Traveler writer Randy B. Hecht gives us some tips and online resources to help travelers avoid buying bogus baubles.
In our April "Personal Shopper," we take a look at steps you can take to be sure the gemstone you bring home from foreign travels is authentic and worth what you paid for it. In the article, we noted that techniques for fabricating synthetic precious and semi-precious stones are so sophisticated that it's easy to be fooled by fakes. Edward Boehm, vice president of the non-profit International Colored Gemstones Association (ICGA), warns, "A lot of people in our trade get burned--not just the consumer."
If shopping for an expensive gemstone is on your travel itinerary, it's a good idea to do some research before you pack your bags. Several online resources can help assure you that you're buying from a reputable dealer.
Boehm recommends requesting a lab report on your prospective purchase. They're not expensive and should be available for high-end merchandise. The ICGA website provides a listing of reputable labs worldwide. In Bangkok, for example, you want to look for reports issued by GemResearch Swisslab, the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, the Gemological Institute of Thailand, or the Gemological Institute of America. Be sure your retailer offers a report from an organization on that list.
Go to the website of CIBJO, The World Jewellery Federation, to consult its online blue books for information that may help you select your purchase. Resources include:
The Gemstone Book
The Pearl Book
The Diamond Book
These are written for the industry, not consumers, but if you can wade through the language, you'll find some helpful tips. The Diamond Book, for example, prohibits calling a treated diamond "improved." Use of the term, which implies "that treatment is part of the normal cutting and polishing process" is "designed to disguise" manipulation of the stone, which "misleads the consumer."
Once you've done your research, take one more step before you begin shopping: Determine your price comfort threshold, the amount you won't regret having spent even if your new jewel turns out to be synthetic or glass. If the price is not a splurge or stretch and you really love the piece, buy it as a memento of your travels and don't worry about the value. But if you're considering what for you is an expensive piece, demand the authentication necessary to be confident in its monetary as well as sentimental value so buying it doesn't become the worst memory of your trip.
Photo: Jason Behr via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool
In our April "Personal Shopper," we take a look at steps you can take to be sure the gemstone you bring home from foreign travels is authentic and worth what you paid for it. In the article, we noted that techniques for fabricating synthetic precious and semi-precious stones are so sophisticated that it's easy to be fooled by fakes. Edward Boehm, vice president of the non-profit International Colored Gemstones Association (ICGA), warns, "A lot of people in our trade get burned--not just the consumer."If shopping for an expensive gemstone is on your travel itinerary, it's a good idea to do some research before you pack your bags. Several online resources can help assure you that you're buying from a reputable dealer.
Boehm recommends requesting a lab report on your prospective purchase. They're not expensive and should be available for high-end merchandise. The ICGA website provides a listing of reputable labs worldwide. In Bangkok, for example, you want to look for reports issued by GemResearch Swisslab, the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, the Gemological Institute of Thailand, or the Gemological Institute of America. Be sure your retailer offers a report from an organization on that list.
Go to the website of CIBJO, The World Jewellery Federation, to consult its online blue books for information that may help you select your purchase. Resources include:
The Gemstone Book
The Pearl Book
The Diamond Book
These are written for the industry, not consumers, but if you can wade through the language, you'll find some helpful tips. The Diamond Book, for example, prohibits calling a treated diamond "improved." Use of the term, which implies "that treatment is part of the normal cutting and polishing process" is "designed to disguise" manipulation of the stone, which "misleads the consumer."
Once you've done your research, take one more step before you begin shopping: Determine your price comfort threshold, the amount you won't regret having spent even if your new jewel turns out to be synthetic or glass. If the price is not a splurge or stretch and you really love the piece, buy it as a memento of your travels and don't worry about the value. But if you're considering what for you is an expensive piece, demand the authentication necessary to be confident in its monetary as well as sentimental value so buying it doesn't become the worst memory of your trip.
Photo: Jason Behr via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool