The Gemstone Detective: Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in Thailand is another destination-specific travel buying book aimed at the layman tourist heading to Thailand who would like to purchase some jewelry or stones on their travels without getting cheated.

Released 22nd Jan 2019 by Filament, it's 130 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. I reviewed the companion volume for Sri Lanka on my blog earlier and both are well written and give a good overview of the most common scams to avoid as well as a short surface introduction to the stones tourists are likely to encounter in these countries and what to expect regarding prices and quality.

She discusses local gem shows and meets as well as networking locally and buying from private gem merchants. Most of the page content is given to discussing corundum, specifically blue sapphire and ruby. She does also discuss the other stones which the tourist is likely to encounter and what to expect when buying them (amethyst, moonstone, peridot, garnet, beryl, etc).

This is a good and concise introduction to gemstones and not getting scammed as an amateur buyer.

Four stars. Well photographed and written in accessible language for the layman.

After reading Kim Rix last book "Buying Gemstones & Jewellery In Sri Lanka The Gemstone Detective Series" and Visiting Sri Lanka I had to read her new book Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in Thailand by Kim Rix.
What a wonderful Gem of a book Kim's new book is.
I have lost count how many times I have been to Thailand on Holiday and this book is another wonderful find if you're visiting this beautiful colourful country especially if you would like to purchase gems.

This small book is crammed with so much great information with wonderful photos throughout. These bought back great memories of what a wonderful place this is to visit.

This book is a 100% must if you are travelling to Thailand and would like to purchase Gemstones etc.
I learnt a lot about gems from Thailand especially where to purchase these:
* Prices – what to expect
* Gemstones as investments
* Other gemstones found in Thailand
* Caring for your gemstones
* The ethics of buying gemstones
* Certificates of authenticity and Grading Reports
* Where to get your gemstones tested
* Reputable jewellery and gem shops in Thailand
* Misleading Names and Their True Meaning of Thai gems.
* How to spot a fake gem. Scams etc.
* What Questions to ask when purchasing gems stones.
* History and meaning of the gemstones...........The list goes on.

This book is just brilliant and I would highly recommend it.

Big Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read and review Buying Gemstones & Jewellery in Thailand By Kim Rix.

Looking at the map, the tea leaves predict that Thailand may be in the planning for a future visit. With a particular interest in acquiring gemstones and jewelry, this pocket guide would certainly come in handy. The material contained in this tutorial was well-written and organized in an orderly fashion.

For an initial understanding, the author began the dialogue by classifying gemstones from precious to semi-precious. The narrative went on to define the origin and mineral composition of where many of the gemstones are found. With some mineral locations drying up, Thailand is known to import many for its steady trade. It's a huge business.

Many pictures highlight the journey of gemstones through people, places and the many brilliant gems. However, a word of caution is needed when visiting Thailand with the intention of deciding to make a purchase of a gemstone. It comes highly recommended to make any and all gem purchases from a reputable dealer at an actual brick-and-mortar location.

On a closing word, there's an important point to consider that appears throughout the book. Hucksters with clever scams are plentiful and claim themselves to be experts within the field of gemology. With countless fraudsters abound, their sole intent is to part the unknowing tourist from their hard-earned cash. Have fun but remember one thing - buyer beware.

I extend my gratitude to NetGalley and Filament Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.