Dubai is famous for its Gold, you get it cheaper there, and lot of Indians get it back (in various forms) when they return from Dubai. Gold is aggressively promoted in the UAE with special offers & raffle draws during Dubai Shopping Festival & Dubai Summer Surprises. And to really appreciate why Dubai is also known as the ‘City of Gold’, you need to take a trip to its gold markets, one of them being ‘The Gold Souk’ located in the Deira part of Dubai, UAE.
Bollywood Film Shoot
Blockbuster Bollywood movie ‘Welcome Back’ is the first Bollywood movie to be shot at Dubai Gold Souq. And though that area is home to several big gold stores, Kanz Jewels, a leading jewellery brand in the UAE, were fortunate to play host to the Bollywood movie ‘Welcome Back’ (directed by Anees Bazmee, produced by Firoz Nadiadwala, starring Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, John Abraham and Shruti Haasan).
The movies production team had recceed several gold stores/locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as they wanted a gold store that had a luxurious ambiance as required by the movie’s script. There search finally ended at the Dubai Gold Souq when they found ‘Kanz store’, which satisfied the creative teams requirements.
Several Indian/international celebrities have visited the Kanz store in the past but this was the first time a movie was filmed at the store. Obviously, the Kanz team were excited. Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia were gracious enough to charm the crowd that had gathered at the Kanz store and interacted with them post the film shoot.
Experience the Gold Market
Even if you have no intention of buying gold, its a great place to experience the sheer scale of the gold market. The variety of gold (18, 21, 22 & 24 carat gold) on offer is also impressive – earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets & pendants.
And if you thought gold only came in yellow color, you need to visit this market. Many different shades of gold are available : white, pink, yellow and even purple gold.
The market price of gold is displayed on signs around the souk and in individual stores. Prices are listed for 24K, 22K, 21K, and 18K in AED per gram. Pieces are sold by weight according to the current market price with an additional charge for workmanship. Prices do vary a bit depending on whether it is machine-made or by a craftsman.
Always barter on the price of anything you wish to purchase. Sellers will initially set a high price. The weight element of the price is non-negotiable but the charge for workmanship is. Reductions of as high as 30 percent are possible on the workmanship charges. Similar items can be found in many of the stores so take your time to shop around. Credit cards are accepted, but better discounts can usually be obtained if you pay in cash.
Address: Deira (near Baniyas Square) Sikkat al-Khali Street, Dubai, UAE.
Direction: The most convenient way is to go down to Creek in Bur Dubai and take an ‘Abra’ (water taxi). The trip takes 5-10 minutes. Taking a car is not recommended as as its very difficult to find parking space. The souk is located near Al Ras Metro Station and is open 7 days a week. Opening hours for the Gold Souk are 10 am to 10 pm Saturday to Thursday (but many stores close between 1 pm and 4 pm). Timings on Fridays are 4 pm to 10 pm.
Other Places to Buy Gold in Dubai
The Gold Souk is the best known but by no means the only place to buy gold in Dubai. If you don’t want the souk experience there are many other (air-conditioned) places to shop. One of the best alternatives is the Gold & Diamond Park (close to the First Gulf Bank Metro Station). >I enjoyed it here but would actually recommend the Gold and Diamond Park for buying jewellery. It was air-conditioned and although not as big as the Gold Souk still had a lot of choice. The staff were less pushy and there were also some cafes there. The Gold Souk is the place to come for an experience but the Gold and Diamond Park is better for buying.
