Dubai Gold Market (Souqs) and Other Shopping

Shopping in Dubai: Gold Market (Souqs)

The gold market is a type of market called a “soug” in Arabic that is sometimes spelled as “souk,” which is roughly the equivalent of saying “shops,” in English. The gold market in Dubai is the largest one of its kind in the United Arab Emirates.

Fine Gold in Abundance

The Dubai gold market has more than 130 shops all jam-packed with a breathtaking choice of gold jewelry. The gold is generally 18-karat, sometimes 22-karat, or 24-karat, which is pure gold. The styles of the jewelry range from Indian to traditional Arab to modern Italian designs.

All the shops used to only sell traditional gold jewelry, chains, bracelets, and belts. Now more than half sell the type of small solitaire diamond rings you can find anywhere in Europe, except they’re much cheaper here.

Some jewelers selling traditional gold have moved out to local shopping areas such as Satwa, where you can still find twenty or more traditional gold shops side by side.

Fabulous Designs and Custom Orders

Shops in the gold market carry many things made of gold besides jewelry, such as large golden statues of turtles. If they do not have what you are looking for on display, it is possible to commission the artisans to make anything you want from gold as a custom order.

Besides gold, some shops sell diamonds, watches, pearls, and other jewelry items. Most of the store clerks are Indian and they all speak English.

Bargain Prices for Those Who Know How to Haggle

It is important not to accept the first price that anything is offered for, as they expect you to haggle with them and will debate you until you settle on a fair and agreeable price. For some items, it is possible to negotiate up to 60% discount from the first price quoted if you are a strong negotiator. Pay with cash to get the best prices.

How to Get There

Ask any taxi driver to take you to the gold souk. They all know where it is.  It is in Deira by the creek in the Greek area. Besides the gold shops in the souk, there are many other shops surrounding the gold souk that sell other items, which  make great souvenirs such as Arabic coffee pots, brass swords, silver knives, khanjars (curved daggers), antique rifles, shisha pipes, porcelain prayer beads, antique silver jewelry, brass trinkets, silver and wooden miniature dhows, Persian carpets and rosewood or walnut furniture.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about gold markets (Souqs) and other shopping in Dubai.