All That Glitters, A Walk Through Dubai’s Iconic Gold Souq

Dubai: A maze that leads to a pot of gold – that’s what it is like going to Dubai’s iconic Gold Souq.

As you walk through the labyrynthine alleys, at the junction of two lanes – Sikkat Al Khail Road and Old Baladiya Road – is where you will find a haven for gold lovers.

Glittering jewellery, aromatic spices, the sound of the azaan or call for prayer and a buzz that is inimitably ‘Old Dubai’ — walk into Dubai’s Gold Souq and you might just feel like you’ve gone back in time.

Located in Deira’s Al Ras district, the Dubai Gold Souq is a traditional marketplace in a metropolitan city that has retained its Arabian feel through its architecture, items on sale, small shops and old-city charm. This traditional market is a hub for shoppers from across the world.

Gulf News spoke with visitors and shopkeepers to find out what the best deals and latest trends are when it comes to shopping for gold!

Stories galore

One striking feature of the souq is how it is filled with traders who have spent their entire lives in the market.

Walk into a tiny shop, tucked in between the bigger, branded shops, and you will be surprised to hear how many stories an old man sitting behind the counter can tell.

One such trader is Pakistani expatriate Mohammad Ashiq. He spoke about the time he met with Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, 45-years ago.

“He put a hand my shoulder and said: ‘Son, work hard and work honestly. Dubai is going to go very far ahead and so will you.’”

That interaction is still fresh in his mind, and Ashiq says that each word holds true even today. He said that he intentionally scaled his business down, after he realised he did not want to manage a very big set up.

“Everything is going really well. Even today, if you make sure you work hard and work honestly, you will have a great business,” he added.

Variety for shoppers

Speaking about the vast trading options that the Gold Souq offers, Ashiq said that all kinds of gold and precious metals were grabbed up by customers.

“Stock diamonds, they sell. Keep Arabic [jewellery designs], they sell. People from across the world come here so from 18k to 24k, stock anything in your shop and it will sell,” he added.

Many other shop owners also spoke about how the market has been home to businessmen for decades.

Twenty eight-year-old Arjun Dhanak, who comes from a family of gold traders, said that his father was born in the Gold Souq. As a teenager, he remembered spending his summer vacations sitting behind the sales counter, watching the steady hum of business. Today, he is the director of Kanz Jewels, which has seven outlets in the Gold Souq.

Speaking to Gulf News about which designs or purity of gold work best, he said that 22k jewellery was quite popular as many tourists that came from India wanted styles that were not available in their country.

“There is also a lot of jewellery that we manufacture ourselves and that is in the Kuwaiti style. We also do a lot of fusion jewellery, which is a mix of Indo-Western styles because a lot of the young customers are looking for something different,” Dhanak said.

Courtesy: Gulf News