to Ht muckajen.
First of all you have plenty time to read as much as you like here and there is enough info here to feel as if you know Goa like your back of your hand.
I'll point you in the direction of a few links to get you going.
Have a look here for starters.
I'll keep adding to this post as I find the threads I'm looking for
Where else are you travelling to in India?

Taj Holiday Village reviews
Candolim resort reports( within walking distance of your hotel)
Restaurant recommendations

There's a (long) thread here on jewellers:
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=65870&p=1221369&hilit=jeweller#p1221369

You'll probably find that for every positive mention, there'll be negative comments too.

There's lots of jewellers in Candolim, I've found the quality to be very good.
They will make any design you want, in a wide variety of precious & semi-precious stones.
But, I would suggest that you do your homework before you go if you intend buying diamonds - check out the 4 'C's (clarity, cut, colour,carat) and have an idea of what the price is in the UK so you can be aware if you're getting a good deal.

Regards

Thanks Pollycat - i've already started looking into the 4 C's but I need to look into prices of Emeralds before I go.

Fiona we are flying into Dehli and going on an organised tour of the Golden Triangle and surrounding areas for 2 weeks. Then down to Goa for a week of chilling and finish off the trip in Mumbai.
Looking forward to it - but also aware of how big a culture shock it will be. It will be great if we can pick up some insider advice from this forum!!!

sounds perfect. We did a very shortened Golden Triangle tour. But it was brilliant. My report is here

muckajen wrote

ve already started looking into the 4 C's but I need to look into prices of Emeralds before I go.

I can help you there I got an emerald ring made for £300 odds and it was valued at one thousand two hundred pounds ...so as I said to you I will bring you to my jeweller in november if you want ..we will be there same time as you ....colleen

OOOHHH!!!
Emeralds!

I too got an emerald ring in March 2007, it's oval shape 1.28 carat with 8 baguette diamonds totalling .60 carat.
The emerald is a very good colour, I paid £365 and it's a stunning ring.
I chose the stone from a packet of about 6, always buy the stone unset so you can check it out, then have it made into the design of your choice.
I bought it to match an emerald & diamond bracelet I'd bought the year before that has 4.4 carat of emeralds, perfectly matched, the bracelet is 18ct gold and cost £675.
The emeralds came from Zambia.

Tanzanite is also good value if you want something a bit different, and the opals are lovely too.
I bought a 18ct gold 2.2 carat opal and diamond pendant (Nov 2007) & chain for £150 and then had a matching ring made with 1.19 carat opal and 6 dimaonds toalling .24 carat for £140 (March 2008).

Oh Prettypollycat I love to hear your jewellery stories all the things you have had made sound fab

Colleen
We've had many a chat about jewellery, haven't we?
I'm sure we're both like kids in a sweet shop when we get to Goa.

I'm missing out (not really) this November as we're going on a 27 day tour of China in October, so unless we get a really, really, really good deal (i.e. THEY pay US to go there ), I think we'll not be there until February 2009.