Gold Souq Ajman: Location, Hours, Shops & Making Charges
The Ajman Gold Souq is not a single building. The main market is two blocks of jewellery shops facing each other across a street in Al Nakheel, and an older souq with traditional architecture stands nearby, close to Ajman Museum and Souq Saleh.
The per-gram gold rate is the same across the UAE, so the difference between one shop and the next comes down to the making charge, the design and the hours the shop keeps. The sections below cover where each market is, what a piece costs once making charges and 5% VAT are added, and how to check a purchase before you pay.
Gold Souq Ajman quick details
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Main market | New Gold Souk, Al Owan / Al Nakheel 1, around Usman bin Affan Street and Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Street |
| Older market | Old Gold Souq, Saad bin Abi Waqas Street, Al Nakheel 1, near Souq Saleh |
| Shop hours | Opening between 9:00 and 10:00 AM, closing at 10:30 PM |
| Midday break | Some shops close from about 1:30 PM until 4:00 to 5:00 PM |
| Friday | Shops open after Jumu’ah prayers, between 4:00 and 5:00 PM |
| Karats sold | 18K, 21K, 22K, 24K |
| Purity stamps | 750 (18K), 875 (21K), 916 (22K), 999 (24K) |
| Tax | 5% VAT on gold value plus making charges |
| Street parking | AED 2 an hour, Saturday to Thursday; free on Fridays and public holidays |
| Next door | Ajman Museum and Souq Saleh |
Where the souq is
The main market sits in Al Nakheel (Al Nakhil 1), in the old commercial centre of Ajman, on the streets around Usman bin Affan Street and Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Street. In a map app, search for Gold Souq Ajman, 20 Usman bin Affan Street, Al Owan.
The new gold souk
The New Gold Souk is where most buying happens. Two blocks of shops face each other across the street, with gold in nearly every window and no gate or ticket point at either end.
Al Romaizan’s Shop No. 45 is here, on 34 Street in Al Owan. Shop numbers help when a map pin lands you on the wrong side of the street.
The old gold souq
The Old Gold Souq stands on Saad bin Abi Waqas Street in Al Nakheel 1, close to Souq Saleh. It is one of Ajman’s recognised heritage landmarks, and its traditional architecture is the reason to walk through it even if you buy in the new blocks.
What you can buy
The souq sells finished jewellery and a smaller range of bullion, with the stock leaning towards traditional and bridal pieces.
- Gold jewellery in 18K, 21K, 22K and 24K
- Bridal sets, necklaces, chains, bracelets, bangles and rings
- Arabic, Indian and European designs, including Emirati-style necklaces and Arabic chokers
- Diamond and pearl jewellery, and silver
- 24K bars and coins at some shops
Match the karat to the use. 22K (916) is the standard for traditional and bridal pieces, 21K (875) is common in Gulf designs, 18K (750) suits gem-set and everyday jewellery, and 24K (999) is for bars and coins, since pure gold is too soft for most wear.
Shops worth knowing
- Al Romaizan Gold & Jewellery: New Gold Souk, Shop No. 45. Open 10:00 AM to midnight, Saturday to Thursday, on +971 6 741 9599. Known for traditional Arabic and Gulf designs.
- Five Star Jewellery: main souq area, with traditional and contemporary pieces.
- Al Fareed Jewellers: inside the New Gold Souk.
- Masfoot Jewellery, Imam Jewellers and Pure Jewellery: independent shops in the main souq area.
- Al Mansoor Jewellers and Al Tariq Jewellers: on Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Street.
Chain branches in Ajman’s malls follow their own pricing schedules. Independent souq shops quote piece by piece, which is where bargaining on the making charge pays off.
Hours & best time to visit
Shops open between 9:00 and 10:00 AM and close at 10:30 PM. Each shop sets its own hours, so the day does not run on one schedule.
- Midday: some independents close from about 1:30 PM until 4:00 to 5:00 PM.
- Friday: shops open after Jumu’ah prayers, between 4:00 and 5:00 PM.
- Late evening: Al Romaizan’s New Gold Souk store stays open until midnight, Saturday to Thursday.
A weekday between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM avoids the Friday late start and the afternoon break. Friday evening works if you want to combine the souq with Ajman Museum, which opens at 2:30 PM that day.
Pricing: gold rate, making charges & VAT
The price of a piece is gold weight multiplied by the day’s per-gram rate for the karat, plus the making charge, plus 5% VAT on both. Shops quote the UAE-wide daily rate, so gold pricing in Dubai and in Ajman starts from the same figure per gram. The rate itself is not negotiable. The making charge is.
Souq quotes for making charges usually fall in these bands:
| Piece type | Making charge |
|---|---|
| Simple chains | 4% to 7% |
| Plain bangles | 5% to 8% |
| Standard rings | 7% to 11% |
| Plain necklaces | 8% to 13% |
| Bridal and heavy sets | 15% to 22% |
If a quote lands above the band for that piece type, take the same piece to the next shop before you agree.
Ask whether the charge is a percentage of the gold value or a fixed amount per gram. A percentage grows in dirhams when the gold rate rises, while a per-gram charge stays put.
Here is how the total builds up for a chain with AED 10,000 of gold value and a 6% making charge:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gold value | AED 10,000 |
| Making charge (6%) | AED 600 |
| Subtotal | AED 10,600 |
| VAT (5%) | AED 530 |
| Total | AED 11,130 |
Investment gold of 99% purity or more, in a form traded on bullion markets, carries 0% VAT. Jewellery does not.
Getting there & parking
- By bus from Dubai: the E400 from Union Bus Station and the E411 from Etisalat Bus Station both run to Al Musalla Bus Station in Ajman, which is close to Ajman Museum and the souq area.
- By taxi or ride-hailing: Careem and Uber work in Ajman. Ajman Museum is the easiest landmark to give a driver, since the souqs stand beside it.
- By car: the drive from Dubai runs through Sharjah and into Ajman’s old centre.
- Parking: street parking costs AED 2 an hour, Saturday to Thursday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. It is free on Fridays and public holidays.
Hourly tickets come from the Ajman Municipality parking service by SMS to 5155 or through the MPDA app.
How to buy gold safely
- Get the day’s rate first. Look up the per-gram rate for the karat you want before you walk in, so every quote has a number to be measured against.
- Collect quotes. Visit three or four shops for the same piece type and ask for the weight and the making charge as separate figures.
- Watch the weighing. The piece should be weighed in front of you on the shop’s scale.
- Check the stamp. Look for 999, 916, 875 or 750 next to the maker’s trademark, usually on the clasp or the inside of a band. Ask the seller to point it out if you cannot find it.
- Negotiate the making charge. Work from the band for the piece type, and leave the gold rate alone.
- Ask about payment. Some shops take cash only or add a surcharge for cards, so settle this before you agree a total.
- Take an itemised tax invoice. It should show the date, net weight, karat, the day’s rate, the making charge and the VAT as separate lines.
- Visitors: ask for the tax-free tag. Request it before the invoice is written (see the next section).
VAT refund for visitors
Visitors from abroad can reclaim 85% of the VAT paid, less AED 4.80 per tax-free tag, on purchases from shops registered in the Tourist Refund Scheme.
The conditions are simple:
- The shop must be registered, and not every shop is, so ask before the invoice is written.
- Each tax invoice must reach AED 250, and invoices cannot be combined.
- Carry your passport, and keep the invoice, the tax-free tag and the jewellery together.
- Validate the purchase at the Planet tax-free point when you leave the country, within 90 days of buying.
Returns, buyback & exchange
A jeweller is not required to take back a piece after a sale, so any return, buyback or exchange follows that shop’s own policy. Get the policy before you pay.
When a shop buys gold back, it values the piece at the day’s rate for its weight and purity. The making charge and the VAT you paid are not returned. Ask whether an offer is cash or credit toward a new piece, since the two are valued differently, and keep the invoice, because any claim for a manufacturing defect starts with it.
What to see nearby
- Ajman Museum: beside the gold and traditional souqs, inside an 18th-century fort. It opens from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday to Thursday, and from 2:30 PM to 8:00 PM on Fridays. Museums across Ajman waive entry fees until the end of 2026.
- Souq Saleh: the traditional market next to the old gold souq, with textiles and everyday goods.
- Ajman Corniche: the waterfront promenade, within walking distance of the museum.
FAQ
What time does the Ajman Gold Souq open?
Shops open between 9:00 and 10:00 AM and close at 10:30 PM. Some independents close from about 1:30 PM until 4:00 to 5:00 PM.
Is the Ajman Gold Souq open on Friday?
Yes, after Jumu’ah prayers. Shops open between 4:00 and 5:00 PM and trade until 10:30 PM.
Is gold cheaper in Ajman than in Dubai?
The per-gram rate is the same across the UAE, and VAT is the same 5%. Any saving comes from the making charge, which independent souq shops negotiate more freely than chain stores.
Is the Old Gold Souq the same as the New Gold Souk?
No. The Old Gold Souq is on Saad bin Abi Waqas Street near Souq Saleh and has traditional architecture. The New Gold Souk is the main market, two facing blocks of shops around Usman bin Affan Street and Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Street.
Is the gold sold at Ajman Gold Souq real?
Gold sold in the UAE carries a purity stamp that follows the legal fineness standards: 999 for 24K, 916 for 22K, 875 for 21K and 750 for 18K. Check the stamp, the weight and the itemised invoice before you pay.
Can I return or sell back gold bought at the souq?
That depends on the shop. A jeweller is not required to take a piece back, and a buyback is valued at the day’s rate for weight and purity, without the making charge or VAT you paid.
Is parking free near Ajman Gold Souq?
Street parking is AED 2 an hour from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Saturday to Thursday. It is free on Fridays and public holidays.
Can tourists get a VAT refund on gold in Ajman?
Yes, if the shop is registered in the Tourist Refund Scheme and the invoice reaches AED 250. The refund is 85% of the VAT, less AED 4.80 per tax-free tag.
Plan your visit
- Look up the day’s rate for 22K or 24K before you leave, and write down the number.
- Go on a weekday between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM, and walk both blocks before you buy.
- Compare the making charge on the same piece at three or four shops.
- Check the stamp, the weight and the itemised invoice, and ask for a tax-free tag if you are a visitor.
- Add Ajman Museum and Souq Saleh to the same trip, since both stand beside the souq.
