Comments on: Bangkok, Thailand – Jewelry Shopping

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 07:45:37 +0000

Sara – thanks for the note about Addy at Gems and Jewelry Trade Center. It is good to hear about a positive Bangkok jewelry experience 🙂

By: sara

sara — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 14:59:18 +0000

We bought a beautiful set of sapphire pieces from Addy at Gems and Jewelry Trade Center. They were a very good deal according to our appraiser in the U.S. They were worth much more on appraisal than we paid for them. This was in the year 2000, though. A lot can change in 15 years.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 02:28:04 +0000

In reply to Mike.

Mike – sorry to hear this. We were just talking about similar travails over dinner at Sonboom Seafood last night in Siam Square One. And discussing about how as seasoned travelers there are certain problems when traveling that are inevitable. In any case, thanks for posting the warning and your experience. Mr. Chairat is getting quite the reputation here, I think I will have to go down to the Grand Hyatt Erawan next week with a camera around my neck and play lost and see if I can attract his attention, hahaha!

Fortunately (or unfortunately) these scams tend to be limited to the tourist areas and I assure you once you get away from these areas you won’t run into the same problems.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 03:44:05 +0000

Worst of all, this was my third trip to Thailand. I should have known better.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 03:40:10 +0000

I got the same scam. New Year’s Day I thought I had the good fortune to meet two separate, seemingly random, people on the streets around the Grand Hyatt Erawan (a great place to look for farangs with money to dupe, it would appear). One claimed to be an attorney, the other a doctor at the nearby police hospital. Lies, no doubt – something at which the Thais delight in, if farang money can be had. I met the infamous Mr. Chairat, and he sold me something – who knows what – hopefully not colored glass. We don’t barter in the US and I was thoroughly suckered into believing I was having good fortune – a theme Mr. Chairat expanded on, since I was his first sale of the new year…..how extraordinarily fortunate. Now the “sapphire” in the ring I bought is loose in its setting. I will go back and try to recoup my money for this piece (I bought three), but I have low expectations. A Thai would never admit to being so duped (I have no evidence other than the posts here, but that’s convincing enough), because of the loss of face. In that respect, they have neither the guts nor courage. I post this simply to warn others from the seemingly harmless encounters that seem random enough – they aren’t. I was thinking to retire to Thailand, which would have brought a sizable amount of USD to their economy, but now I’m thinking better of it. The lies and deceit to chase a buck here rival Wall Street and that of “the City,” and it is that immorality that will be the undoing of us all.

By: Jaymee

Jaymee — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:28:39 +0000

Dear David and other readers on this blog,

I am extremely worried because we have bought a lot of jewellery from them and the transaction for payment is already approved before I have saw your posts that Gems and Jewelry Trade Center co LTD might have been a scam. Can someone confirm if this store is a scam or not? I need a reply ASAP!!! :'(

By: viti

viti — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:27:25 +0000

Well i spoke to them and they wanted to know why I thought I was cheated. They said that if we insist they would refund the money to our credit card, but since we paid by card we wont get to know immediately if they hv actually refunded and since we shall be leaving thailand shortly we wont get to know the refund status until we get back . Then we may loose the jewellery as well as money. So we are not too sure what to do.

By: David

David — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 07:49:10 +0000

Viti – you can try to get your money back – i just talked to someone who was taken to a jewelery shop, forgot how to get there, and was given a receipt with a false address. Ug – if you are successful in getting your money back, let us know – those gems may not be fake, rather they may be low quality gemstones – ie much overpriced. But you can try to get your money back….

By: viti

viti — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:06:35 +0000

Is there a chance of getting the money back if we return the piece?

By: viti

viti — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:04:23 +0000

We also were guided to the gems n jewellery trade co by a gentleman claiming to be a respectable doctir and Mr. Chariat met us n we were lured into buying a ruby n diamond earring. We are now wondering whether the gems are fake or they r overpriced although they gave a certificate of authenticity.

By: Marlene

Marlene — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:16:59 +0000

They are scam artists

By: David

David — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:49:48 +0000

Sandra – sorry for the delay – I’ve been on the road and just now starting to catch up on a bunch of thing.Thanks for the update. Gems and Jewelry Trade Center co LTD sounds like they are working with these scammers – esp those hanging out pretending to be helpful. Someone else just emailed me today about this company – yes, usually the prices are inflated for the quality. With that said, there are def some top jewelry stores in Bangkok – just not on the “tuk tuk” circuit.

Has anyone else been to this jewelry store?

By: Sandra king

Sandra king — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:12:43 +0000

Just returned from Thailand and visited gems and jewelry trade center co., Ltd. we were directed here by a couple of Thais at a shopping mall telling us we could take advantage of a special savings of 30% on purchases. This is a special deal not offered for ten years and they asked if we had seen the ads on TV . Of course we hadn’t. Conveniently this fellow walks us out of the mall and we find a tuk tuk who delivers us to the store. We meet mr. Chair at who is a good salesman and we end up buying sapphire earrings and a necklace and 30% discount. He even had his driver take us back to our hotel.

On e I got back to our hotel I wondered if we had been scammed. I read another blog where tourists said the same thing about being referred to this store for the discount. They felt they overpaid even with the discount. Any feed back from people regarding this company? I have not paid my charge account yet?

By: David

David — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:37:57 +0000

In reply to Valbona.

Hi Valbona – earlier this year, we used Rama Jewelry to make my sister’s wedding ring. I’ve been going to Rama in Bangkok since 1996 every so often for jewelry needs. They did a very good job on this recent job for my sister. Talk to Jakra (I think he’s the General Manager) – he’s been there for many years, speaks good English and really knows what he is doing 🙂

Hope this helps

~ Dave

By: Valbona

Valbona — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:33:25 +0000

Hello Dave,
I found it very interesting your blog as I was doing a research on engagement rings. I thought I would ask your advise better.
My fiance and I have a very nice star ruby and want to create my own engagement ring.
Could you recommend any jeweler who can do such work?

Thank you in advance,
Valbona