People either love or hate Bangkok, but everyone agrees that shopping is fantastic, including jewellery shopping. Bangkok is a primary trading centre in the world for finished jewellery and polished gemstones, so there is plenty of places you can purchase beautifully exquisite jewellery at fantastic prices. Below are some tips to help you get started and ensure you find some jewellery bargains, and you get what you pay for without being ripped off.
Do Some Research Before You Go Shopping
You can find some horror stories of people being ripped off when purchasing jewellery and gemstones in Bangkok, so you will need to be vigilant and research potential jewellers before going shopping. You can use the internet to find reputable jewellery companies and see what previous customers have to say about their experiences with them using independent review websites. Try to make a list of four or five jewellers you can visit that score highly, and then it is time to go shopping.
Visiting Each Jewellery Store
When you visit the jewellery stores that are on your list and look at what they have to offer, it is essential to note that you can haggle on the price. You will often get sterling silver gemstone rings wholesale when you purchase multiple items, so there are plenty of bargains to be had. Haggling is common in Thailand with almost everything you can buy, so even if it is an affordable price for you, you may still be able to save more money.
Ensure Gemstones Have Certificates
If you are looking to purchase jewellery containing precious gems, you will need to ensure that each gem has a certificate. The certificate will confirm the country of origin, and the grading of the gemstone, including the carat weight, colour, and clarity grading. If the jewellery you want to buy does not come with this, you may wish to avoid purchasing it as it may not be as valuable as you think and may also have dubious origins. Making Further Savings
You can also make additional savings on your purchase by claiming back the VAT on your jewellery purchase before you leave Thailand. You will need to take your jewellery and receipts to the office at the airport and apply for a refund before departing the country. It does not usually take very long, and you can receive your refund within half an hour and get 7% of the price of purchase given back to you. For more information on claiming a VAT refund on purchases, click here.
