I’m back from my latest travels and very excited about getting down to writing Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in India. I can hardly believe that I’m already on my fifth Gemstone Detective book in my series of tourist guides to the gem trade.
India is an incredibly diverse country, not least in the gem trade where history, culture, religion and health all seem to converge – each playing an important role.
Whether you are interested in daily wear, tribal, traditional, antique, modern, bridal or fine jewellery, you will find opportunities to buy jewellery everywhere you go. You will almost certainly come across a lot of 22 karat gold jewellery in India. You might find yourself looking at over 500 different coloured gemstones, along with lots of pearls and diamonds, too.
The difficulty, however, is in knowing whether these gemstones are real. It’s a similar story in many of the countries I have travelled to recently – merchants and traders are struggling with the recession, and competition is cut-throat. People will try to sell you all kinds of fakes and imitations just to make a sale. That’s where this book comes in! I am confident that it will help people buying gemstones and jewellery in India.
There are many famous and high-end jewellery shops in India who charge big bucks! If you stick with the big brands, your gold or diamond jewellery purchase should be certified authentic, be hallmarked, guaranteed and most importantly, in the case of buying precious gemstones, come with a lab report.
But, if your budget is more in line with buying a souvenir rather than making an investment, then venture to the noisy, vibrant, busy street markets where you’ll find fashion jewellery galore, as well as clothes, saris, fabrics and much, much more. Of course, buying at the market is a very different experience from buying in a high-end shop! In my book, I’ll give you the lowdown on all the unwritten rules, along with many tips to help you know whether you are paying the right price.
Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in India will be published on 14 May 2019, but you can pre-order your copy here: www.gemstonedetective.com. I’ll even sign it personally on request!
In the meantime, three more books in the series will be launched on 22 January 2019. Thailand, Australia and a general Worldwide book. The series is growing fast!
I really do hope my book will help you have an amazing time in India. It’s such a beautiful country which really should be explored and enjoyed.
Kim Rix