in this instance I'm guessing "baht" is referring to the weight? Is 1 baht the same as 1 ounce?

Also, if you purchase 3 baht of gold, does it come in little gold bars? Or, is it 3 baht weight worth of necklaces and/or bracelets (which seems as though it would be a lot of gold for a girl to wear...would look like the Thai version of Mr. T).

And, what's with the ring thing? Do you mean I can save 3 months salary (THAT must have been a woman's idea right there) and not have to purchase a diamond engagement ring? Is there ANY engagement present? What about after two people are married...do they wear traditional wedding bands on their ring fingers at that time?

Thanks!

[newbie001]

As stated before it isn't a traditional practice to give an engagement ring or present to your fiance. If you have to pay Sinsod, that is the equivalent.

I would have to say that the average age of my friends here are 28-40 our neighbors are older in their 50-60's and I cannot think of anyone that we know that actually wear wedding rings. The few that are married to foreigners and a few that grew up abroad but have returned to Thailand, they have wedding rings, but those that are Thai and married to Thais don't.

As Shivers asked:

One baht of gold is weight and comes in a nugget or can be small bars, roughly the value of 10k baht currency. That is why someone suggested 3 baht of gold because that was the OP's original price range.

Personally, I wouldn't waste 30k on a diamond ring. It won't have half that value as soon as it is worn. I think that a diamond chip that small would look cheap, or if you go for a bigger stone it will have a lot of inclusions. Spend that money on something that has value like a nice honeymoon.

Yes, for some younger modern generations, and the hiso wannabees buying wedding rings and engagement rings is growing more common. as Elektrified said, but it still isn't the custom.

If a couple wants to that is their business, but don't feel obligated to do so from your cultural perspective.

If someone wants to buy a diamond ring, I would have it made. Buy the stone from a reputable dealer and have it independently appraised.

(Shabaz/shiraz whatever the name, as stated before is reasonable, not great but fair. I have looked at a few of his gems in the past and he made grades on them that were a little higher than they should be but overall 95% on the money. He is as honest as you can probably find in the business, but he is there to make money.

Get the ring made from a different person than who sells you the gem though. You will get a better deal that way and there will be less kick back money.

[fcgprg]

1 baht weight is 15.2 Grams,1 troy ounce is 31.1034768 Grams the price changes every day.

[Hollywood13]

Thank you for the explanation. While I wouldn't mind wearing a wedding band, I never thought highly of the whole diamond ring scam American women have going on.

I'm guessing if I were to get married, I'd just go to a jeweler and tell him/her I want to purchase x amount of baht in gold and they'd supply me with 15.2 grams per x amount of baht I want and charge me at the daily rate for gold. Interesting.

Is there a particular karat the gold should be? 18? 24?

One more thing...I fly though Dubai occasionally and I know I can buy gold bars there...am wondering if it wouldn't be cheaper and/or valued higher based on the Dubail markings on the gold bars. Anyone know?

Mind you, I'm not getting married in a month or anything, but would like to marry eventually, so this is good information to have...THANKS!

[newbie001]

Every country has different rates for buying and selling gold. If you buy gold in one country, you must declare it and pay excise into the country you are bringing it into. Otherwise that is called smuggling, though profitable, it is illegal.

If you are buying gold for an investment and planning on saving it in Thailand for conversion in Thailand, then buy it here.

If you want to be a smuggler then go to South America and buy it raw from the miners that get underpaid in the first place, smelt it down yourself and become a Gold barren. I am just joking.

Good luck on the upcoming marriage though.

[Hollywood13]

I'll call a friend before I go to Thailand next time, see how much gold is selling for there, then check in Dubai when I go through there. I'm not really big on the whole smugging thing though, so I won't purchase it in Dubai...but I am curious. Does it have to be 24k gold?

Oh...and I'm not getting married at least for a year or two...am just doing some research for when the time comes. I like to be prepared and know what I'm getting myself into prior to jumping in the pool hip-deep, so to speak.

[goldfinger]

I'll call a friend before I go to Thailand next time, see how much gold is selling for there, then check in Dubai when I go through there. I'm not really big on the whole smugging thing though, so I won't purchase it in Dubai...but I am curious. Does it have to be 24k gold?

Oh...and I'm not getting married at least for a year or two...am just doing some research for when the time comes. I like to be prepared and know what I'm getting myself into prior to jumping in the pool hip-deep, so to speak.

PM me, if you want real good and cheap prices for gold bars made in moscow.....

BTW, ever heard of "London Gold Fixing"??

Edited August 5, 2010 by goldfinger

[Hollywood13]

One would think that 50 ounces of gold (for example) would cost the same in the U.S. as it does in Thailand, as it does wherever else in the world. Guess that would make too much sense. Of course, exchange rates likely come into play.

As for gold bars in Moscow, no thanks...as I posted...not interested in smuggling. I'll do my best not to get banned from the country I'd like to retire in.