Thai Gold

[rory]

Please, any tips on buying thai gold, what to check for,price range etc anything that would help.

(want to buy gold chain my for wife's B/day on holiday in april/may )

thanks in advance

[Pattaya_Fox]

Please, any tips on buying thai gold, what to check for,price range etc anything that would help.

(want to buy gold chain my for wife's B/day on holiday in april/may )

thanks in advance

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai gold is known as baht gold and is generally .950 and above in quality.

You will mostly find .965 quality or 23K. i.e there are 23 parts of gold and one part of alloy added in order to strenghthen the gold and make it more durable.

Most of the gold shops mainly stock gold from 14K up to 23K. You can get what is marked 24K but this will be very soft.

The price of the gold when you are buying 23K is generally non negotiable unless of course you are buying gold with gems included and then you can negotiate good discounts.

When you are buying a gold chain you will pay for the weight of the chain plus a small amount for the workmanship.

Gold is used by the Thai people as a form of currency as they can realise a much better price when selling their gold back to a Thai gold dealer than we can when trading it back in the West.

The weight of Thai gold is linked to the unit one baht (this is nothing to do with the baht currency), but is equal to a weight of approximately 15.2 grammes.....so therefore if you are buying a 2 baht gold chain it will be slightly less than the western measurement of one troy ounce.

Always buy from an established gold shop/jeweller.

Always get the goldsmith to weigh the item infront of you on the scale.

Hallmarks or purity stamp marks should be on Thai Gold.

There is a lot of Chinese Gold being sold in Pattaya, in 14k, 18k,and 23k and there is also a lot of Italian gold ( but of lower quality mainly 14K).

I will only buy gold with the relevant hallmark on or purity stamp i.e. 585 or 14K, 765 or 18K, 965 or 23K.

Always obtain a receipt and a certificate from the jeweller.

Under no circumstances purchase any gold or gems from hawkers, street vendors or in markets even when it shows hallmarks or the marking 100% gold...these will be brass or gold plated.

The price of Thai gold at the moment for One baht is approx 7,800 baht, but this fluctuates daily.

[gburns57au]

you may get a certificate if gems are included, I have never had a certificate for just plain gold..I have previously puchased chains upto to 3 baht.

As Fox mentioned about the weight of a baht of gold and to re-iterate his point.......ALWAYS.....get the retailer to weigh it in front of you and immediately prior to them giving it you. Do not lose sight of it once it has been weighed. Some less scrupulous dealers may switch the chain for a similar but lower value one. also use a calulator to check the price against the weight of the item you are buying.

Also add, if you have a budget in mind, stick to it...dont be persuaded to buy something you cant afford.

Having said that, most Gold shop traders are honest.

[Pattaya_Fox]

you may get a certificate if gems are included, I have never had a certificate for just plain gold..I have previously puchased chains upto to 3 baht.

As Fox mentioned about the weight of a baht of gold and to re-iterate his point.......ALWAYS.....get the retailer to weigh it in front of you and immediately prior to them giving it you. Do not lose sight of it once it has been weighed. Some less scrupulous dealers may switch the chain for a similar but lower value one. also use a calulator to check the price against the weight of the item you are buying.

Also add, if you have a budget in mind, stick to it...dont be persuaded to buy something you cant afford.

Having said that, most Gold shop traders are honest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes they will give you a certificate showing weight and karat quality....all you have to do is ask..

[bangkokian]

Big names like Gold Master and a few other brands give certificate of authenticity, but they are priced higher, partly because of the 99.99% purity, but more because of craftmanship and brand name. these are available at departmentstores.

Edited March 25, 2005 by bangkokian

[thx1138]

Interesting thread this, I will be back in LOS soon and my wife is looking to "upgrade" certain items of Tom Foolery. Is it best to go where you bought the stuff originally? (does the shop give preference over the stuff they sold you vs other gold?). Also, word of warning, mate of mine went into a gold shop on Pattaya Klang and was given the full sales spiel, cold drinks , flattery, all the b*ll*cks and came away with some gold for his missus. 3 weeks later his Mum called saying the bank had rang him to confirm transactions on his card.. Rolex in Japan, Petrol stations in Sydney, Chinese Restaurants in Sydney, you know the score. Bank accepted it was fraud but my pal was shaken, he has boiled it down to that one shop as his card had not been used anywhere else (he almost made a &lt;deleted&gt; of himself and was about to accuse housekeeping in his apartment). This was before Chip and Pin but is that system infallible?. It goes without saying that not everyone will do you in cold blood but beware, wherever you are in the world (not just Thailand).

[Humphrey Bear]

Best to keep out of the 'shop-within-a-shop' places in supermarkets and department stores - use the basically red-decorated '99' shops that have some sort of government licence, as I understand it.

You can always get a certificate in these shops if you ask, you can always trade-back Thai gold at a reasonable price, most are family-run honest traders.

Most will display the price of 965 gold in the window or on the counter. You may be able to get a little discount (say 100 baht on a 9,100 necklace) but the price is basically fixed.

Remember, these items are not hallmarked in the way UK gold is. If you want to re-sell in many other countries you will have to get an assay done, even if you have a certificate. This costs money.

But for insurance purposes you can use the Thai certificate and add about 50% for replacement value in Europe, Oz and US.

[nw1]

A couple of trips ago, I bought a 8baht chain from a gold shop on Pattaya central Rd, (about 200m inland from Tops S/centre). Anyway, I paid around thb62k for it and was very happy.

I returned to Australia and had to get a valuation done on it in order to include it on my policy. I couldn't believe it - it came back at aud 8.2k, (about thb246k).

Now I know 'insurance valuations' bear only a small resemblance to resale price, but it was very reassuring none the less to have a registered valuer put this sort of figure on it.

I will have no problems buying more Thai gold on future trips.

Lemons

[h5n1]

im interested in buying a bracelet for my mother -

> do they have 1 baht bracelets or 1.5b (she has small wrists)?

> large selection of earrings? 14-18k?

> any idea if ill have luck finding it in 14k or 18k? the 23k may look 'fake-ish' to her

>> any clue as to what the cost would be per baht for 14/18k (the equation)?

-what are the 'quality stamps' one should look for?

-how can you know the true weight on the scale unless its digital.

-what is fair value for 'fabrication' on a 1, 2b bracelet (b5-750) and a pair of earrings (b150)?

what about the shops in mbk in bkk -there is such a good offering.

what about these shops in pattaya:

1. central rd/pattaya soi2 (there are 2 on central across from tops, one across from tops up soi2 and one down [soi 8?])

2. soi bukhao/soi chaiyapoon (not the cheesy one directly at the end, the one down 25m that sees loads of business)

3. newish shop opened down by boys town on pty soi 2 (really biggish looking outside)

4. shops on pty south road near mkt/it mall/wat

huge thanks

[bob a job]

A couple of trips ago, I bought a 8baht chain from a gold shop on Pattaya central Rd, (about 200m inland from Tops S/centre). Anyway, I paid around thb62k for it and was very happy.

I returned to Australia and had to get a valuation done on it in order to include it on my policy. I couldn't believe it - it came back at aud 8.2k, (about thb246k).

Now I know 'insurance valuations' bear only a small resemblance to resale price, but it was very reassuring none the less to have a registered valuer put this sort of figure on it.

I will have no problems buying more Thai gold on future trips.

Lemons

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry mate, over 400% mark up don't seam right to me.

think you should get a true value on it.

If it's right , think all of Thai visa will be over to Oz with pockets full of gold.

[rory]

Please, any tips on buying thai gold, what to check for,price range etc anything that would help.

(want to buy gold chain my for wife's B/day on holiday in april/may )

thanks in advance

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai gold is known as baht gold and is generally .950 and above in quality.

You will mostly find .965 quality or 23K. i.e there are 23 parts of gold and one part of alloy added in order to strenghthen the gold and make it more durable.

Most of the gold shops mainly stock gold from 14K up to 23K. You can get what is marked 24K but this will be very soft.

The price of the gold when you are buying 23K is generally non negotiable unless of course you are buying gold with gems included and then you can negotiate good discounts.

When you are buying a gold chain you will pay for the weight of the chain plus a small amount for the workmanship.

Gold is used by the Thai people as a form of currency as they can realise a much better price when selling their gold back to a Thai gold dealer than we can when trading it back in the West.

The weight of Thai gold is linked to the unit one baht (this is nothing to do with the baht currency), but is equal to a weight of approximately 15.2 grammes.....so therefore if you are buying a 2 baht gold chain it will be slightly less than the western measurement of one troy ounce.

Always buy from an established gold shop/jeweller.

Always get the goldsmith to weigh the item infront of you on the scale.

Hallmarks or purity stamp marks should be on Thai Gold.

There is a lot of Chinese Gold being sold in Pattaya, in 14k, 18k,and 23k and there is also a lot of Italian gold ( but of lower quality mainly 14K).

I will only buy gold with the relevant hallmark on or purity stamp i.e. 585 or 14K, 765 or 18K, 965 or 23K.

Always obtain a receipt and a certificate from the jeweller.

Under no circumstances purchase any gold or gems from hawkers, street vendors or in markets even when it shows hallmarks or the marking 100% gold...these will be brass or gold plated.

The price of Thai gold at the moment for One baht is approx 7,800 baht, but this fluctuates daily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

pattaya fox,

Thanks for the"on the ball" info,well worth making a note.

I may be a bit of a ding bat here,but ,whats the difference between chinese and Thai gold with the same 14k etc ?

[rory]

you may get a certificate if gems are included, I have never had a certificate for just plain gold..I have previously puchased chains upto to 3 baht.

As Fox mentioned about the weight of a baht of gold and to re-iterate his point.......ALWAYS.....get the retailer to weigh it in front of you and immediately prior to them giving it you. Do not lose sight of it once it has been weighed. Some less scrupulous dealers may switch the chain for a similar but lower value one. also use a calulator to check the price against the weight of the item you are buying.

Also add, if you have a budget in mind, stick to it...dont be persuaded to buy something you cant afford.

Having said that, most Gold shop traders are honest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the advice,about using the "mark one eyeball"at the time of weighing and having it on my person.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Please, any tips on buying thai gold, what to check for,price range etc anything that would help.

(want to buy gold chain my for wife's B/day on holiday in april/may )

thanks in advance

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai gold is known as baht gold and is generally .950 and above in quality.

You will mostly find .965 quality or 23K. i.e there are 23 parts of gold and one part of alloy added in order to strenghthen the gold and make it more durable.

Most of the gold shops mainly stock gold from 14K up to 23K. You can get what is marked 24K but this will be very soft.

The price of the gold when you are buying 23K is generally non negotiable unless of course you are buying gold with gems included and then you can negotiate good discounts.

When you are buying a gold chain you will pay for the weight of the chain plus a small amount for the workmanship.

Gold is used by the Thai people as a form of currency as they can realise a much better price when selling their gold back to a Thai gold dealer than we can when trading it back in the West.

The weight of Thai gold is linked to the unit one baht (this is nothing to do with the baht currency), but is equal to a weight of approximately 15.2 grammes.....so therefore if you are buying a 2 baht gold chain it will be slightly less than the western measurement of one troy ounce.

Always buy from an established gold shop/jeweller.

Always get the goldsmith to weigh the item infront of you on the scale.

Hallmarks or purity stamp marks should be on Thai Gold.

There is a lot of Chinese Gold being sold in Pattaya, in 14k, 18k,and 23k and there is also a lot of Italian gold ( but of lower quality mainly 14K).

I will only buy gold with the relevant hallmark on or purity stamp i.e. 585 or 14K, 765 or 18K, 965 or 23K.

Always obtain a receipt and a certificate from the jeweller.

Under no circumstances purchase any gold or gems from hawkers, street vendors or in markets even when it shows hallmarks or the marking 100% gold...these will be brass or gold plated.

The price of Thai gold at the moment for One baht is approx 7,800 baht, but this fluctuates daily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

pattaya fox,

Thanks for the"on the ball" info,well worth making a note.

I may be a bit of a ding bat here,but ,whats the difference between chinese and Thai gold with the same 14k etc ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chinese gold you will find always has a mark of purity on it i.e. .585 or 14K as it is compulsory in China for the manufacturer to show the karatage quality of the gold on jewellery. There may also be the manufacturers mark, but this is not compulsory.

Thai hallmarking is voluntary and if the necklace etc does not show the karatage even though it may have manufacturer`s marks then do not buy it as you will have difficulty in selling it in the West if you choose to do so at a later date.

If you are buying coloured gold i.e pink or red than the gold will have been mixed with an alloy and the darker the colour then the more copper will have been added and therefore the purity of the gold will be less.

If you are attracted to green gold then this will be alloyed with pure silver.

All in all the value of the gold chain which you buy will depend on the karatage of the gold.

Don`t forget that the purer the gold is then the softer the gold will be.

If you buy 99% pure gold you will not be able to have it engraved because it is too soft.

If the clasp on the gold chain is Thai style i.e. a folded loop which has to be bent in order to open and close it you will find that most gold shops/jewellers will replace it for you with a western style secure clasp which is much easier to operate. This however will normally be 18K or less in quality in order to maintain its rigidity.

[Heng]

Not an advertisement, but you'll find most locals (city folks anyway, probably less so for country folks) will recognize Hua Seng Heng as one of the defacto old school Yaowarat gold shops of good reputation. 3 Branches in Yaowarat and one at Seacon Square.

[bangkokian]

Ye4ah, I've also heard of hua seng heng... Tang to khang is another reputed one, though there is one copy-cat shop that mimics the name. From the tatler magazine, the shop looks really beautiful la--Chinese old style. I think they also have a branch in London.

[thaiaan]

Why no internationally recognized bullion coins like pandas,maple leafs,krugerrands,etc.?

Does the Thai government have a reason for restricting gold sales in "Thai" gold in amounts and trademarks that would only be good in Thailand?

Any sources of the international bullion coins in BKK?

[Pattaya_Fox]

Why no internationally recognized bullion coins like pandas,maple leafs,krugerrands,etc.?

Does the Thai government have a reason for restricting gold sales in "Thai" gold in amounts and trademarks that would only be good in Thailand?

Any sources of the international bullion coins in BKK?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thailand has issued a number of commemorative gold coins and medals over the years which are collected and traded worldwide by coin collectors.

Last year for example a number of gold coins were issued by the treasury to commemorate the 72nd birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.

There was a 12,000 baht and a 9,000 baht gold coin as well as a 5,000 baht gold medal.

Sometimes these coins come up for sale in the gold shops in Thailand, but expect to pay a hefty premium....

[aughie]

I have seen foreign currency gold pieces in a So Seng Heng shop. Not many of them probably traded in, they were sitting with the bullion.

[bangkokian]

There are international brands around, but it seems that only 1kg bullions are available--no coins etc. The most popular one seems to be Perth Mint's.

LG and Panda are also around, but the importer of the latter only use it as a raw mat for jewelleries--I forgot the brand.

While some smaller gold shops may be able to supply you with Perth Mint's gold bullion, they cannot gaurantee that they'll be able to buy it back in the case that they are over-stocked. So always ask before you buy.

"Get-IT Gold" (I beleive that's what it is called) is the biggest dealer in the country. I believe their building is on Petchburi.

Why no internationally recognized bullion coins like pandas,maple leafs,krugerrands,etc.?

Does the Thai government have a reason for restricting gold sales in "Thai" gold in amounts and trademarks that would only be good in Thailand?

Any sources of the international bullion coins in BKK?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[rory]

Please, any tips on buying thai gold, what to check for,price range etc anything that would help.

(want to buy gold chain my for wife's B/day on holiday in april/may )

thanks in advance

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai gold is known as baht gold and is generally .950 and above in quality.

You will mostly find .965 quality or 23K. i.e there are 23 parts of gold and one part of alloy added in order to strenghthen the gold and make it more durable.

Most of the gold shops mainly stock gold from 14K up to 23K. You can get what is marked 24K but this will be very soft.

The price of the gold when you are buying 23K is generally non negotiable unless of course you are buying gold with gems included and then you can negotiate good discounts.

When you are buying a gold chain you will pay for the weight of the chain plus a small amount for the workmanship.

Gold is used by the Thai people as a form of currency as they can realise a much better price when selling their gold back to a Thai gold dealer than we can when trading it back in the West.

The weight of Thai gold is linked to the unit one baht (this is nothing to do with the baht currency), but is equal to a weight of approximately 15.2 grammes.....so therefore if you are buying a 2 baht gold chain it will be slightly less than the western measurement of one troy ounce.

Always buy from an established gold shop/jeweller.

Always get the goldsmith to weigh the item infront of you on the scale.

Hallmarks or purity stamp marks should be on Thai Gold.

There is a lot of Chinese Gold being sold in Pattaya, in 14k, 18k,and 23k and there is also a lot of Italian gold ( but of lower quality mainly 14K).

I will only buy gold with the relevant hallmark on or purity stamp i.e. 585 or 14K, 765 or 18K, 965 or 23K.

Always obtain a receipt and a certificate from the jeweller.

Under no circumstances purchase any gold or gems from hawkers, street vendors or in markets even when it shows hallmarks or the marking 100% gold...these will be brass or gold plated.

The price of Thai gold at the moment for One baht is approx 7,800 baht, but this fluctuates daily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

pattaya fox,

Thanks for the"on the ball" info,well worth making a note.

I may be a bit of a ding bat here,but ,whats the difference between chinese and Thai gold with the same 14k etc ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chinese gold you will find always has a mark of purity on it i.e. .585 or 14K as it is compulsory in China for the manufacturer to show the karatage quality of the gold on jewellery. There may also be the manufacturers mark, but this is not compulsory.

Thai hallmarking is voluntary and if the necklace etc does not show the karatage even though it may have manufacturer`s marks then do not buy it as you will have difficulty in selling it in the West if you choose to do so at a later date.

If you are buying coloured gold i.e pink or red than the gold will have been mixed with an alloy and the darker the colour then the more copper will have been added and therefore the purity of the gold will be less.

If you are attracted to green gold then this will be alloyed with pure silver.

All in all the value of the gold chain which you buy will depend on the karatage of the gold.

Don`t forget that the purer the gold is then the softer the gold will be.

If you buy 99% pure gold you will not be able to have it engraved because it is too soft.

If the clasp on the gold chain is Thai style i.e. a folded loop which has to be bent in order to open and close it you will find that most gold shops/jewellers will replace it for you with a western style secure clasp which is much easier to operate. This however will normally be 18K or less in quality in order to maintain its rigidity.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks again,you have been most helpful.

My wife will think when we go and buy some thai gold,"how do you know so much "cheers ,very interesting info.

[astral]

A couple of trips ago, I bought a 8baht chain from a gold shop on Pattaya central Rd, (about 200m inland from Tops S/centre). Anyway, I paid around thb62k for it and was very happy.

I returned to Australia and had to get a valuation done on it in order to include it on my policy. I couldn't believe it - it came back at aud 8.2k, (about thb246k).

Now I know 'insurance valuations' bear only a small resemblance to resale price, but it was very reassuring none the less to have a registered valuer put this sort of figure on it.

I will have no problems buying more Thai gold on future trips.

Lemons

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry mate,  over 400% mark up don't seam right to me.

think you should get a true value on it.

If it's  right ,  think all of Thai visa will be over to Oz with pockets full of gold.

   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What you are missing is the way jewellers overseas overcharge to hull and back

when it comes to gold items!!

In the UK 9ct gold has the same price as 23ct here.

Here the shop owners know the product, overseas they are just sales people.

[chuchok]

About 3 years ago I bought a 9 carat gold chain for my wife in NZ at a wholesale price(NZ$300) Retail price for the same piece of &lt;deleted&gt; in a normal shop was NZ$900.Wonder why Western Jewelers have such great sales??!!

Most BKK Thais will tell you that the best place to buy (Yawarat) Thai gold is in China Town.It is apparantly the closest to PURE that you can buy in the country....or so I've been told.

[Kremlin]

I made a note for my next visit to Pattaya about a Jewelry factory that picks you up at your hotel, gives you a tour, and leaves you in their showroom. Here's the post, forgot where I found it Anyone been there?

"Thailand is famous for really great gemstones and jewelry. The jewelry factory in Pattaya is a must see activity. The factory provides free cab service to and from any hotel or location in Pattaya. Upon arrival, you are greeted by charming ladies in traditional dress who escort you into a very modern and well stocked bar for refreshments. Then it is off to a disneyland style train ride through a tunnel with about 6 or 7 stops each depicting a step in the mining and processing of gems. The stops are all state of the art with lights, sounds, animated mannequins, etc. Quite an accomplishment..the narration was in English, but the options include about 30 languages. Following the car trip, you visit about 50 craftsmen each polishing gems and doing goldsmith work. After this, it is off to the showrooms which are huge...about the size of the basketball court at Madison Square Gardens in New York..huge. The salespeople are very informative and really know their job... they are not pushy which was a relief. The jewelry tended to be a little pricey, but the quality really demanded the price..it was exceptional. Following the preview of jewelry, it was another trip to yet another well stocked bar, while the transportation came to take me back to the hotel. The building, was spectacular with lots of aquariums, and other displays tastefully arranged throughout the factory/showroom. This is one of the best kept secrets..most of my shipmates missed seeing this great place and instead went to the usual downtown bargaining jewelry stores..."

about 5 minutes from downtown on the northern end of town

555 Moo 6 North Pattaya Rd, Banglamung, Pattaya, Chonburi 20150

Phone:

038-371-222-31

Edited March 30, 2005 by Kremlin

[Pattaya_Fox]

I made a note for my next visit to Pattaya about a Jewelry factory that picks you up at your hotel, gives you a tour, and leaves you in their showroom.  Here's the post, forgot where I found it  Anyone been there?

"Thailand is famous for really great gemstones and jewelry. The jewelry factory in Pattaya is a must see activity. The factory provides free cab service to and from any hotel or location in Pattaya.  Upon arrival, you are greeted by charming ladies in traditional dress who escort you into a very modern and well stocked bar for refreshments. Then it is off to a disneyland style train ride through a tunnel with about 6 or 7 stops each depicting a step in the mining and processing of gems. The stops are all state of the art with lights, sounds, animated mannequins, etc. Quite an accomplishment..the narration was in English, but the options include about 30 languages. Following the car trip, you visit about 50 craftsmen each polishing gems and doing goldsmith work. After this, it is off to the showrooms which are huge...about the size of the basketball court at Madison Square Gardens in New York..huge. The salespeople are very informative and really know their job... they are not pushy which was a relief. The jewelry tended to be a little pricey, but the quality really demanded the price..it was exceptional. Following the preview of jewelry, it was another trip to yet another well stocked bar, while the transportation came to take me back to the hotel. The building, was spectacular with lots of aquariums, and other displays tastefully arranged throughout the factory/showroom. This is one of the best kept secrets..most of my shipmates missed seeing this great place and instead went to the usual downtown bargaining jewelry stores..."

about 5 minutes from downtown on the northern end of town

555 Moo 6 North Pattaya Rd, Banglamung, Pattaya, Chonburi 20150

Phone:

038-371-222-31

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I`ve been in this place and it`s very expensive with a capital E I think they call it World Gems

[rory]

I made a note for my next visit to Pattaya about a Jewelry factory that picks you up at your hotel, gives you a tour, and leaves you in their showroom.  Here's the post, forgot where I found it  Anyone been there?

"Thailand is famous for really great gemstones and jewelry. The jewelry factory in Pattaya is a must see activity. The factory provides free cab service to and from any hotel or location in Pattaya.  Upon arrival, you are greeted by charming ladies in traditional dress who escort you into a very modern and well stocked bar for refreshments. Then it is off to a disneyland style train ride through a tunnel with about 6 or 7 stops each depicting a step in the mining and processing of gems. The stops are all state of the art with lights, sounds, animated mannequins, etc. Quite an accomplishment..the narration was in English, but the options include about 30 languages. Following the car trip, you visit about 50 craftsmen each polishing gems and doing goldsmith work. After this, it is off to the showrooms which are huge...about the size of the basketball court at Madison Square Gardens in New York..huge. The salespeople are very informative and really know their job... they are not pushy which was a relief. The jewelry tended to be a little pricey, but the quality really demanded the price..it was exceptional. Following the preview of jewelry, it was another trip to yet another well stocked bar, while the transportation came to take me back to the hotel. The building, was spectacular with lots of aquariums, and other displays tastefully arranged throughout the factory/showroom. This is one of the best kept secrets..most of my shipmates missed seeing this great place and instead went to the usual downtown bargaining jewelry stores..."

about 5 minutes from downtown on the northern end of town

555 Moo 6 North Pattaya Rd, Banglamung, Pattaya, Chonburi 20150

Phone:

038-371-222-31

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I`ve been in this place and it`s very expensive with a capital E I think they call it World Gems

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please could you recomend a place,if not,give directions to the door.

[Humphrey Bear]

I made a note for my next visit to Pattaya about a Jewelry factory that picks you up at your hotel, gives you a tour, and leaves you in their showroom.  Here's the post, forgot where I found it  Anyone been there?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I`ve been in this place and it`s very expensive with a capital E I think they call it World Gems

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please could you recomend a place,if not,give directions to the door.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gold in Thailand is good value - most Thais use it as a form of savings - trade it back in hard times for a small discount.

But gemstones are something else. They are mined in Sri Lanka / Burma / Oz and other places, marketed in Thailand. When made up into jewellry the on-costs are high. When taken to one of these fancy places such as World Gems (Pattaya Nua) or similar in Bangkok, expect to pay very heavily - virtually Western prices. Sometimes more.

If you want gemstones, buy them loose from a reputable dealer and get them made up yourself. This will cost you half the price of these fancy tourist traps. But you should know the product - bits of glass, cubic zircon, all sorts of things are sold in Pattaya as gemstones. If you don't know much about the stuff, stay with some of the un-forge-able things like fire opals from Oz (expensive), or cheap basics like amethyst (mid-price) and turquoise.