Worth it to Fly UK to Dubai to buy a Diamond?
ByQ: I’ve been researching diamond buying for a while as I’m looking to buy an engagement ring in the next month or so. One of the avenues I’ve been considering is to fly over (from UK) to Dubai and visit the Gold Souk and Gold & Diamond centre.
Having read good and bad things about Dubai (Good: Tax free, can get real bargains…Bad: Can get ripped off, Dubai diamonds inferior quality, Buy diamond in sealed bag with cert, they don’t have good cut), can you please give your thoughts on Dubai for diamond or ring buying.
I have around £2k to spend as a total and want a princess cut, .5 to .75 crt diamond with a Gold ring (not platinum or white gold).
A: Unless you have another reason to be in Dubai, I think the idea is just going to end up costing you more money. There’s a few reasons:
1) While it’s true, in Dubai, most diamonds are sold sealed — there’s a reason for this. Nobody trusts anybody else. That’s fine, but the problem is that only IGI, HRD, and a local lab or two (that nobody really uses) offer the sealing service. GIA and AGS don’t. See my article about the different gem labs. IGI and HRD aren’t very reliable, so that combined with the unscrupulousness of the Dubai market would make me very wary of buying there.
2) if you’re budget is 2000 Sterling, the airfare and hotel is definitely going to be more than any VAT you’ll pay in the UK.
3) While it’s true margins in Dubai are very low due to the fierce competition, they’re not much higher, if at all, on a site like Blue Nile.
4) There is very little princess cut selection in Dubai. Demand for Princess cuts is much less in Dubai than the UK or the US, so stores stock very little of them.
What I recommend is buying a diamond on Blue Nile UK. You can have the diamond set in a simple gold setting on the site. I will go look for a stone that I recommend and send you a link via email.
The reality is you can get ripped off anywhere. The problems with dubai is that it has taken a lot of business from euro/US based jewellers, so beware of vested interests on any site.
Certainly in terms of gold and quality pieces, dubai in untouchable. if you are willing to pay the prices you can find diamond of all types even if prices are artifically inflated!!
Dubai diamonds are high quality my mother flies over a few times a year from the uk to buy her diamonds and last time i gave her a design for my wedding ring and it was perfect and it trippled in value when i got the uk valuation. thanks mum x
Can I ask Andrew, what shop did you get the ring in. I also want a 1 ct diamond which is the tiffany round ribbon ring.
What colour is your diamond? I’m looking at F
Hi
wow there seems to be mixed emotions about buying a diamond in Duabi. I am actually travelling there in June in the hope to buy a diamond. Can anyone recommend any places/ shop names where I can do so?
Thanks
It’s funny, our local employee in our Dubai office where I worked was also named Amit. So having said that, assuming you are also Indian, you should do fine. Just go in to the gold souk and shop around and be tough. There’s very intense competition there, so use it to your advantage.
Hello,
I just returned from Dubai. I was there for a wedding but took the opportunity to buy an engagement ring for my girlfriend. A friend of mine was attending the same wedding and also to buy a ring. My future sister-in-law had recommended a shop in the Gold and Diamond market, so after seeing many other shops, including Tiffany’s, we ended up there. The service was professional and they were very friendly. We were told they get a lot of business from recommendations and were happy we were there for the same reason.
I ended up getting a D,VS2, very good, 1.01c diamond set in a platinum ring. I pressured them for a fast turn around as I was leaving two days later. They evenutally agreed to have the ring ready the next day. The diamond stayed sealed until they set it in front of me in the workshop. It cost £3,725. We used their provided transport to and from the shop for 2 trips in total.
As I was worried about getting ripped off, I had it valued upon my return to London. I was shocked to have it valued at £12k. The gemologist asked where I bought it and when I told him Dubai, he guessed within £300 what I had paid for it. He sees many Dubai pieces a week (upwards of 12-15) and cannot believe the price the people pay there. He thought it would be a short term issue, but it has been going on for 4-5 years now. He said the ring I bought would not sell for less than £8k in the UK, and that would be at a shop’s cost. Obviously the 17.5% VAT you can avoid is significant, but the prices are still much cheaper there.
Just thought I’d share my (good) experience. I would still be wary and do homework before going, and have a few reputable shops to visit.
Andrew,
Do you recall the name of the shop that you purchased your diamond ring from?
hi do you remember name of shop??
Would you be able to recommend where you bought?
My fiance was in Dubai and purchased my engagement ring. We wanted to make sure that we got what we paid for… Big mistake : we were told VS Clarity when really SI-1; were told colorless when really H-I… Only certified gemologists can appraise diamonds and we were fooled…
Every time I look at my ring, my stomach turns… We have been robbed ! And I look at it many times a day.
Well, as you see it, readers – buyer beware. It seems some people can have good experiences buying in Dubai. But you can also be robbed. Be careful and don’t trust anybody (or just don’t buy diamonds there at all).
hi there im living in dubia at the mo,looking to buy a engagement ring
but worried about getting riped off! your place sounds safe! could u email the name of shop that would b a great place 4 me to start! thank u so much
gemma
Hi Gemma. Honestly, I think you might be better off buying from a trusted place online that ships for free worldwide like Mazal Diamond. They also have a great promotion now where they give you a years worth of insurance for free. If you’d like any help choosing the right stone, then please feel free to contact me via email with the contact form. Just click on “Contact Me” in the menu bar above. Good luck!
I am sorry, but I completely disagree. You can get very high quality diamonds in Dubai and certainly no problem in finding a Princess Cut. I personally have bought a fair few pieces over the years for my wife and all came from Dubai. When I have asked the opinion from a reputable jeweller in the UK they cannot believe the value for money. I would say that you will get the same quality or better for a quarter of the price. As for the certification they will offer you what you want whether it’s is a GIA, an IGI etc. etc.
I have heard of many experiences in the UK of people being ripped off when it comes to diamonds. So, like everything, everywhere you need to do some homework and find a reliable company who has been recommended.
Recently I found a great shop in the Diamond Centre called “Clarity” which is used by many ex-pats in Dubai and also local VIP’s. Really nice guys to deal with and they cannot do enough for you. I personally know many people who keep returning to their shop and are never disappointed by the price or the quality.
As for the cost of a flight and hotel, I think it is totally worth it as you will get a much bigger, better, brighter diamond ring and your flight and hotel for the same price as you would pay for a much inferior ring in the uk.
Hope this helps!!!
Fred