I'm a total gemstone nut, a rock hound, a jewelry lover....and I've always been dreaming about shopping for new pieces in Asia. I was wondering if anyone here has spent time shopping in Malaysia. I do have a suitcase that my boss bought for me at a department store there. But the Malaysia shopping scene is about more than department stores. There are also markets and duty-free shops in the islands. What's your favorite?
the shopping experience in Malaysia isn't too different from other places like Bangkok or Hong Kong. If you want to buy quality items then you need to go to shopping malls. Still, I love shopping in BB Plaza at Bukit Bintang because of the cheap prices and quality stuff.
best places to shop in Malaysia I second shopping in the Bukit Bintang area. There are lots of shops there selling trendy and fashionable handbags, accessories, jewellery items, watches and that kind of stuff. A few other places I'd suggest are the shopping centre at the KLCC and Berjaya Times Square, which has a cool roller-coaster.
spotting fake gemstones if you're buying gemstones in places like in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, etc, you need to be able to work out what's real and what's fake. A trick I learnt from a local on how to spot a fake is as follows. Simply hold up a jet lighter under the gemstones, pearls, etc. If they're real they won't melt under a jet lighter flame, but if it's fake it will. hope that helps.
Re: spotting fake gemstones actually the lighter is a good way to spot a fake because most imitation gemstones are made of glass or plastic. Otherwise, unless you’re traveling with an expert jeweler it is otherwise impossible to recognize a real from a fake, let alone a bargain!