Young UAE Shoppers Embrace Heritage Gold Designs Over Luxury Brands

United Arab Emirates Jewellery News: Generational Shift Toward Tradition

A growing number of young jewellery buyers across the United Arab Emirates are turning away from Western luxury brands and rediscovering pride in their cultural heritage through traditional gold jewellery. Arab jewellers are responding to this revival by reintroducing classic designs with modern craftsmanship, blending nostalgia with affordability to suit new generations. This United Arab Emirates Jewellery News report highlights how Gen Z consumers are transforming jewellery trends in the Gulf region by valuing authenticity and ancestry over global fashion trends.

UAE’s young generation is redefining jewellery fashion by bringing heritage-inspired gold designs back into vogue.
Image Credit: StockShots

Modern Craftsmanship Meets Cultural Roots

At Al Romaizan Jewellery, the transformation is evident. Marketing director Mohammed Dhaiban revealed that traditional designs, which once made up about 30 to 40 percent of their inventory, now represent over 70 percent. “We noticed that Gen Z are more into traditional jewellery. Ten years ago, they focused on brands, but now they feel proud to wear ornaments inspired by UAE culture and symbols like deserts and gazelles,” he explained. Many young Emiratis are drawn to these pieces because of emotional connections—stories passed down by grandparents about old designs that represent family legacy and national identity.

Affordable Heritage in an Era of Expensive Gold

The price of gold has reached unprecedented levels, with 24K gold trading at Dh468.5 per gram and 22K at Dh433.75 per gram, while international spot gold hovers around $3,886.8 per ounce. To meet this challenge, jewellers are finding creative ways to maintain intricate craftsmanship while reducing gold weight and production costs.

Traditional Middle-Eastern gold jewelry is making a huge comeback.
Image Credit: Yasini Jewellers

Designers Adjusting to Meet New Expectations

Tamjid Abdullah, deputy Group CEO of Jawhara Jewellery, said this balance is a tough but rewarding task. “Gen Z buyers are very attached to their grandmothers’ jewellery, but those ornaments used to weigh 100 to 150 grams, which they cannot afford now. By keeping the outlines and features but reducing weight to around 18 to 20 grams, we’ve made them accessible again,” he told media at the recent 56th Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show in Sharjah. Similarly, Ahmad Enezan, vice CEO of Salem Al Shueibi Jewellery, confirmed that their stores have seen rising inquiries about traditional motifs, proving that this is more than a fleeting trend—it’s a cultural renaissance.

A New Era of Gold Pride in the UAE

What was once considered old-fashioned has now become a statement of cultural identity among the young. Traditional Emirati gold jewellery, featuring age-old craftsmanship and locally inspired motifs, is now at the heart of a movement celebrating roots and heritage. As Gen Z becomes a major force in the Gulf’s workforce, this connection to tradition will likely shape the regional jewellery industry for decades to come. For jewellers, the message is clear—heritage sells, and authenticity never goes out of style.

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