Page 49 - Thailand Gems & Jewelry Guide Book

Thailand’s Gems & Jewelry Guide Book
49

How to Buy Gems and Jewelry

1. First, it is essential to have the basic knowledge about

the 4Cs characteristics, Color - Clarity - Cut and Carat weight of

the gemstones/diamonds you are selecting.

2. The jewellers must provide another C “Confidence”.

Knowledgeable and generous jewellers can help and advise

customers to select the right gems and jewelry that suit their taste

and budget.

3. There are 2 categories of gemstones : precious stones

and semi - precious stones. Precious stones are diamond, ruby,

sapphire, yellow sapphire, emerald, etc. Semi - precious stones

are tourmaline, peridot, tanzanite, garnet, opal, spinel, zircon,

aquamarine, pearl, etc.

4. The commercial value, hardness and durability of semi -

precious stones are normally less than precious stones.

5. Two gemstones/diamonds of equal carat weight can

have very different values depending on their color - clarity and

cut. Therefore, remember to inspect their quality by using a 10X

magnifying loupe under the jeweller’s guidance.

6. Be careful with synthetic and imitation gemstones/

diamonds. For ruby and sapphire, be aware of mistaking and

paying the price of a blue gemstone for a sapphire and a red

gemstone for a ruby.

7. Prices of gold/silver/platinum jewelry are subject to

the weight and percertage of the material, craftsmanship and

designs.