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Chantaburi
Gems and jewels Market
As well as the local shops that specialise in jewellery cut from local mineral mines, there is a vibrant market where the finished product can be bought, by way of gem rings and pendants o9r just individual jewel stones. The market is open for a long weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It generally winds down for the day at around 6.00pm.
It is also possible to buy the raw ingredients in a nearby street, where a trader usually has a truck full of 'raw' gemstones, together with a few hundred of the finished gems. It is possible to buy raw uncut gemstones of various types for around 5,000 baht per kilo. The size of the individual lumps range from finger-nail size right through to the size of a coconut. All you have to do is to break the raw gemstone rock into manageable sized pieces, and then turn them for many days in a special tumbling drum to smooth off the edges! Alternatively, a skilled jeweller, will cut the stones to show the many alluring facets which basically gives it it's value.
Left image shows the raw materials - just mined from a local gemstone mine.
Centre image shows raw gem stones that have been through the tumbling drum process.
Right shows some of the many beautiful jewellery items on sale at the Chantaburi gems and jewellery market.
