A very good customer of mine will be traveling to Bangkok this week,
and is interested in shopping for They like large, better
quality sapphires and rubies, along with other stones. Is there
anyone I can recommend to them?
Thanks,
Doug
Douglas Zaruba
33 N. Market St.
Frederick, MD 21701
301 695-1107
@Douglas_Zaruba
My PERSONAL advice would be that they should not purchase any
gemstones overseas if they are not gem experts or gemologists. Even
with gemological training, they would need a ‘Porta Lab.’ from GIA to
do it properly (and safely.)
I AM a G.G., and have experience purchasing rubies and sapphires in
Bangkok, and a layperson is much better off buying here in the U.S…
Here, there would be some legal recourse in the case of
misrepresentation or outright fraud.
Your customer could receive treated stones, low quality genuine
stones or even synthetic stones. And then, what would they do about
it from thousands of miles away?
They are also unlikely to get any ‘bargains.’ The best thing that you
can do for them is to explain that YOU can get them ANYTHING that
they might buy in Bangkok, and they’ll be dealing with someone they
can trust.
Feel free to show them this letter. (OK to remove my name.)
David Barzilay
Lord of the Rings
607 S Hill St Ste 850
Los Angeles, CA 90014-1718
213-488-9157
Doug,
Have them contact Vincent Pardieu at AIGS, or Hanuman. They know
their way around in Bangkok. Just be sure to tell them about the
tourist traps.
Alain
Someone who I have dealt with is Scott Davies. He is very interested
in his work, knows his stuff, uses the two main Thai labs (GIT &
AIGS) when necessary and is in MY OPINION honest. Not sure he deals
with all you want, but a quick e-mail to him will answer any
questions you may have. His office is located on the ground floor of
the same building that the AIGS is in (Jewelry trade Center (JTC)
building and Silom Galleria, on Silom Road) and he can be contacted
at:
American-Thai Trading
Bangkok, Thailand
gsdbkkth@loxinfo.co.th
Regards - Nick (Bahrain)