Jewellery

Buying jewellery in Nepal offers several advantages. Firstly, many of the precious and semi-precious stones are mined in the region and of course, many of the world's diamonds go to India to be cut before arriving in Europe. So prices are comparatively low (for example, gold rings set with a precious stone start at around 25 US Dollars).

The second reason is that the Nepali and Tibetan designs available are quite uniquely beautiful in their own right, following traditions which stretch back centuries. The jewellers of Nepal have long had a strong reputation for the quality of their intricate work. There is a wide selection to choose between - from Tibetan women hawking on the streets of Pokhara to craft centres (both of which tend to concentrate on semi-precious stones) to gem specialists in Kathmandu who can design pieces to order and have a huge choice of stones (and shades of stone).

For a good choice of competitively priced semi-precious jewellry, see Potala Craft Corner. For a more up-market choice, see Neem Rana Gift House or for a selection of both, see Nepalese Crafts. There are also further details in the e-bazaar.