The Gemstone Detective: Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in India

By Kim Rix

Explore the beauty of India's undiscovered gems!

India has some of the world's most beautiful gemstones: especially when it comes to flawless Golconda diamonds and the finest Kashmir sapphire.

You'll soon find yourself mesmerised by the variety of gemstones to be found in this majestic country and spoilt for choice. It is

• Language: English
• Publisher: Filament Publishing
• Release date: May 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9781912635931

Kim Rix

Kim Rix is a professional photographer and gemmologist (GIA). Based in London where she lives with her husband, Kim travels extensively and has gathered a vast amount of the best local knowledge from her world-wide contacts.

Book preview

A wall hanging inlaid with semi-precious gemstones, Shalala Handicrafts © Kim Rix

Why you need this book

India is one of the most diverse and complex countries in the world. It is not for the faint hearted. It can feel noisy and chaotic for a first-time Western visitor. But it will be so worth the trip if you do a bit of homework before you go.

There is so much to know and learn about cultural etiquette: the people, how to meet and greet a person, body language, how to behave at dinner, how to dress for social occasions (especially women) – the list goes on.

To keep this book light to carry around with you, I have focussed on India’s jewellery trade, which has played an integral role in India for more than 5000 years. Behind every piece of jewellery there is a story. Jewellery in India boomed in the 16th century Mogul era and has not faded in popularity since. So, you’ll see many different styles and designs of jewellery, influenced by animals, forts, castles and the goddess Lakshmi for example...

I visited three places in India renowned for their gemstones and jewellery, namely Jaipur in Rajasthan, Kashmir in the Himalayas and Hyderabad, famous for the Golconda diamond mines. I also visited the popular tourist destination Goa, because there are huge numbers of fake and imitation gemstones floating around the shops and markets there.

Only 5% of people working in the gem trade in India have real gemmological knowledge. For this reason, India is unfortunately renowned for gem scams. Scams are particularly prevalent in Jaipur and Goa, which is why I have spent time in both places to find out the best, most up to date and trusted information for you.

India is a tricky country for buying coloured gemstones and some understanding will come in handy. In Jaipur you might come across over 500 stones of many colour shades and different names – far too many to list in a small book like this! I have focussed on the gemstones that you are most likely to see, but you will also find the information you need to buy any gemstone with confidence.

Don’t worry if you have little or no knowledge about gemstones – I have written this book with you in mind.

If you are intending to look at gemstones and jewellery whilst you are on holiday, I hope you’ll find this book an invaluable little guide. Please read it in advance and try to arm yourself with a little bit of knowledge before you go.

Whether you are hoping to return with an engagement or anniversary ring, searching for jewellery to match your favourite outfit or simply hunting for the perfect memento of your time in India, this book will provide you with reliable advice on what to buy…and what to avoid.

My book will give you the up to date, researched and reliable information you need before making your purchase.

I’ll reveal:

Who to trust

What to look for

When to walk away

Where to buy

Why you need to ask questions!

What makes me an expert?

Everything in this book is based on my personal experience, local advice and tips from my contacts in India.

I’m a gemmologist, qualified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) – the world’s leading authority on gemstones. Those letters after my name tell you that I know about gemstones, but it’s my extensive global travel and research into local gem trades that makes this book uniquely able to help you.

My list of colleagues, friends and genuinely reliable contacts around the world is now large enough to enable me to get in amongst the hustle and bustle of the global gem-trading community, to bring you the best local tips for buying in many different countries.

A really beautiful sunset in Goa © Kim Rix

Don’t learn the hard way!

As a tourist, you are vulnerable to certain tricks of the trade. Dishonest people can use your lack of local knowledge to get you to part with your hard-earned cash. That’s where Buying Gemstones & Jewellery in India comes in.

In this book, I’ll reveal some of the tricks you need to be aware of (see page 95). Don’t let this scare you! There are a lot of traders in India who are good, honest, genuine people who sell with integrity. As well as helping my readers purchase with confidence, I want this book to benefit India’s honest small enterprises and family businesses, who rely on the gem trade to make their living. It is a sad fact, though, that everywhere has its bad apples. In India, there is a recession and cutthroat competition. It’s a fight for survival – live or die!

The best advice is simply to be cautious. Indians are friendly people, so don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions (see Top 10 questions on page 80).

Fort Aguada, Goa © Kim Rix

About India

India, home to over one billion people, is known for much more than delicious curries! Birthplace of the world’s oldest religion, Hinduism, along with Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, India has an extraordinarily rich and diverse cultural and religious history.

The jewellery trade is huge in India, with gemstones and jewellery accounting for around 7% of the country’s GDP. Until the 18th century, India was the only diamond-producing country in the world. Many of the world’s most famous diamonds were discovered in India’s famous Golconda mines: the Koh-i-noor (‘Mountain of Light’), now part of the Queen of England’s Crown Jewels collection; the Hope Diamond and the Orlov Diamond. Though diamonds are now mined in greater quantities elsewhere, India remains the largest diamond-processing centre in the world. Surat, on the west coast of India, is nicknamed ‘diamond city’ because 90% of the world’s diamonds are cut and polished there. As well as diamonds, you will see a huge number of coloured gemstones for sale.

Just thirty to forty years ago, before the jewellery industry in India became established, it was normal practice to buy gemstones using a barter system. Merchants would exchange gemstones