From their office in the “gem district” of Bangkok, which begins around Silom Soi 11 and stretches down to the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Liz Smailes meets with GIA, Graduate Gemologist, (Gemological Institute of America) Mark Power and his business partner and jewelry designer Laurie Hardoon Adulayavichitr.

With a vast amount of the world’s colored gemstones passing through Bangkok at some point in their process from the mining, cutting, grading, trading and setting, Thailand has long been known as a major market for colored gemstones, and the world capital of ruby and sapphire.

Many a traveler to Thailand has been subjected to the notorious gem scams, which usually begin with a street approach around Bangkok’s Grand Palace or Wat Pho, but that scam only thrives on the existence of the real deal. Where to find the real deal? Miles away at the other end of town.

The Silom, Surawongse and Charoen Krung roads are dotted with shops selling exquisitely finished jewelry, unset stones and alluring gems that allow the imagination to run wild. Don’t be fooled by the tired-looking facades of office blocks towering behind the shops, they give no hint of the bling, delight and beauty stored in the countless offices within.

“Every building you see here is full of gem dealers and designers,” explains Mark Power, a Bangkok based gemologist, as we walk around the district. Mark’s business partner Laurie, adds “When I moved here 25 years ago, I was working in the wholesale side of the business. The Gems and Jewelry Fair then had maybe 20 exhibitors, now they have easily 1,000 stands at the event each time. The majority of those have their office in this part of town.”

The Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair is held every February and September and it’s where much of the contact between dealers, suppliers, manufacturers and end clients is made. For Laurie, the move away from the wholesale side of the trade several years ago to serving individual customers has become a greatly enriching experience every time.

“Its exciting and very special, whatever the occasion, be it an engagement ring, wedding rings, graduation, something to celebrate the birth of a child, or a renewal of promise on a special anniversary. When a client enters our office to share a lifetime experience or a special moment and place their trust in us to work with them on making it memorable, it’s so rewarding and even more fulfilling when you see the smile on their faces. Mark and I are passionate about our daily work and the profession and for us to see that appreciation in the eyes of the customer makes it worthwhile. Our customers come to us from all over the world and we consider them to be friends and family.”

Mark and Laurie teamed up a couple of years ago after a longstanding client-customer relationship. As a gemologist, Mark looks for beautiful stones on a daily basis through his network of gem dealers. Unusual and rare stones are his specialty but he admits that sapphires still capture his heart. “Sapphires hold such an appeal to me because of their quality, there rarity and their incredible color range.

“I take them under my microscope and equipment to determine if they are natural or synthetic, treated or not. The cut, the inclusions and the color all form the unique character of each gemstone. It’s the characteristics of a stone that make it special and will ultimately guide how we will design the jewelry for it. It becomes a one-off piece that we will always recognize.

“Often, Mark will arrive at the office and tell me about his dreams the pervious night – of how a certain stone should be set or a design idea for a stone. At first it used to freak me out, but I have got used to it now,” laughs Laurie. Mark adds that “like most dreams, mine are fractured and without Laurie’s vast experience of jewelry design, they would remain simply dreams. There are boundaries and realities with manufacturing jewelry which are second nature to Laurie. I rely on this.”

The Technical Side

Mark points out the cooperation between government and local gem and jewelry associations has resulted in most of the import tariffs being lifted on raw and finished gemstones. Thailand has historically produced sapphires and rubies, and the industry of mining, cutting and jewelry manufacturing is ingrained in the society. In Thailand the depth of expertise is spread over generations. Almost every family in Thailand has at least one aunt, uncle or cousin involved in the industry.

These long traditions, together with the low labor costs draw a supply of raw gemstones from all over the world, as far away as Africa, Brazil and even Greenland. “It’s not uncommon to see Brazilian buyers coming to Bangkok to buy Brazilian stones that have been cut or treated here” says Mark. “If you put all of these factors together the result is Bangkok being the world’s largest colored stone marketplace”.

There is always competition in the global forum and despite the rise in mainland China based gem cutting and jewelry production Mark feels that Thailand will remain the hub of high end gems and jewelry. It’s an easier environment for the buyer, the history is here, Bangkok is a fantastic city and perhaps most importantly, it’s safe.

“These days there are a lot of gems coming in from Africa. Why now and why so many? East Africa is a cornucopia of gemstones but there are so few roads that access has never been available. As the countries in Africa develop infrastructure it seems that every new road leads to a new deposit of incredible gemstones. It is truly an amazing resource and the future seems bright.”

The demand for beautiful gem materials always exceeds the limited supply. The availability and affordability of enhanced stones fills the void and makes gemstones accessible to larger segments of the market. Most natural coloured gemstones are treated or enhanced to intensify the colour, diminish imperfections or improve durability.

Commonly used treatments for coloured stones include: Oiling (Emeralds), Heating (Amethyst, Sapphire, Aquamarine, etc.) and Diffusion. If the gem has been heated or irradiated, coated or diffused with chemical compounds, it affects both the price and the collective appeal of the gem and this is information that the customer should be made aware of.

Obviously there is an enormous profit to be made by such processes if the buyer isn’t aware of the treatments. “This is where disclosure comes in,” says Mark. “In our business, honesty is termed as Disclosure. In a perfect world gem traders would offer full disclosure on all stones that they are selling but unfortunately this is not the case. Our clients depend on our expertise and experience to ensure that they know exactly what they are buying and the value of the piece. It seems pretty simple but in this industry it’s a very hard thing to find”.

While some treatments are generally accepted in the industry, when Beryllium and Titanium began being used in the heat treatment process, around the 1980s, it dramatically changed the whole market. The efficacy of the chemical elements is so strong that it can actually turn a pebble of low grade rough sapphire into a stunning and impressive gem quality blue, pink or yellow. The process is generally referred to as Diffusion. Simply explained, the untreated gems are heated to extremely high temperatures of around 1300 degrees Celsius, in the presence of a combination of chemicals. The cooked gems are then recut and repolished. The results are the difference between night and day, as is the price and the buyer should be made well aware of this treatment.

Mark’s education with GIA and his ongoing involvement in their lectures and information networks ensures that he has up to the minute data on gems, their sources, their treatments and the price structure. These treatments are such a profitable enterprise that it takes a vigilant laboratory to keep up with the changes.

GIA is regarded as the global steward of identifying, testing and grading of gemstones. Over the last 75 years or more, they have developed the most sophisticated technology to breakdown and analyze all the information in a gem stone. Each variety of gemstone has very specific properties that can be measured and tested against their database.

“For the more sophisticated treatments, such as Beryllium and Titanium diffusion in sapphires, I rely on the GIA laboratory services to provide me with a certificate of origin and treatment. These certificates are recognized worldwide as adhering to the most stringent standards in the industry. These are THE certificates with it comes to colored stones and diamonds, and the grading systems which they have developed is used by everybody in the industry, worldwide.”

GIA first opened its door in Bangkok in 1993 and the GIA Thailand Campus has been training local gemologists for more than a decade. Their core program “the Graduate Gemologist (G.G.)” is recognized the world over as the premier diploma in gemological education. “It takes only six months to complete the course but the studies are intense and the homework is grueling. For 180 days you live in the world of gemstones. In the end it’s a very satisfying and rewarding experience. They give you the confidence you need to thrive in this very confusing environment,” says Mark.

Both Laurie and Mark agree that now, more than ever, it is a buyer-beware market. The technology at all levels is becoming ever more sophisticated and so it is increasingly important to buy from reputable dealers, people who will put their name on the line. “In our case, we are where the buck stops. We stand by our stones.”

When buying a gemstone, Mark recommends the client should be asking following questions:

Has the stone been treated?

Where is it from?

Is the seller the owner of the stone or simply a sales agent for a stone dealer?

In the case of sapphires and diamonds, can they supply a GIA certificate of the stone? Other certificates are regularly offered but they don’t carry the recognition that would be required by insurance companies and resellers.

The design and manufacturing process

“Our clients come to us from all over the world, with either an idea for a piece of jewelry, for which Mark will source the stone, or they bring a stone(s) with them. I then work with them on the design. This can be from a drawing, photograph, copying or updating an existing family heirloom or starting with a blank canvas to create a uniquely inspired piece of jewelry”.

“After choosing the design we have a wax model carved in the chosen style so that the client can see a three-dimensional vision of the piece which we will then tweak as necessary. After that it goes to be cast in silver, gold or platinum.” explains Laurie.

Depending on the item and intricacy, a custom made piece of jewelry will take up to two weeks from beginning to end. At every point along the way Laurie is in contact with the customer to ensure that they feel involved in the process and that they are happy with the design.

“So much of our passion, pride and energy go into our pieces. From the selection of the gem to the execution of the design, we are intimately involved in every step of the process. Gems, jewelry and personal tastes do alter over time and we are always available for repairs, alterations, cleaning and upgrading. Our relationship with our customers is an ongoing affair”.

Most importantly and to sum up, Mark points out, “while we have discussed some of the more technical aspects of gems and jewelry, please keep in mind that first and foremost gems and jewelry are a thing of beauty, passion and love. An enduring form of art. There is a connection between the soul of the owner and the jewelry. It speaks of the owner’s character and inner feelings and of relationships between loved ones. This is the passion. Leave the technical side of things up to us and let your dreams run wild”.

If you are interested in seeing some of Mark and Laurie’s latest collection or would like to have a piece of custom jewelry designed, please arrange for a private appointment.

Laurie: 086 983 0863, laurie.arlani@yahoo.com

Mark: 0878 098 761, mark@markpowergems.com, www.markpowergems.com