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[camerata]

I intend to visit this place when I pass through Chiang Mai. I'm interested in whether they allow photography inside the factory and whether they sell small standalone jade figures (i.e. animals, buddhas, etc) as opposed to jewellery?

[SwaziBird]

Hello Camerata,

They have the most exquisitely coloured jades and, yes, you can purchase stand alone carvings big and small. Their prices are not inexpensive but the quality is superb. Uncertain whether they will allow photography. The actual lapidary room is not overly large which leads me to believe they may, possibly, do work elsewhere (?)

I do believe that they have, or had, a retail outlet at the ShagriLa Hotel which would most certainly be easier and more convenient to access from the city rather than traipsing all the way up the mountain to their prime showroom/factory. Suggest you check their website or contact ShagriLa Hotel. Have seen this showroom. Magnificent jade.

I am/was a lapidary and I love stones. These, I tell you, are a joy to behold.

Enjoy. Hope you get your pix.

Cheers.

P.S.

their email address; ( uncertain whether this breaches forum rules )is [email protected]

If this is a breach, I apologise - only trying to help somebody who's not in town.

Edited November 28, 2010 by SwaziBird

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Camerata,

Suggest you consider a trip to Mae Sai, and temporary visit over the border into Tachilek in Myanmar, where you will find many items made of nephrite ("jade), hematite, crystal, etc., including Phra Buddha Roob (Buddha images), jewellery, etc. Orchid Jade Factory is very expensive. And you can be sure their pieces are being carved up in Mae Sai, and across the border and Burma except for the token craftspeople they had on display when we visited them several years ago (maybe all that's changed ?).

And, if in Mae Sai and/or Tachilek, bargain hard.

best, ~o:37;

EDIT by Crossy at the request of poster "Since our casual visit to the factory mentioned in Chiang Mai was many years ago, you should take our statements here as simply vague impressions that may be inaccurate or long out of date."

Edited November 29, 2010 by Crossy

[Soulwy]

When driving on Doi Suthep I quickly visited the showroom. My first impression was: big showroom with many English speaking sellers, beautiful items (carvings), pearls and gemstones jewellery definetely overpriced. I didn't visit the 'factory'. 10 minutes in the showroom was enough for me.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Camerata,

Suggest you consider a trip to Mae Sai, and temporary visit over the border into Tachilek in Myanmar, where you will find many items made of nephrite ("jade), hematite, crystal, etc., including Phar Buddha Roob (Buddha images), jewellery, etc. Orchid Jade Factory is very expensive. And you can be sure their pieces are being carved up in Mae Sai, and across the border and Burma except for the token craftspeople they had on display when we visited them several years ago (maybe all that's changed ?).

And, if in Mae Sai and/or Tachilek, bargain hard.

best, ~o:37;

Thank you Orang37 for your post. When I stayed in Mae Sai for 2 weeks I saw carvers in Mae Sai. Now I know the town Tachilek itself is worth visiting next time (or do you mean just the market at the border?)

[orang37]

Thank you Orang37 for your post. When I stayed in Mae Sai for 2 weeks I saw carvers in Mae Sai. Now I know the town Tachilek itself is worth visiting next time (or do you mean just the market at the border?)

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Soulwy,

Other than a visit to one Wat in Tachilek long ago, we have never really explored the area, other than going into the market area just over the border. But, in the days we did deal in "antiques," long ago, we knew one Burmese man well who has a shop in Mae Sai (a professional gem-cutter by training who spent many years in Sri Lanka), and our knowledge of widespread stone-work in this area comes from him. You'll find the higher grade shops (the few of them) in Tachilek often have a "companion shop" across the border in Mae Sai run or owned by the same family (?). But, our interest was never in Jade or gems.

Partly our lack of motivation to explore this area comes from an aversion to "border towns" in general, and, second, our desire, because of our political opinions of the Myanmar goverment, to stay out of the country as much as possible. Unfortunately, our Burmese contact in Mae Sai never offered to take us to visit his actual workshops over the border, and there may be reasons for this that are best not speculated about.

We'd never go to a "factory" in Tachilek unless we had a personal, trusted highly recommended contact (with no need to make a lot of money from us) to take us there, for the same reasons we'd avoid the touts at the Grand Palace in Bangkok who cruise around looking for tourists to run the "make your fortune buying gems from our little factory" scam.

Ideally, Khun Camerata could be accompanied by someone with jade/stone evaluation skills, but, unfortunately, we don't know anyone with those skills to recommend.

And, we are humbly aware that within the world of nephrite/jade, as well as gems, are vast depths of technical skills in evaluation, as well as different cultural preferences that affect what is considered most valuable.

We can't make any guess about what Khun Camerata is looking for, but doubt their eye or pocketbook will fancy what a Hong Kong millionaire is looking for.

A truly fascinating book, "The Stone of Heaven," is about the history of the jade trade out of Burma: link to Amazon listing for 'Stone of Heaven' This book is often available at the 2nd. hand shops in Chiang Mai (Gecko, BackStreet, Shaman, etc.). The authors are great story-tellers, and research is immaculate.

We read this book mainly for historical detail on the ancient trade routes, and the impact of colonialism, but it is full of fascinating details; it was from this book we learned that Queen Victoria, after the successful looting, along with other foreign powers, of the great imperial treasures of China, following the British corruption through forced opium sale of what was left of the decaying Chinese empire, actually received the old Dowager Empress' of China's Shih-Tzu dog, who she nicknamed "Looty."

If you are interested in the systematic corruption through opium of China's society by the British, we suggest you read Comissioner Lin Zexu's remarkable letter to Queen Victoria (supposedy never actually read by her, but published, allegedly, in the Times of London). Lin Zexu Wikipedia article : to read the translated text itself : Lin Zexu's Letter to Queen Victoria

best, ~o:37;

Edited November 29, 2010 by orang37

[camerata]

Suggest you consider a trip to Mae Sai, and temporary visit over the border into Tachilek in Myanmar, where you will find many items made of nephrite ("jade), hematite, crystal, etc.,

Thanks, but I bought a lot of jade in Mae Sai last year and it's not on my route this year. I'm just looking for one piece for a birthday present - something unusual like lavender jade.