Communication between Qataris and locals was complicated at Gold Souq, a traditional jewelry market in the central region of Doha, capital of Qatar. Maria Cristina Gomes de Abreu, 53, wanted to buy an earring, but the purchase turned into an uproar when she doubted whether the jewel was really made of gold.
On one side, the vendors duly dressed in Arab costumes shouted and made gestures trying to convince the carioca, her family and friends of the authenticity of the piece. On the other, the group discussed whether the jewel was real as they bustled in and out of the cramped shop at the corner of the gallery.
“That must be brass,” said the daughter. And her mother, Maria Cristina, doubted it. “Are you sure it’s gold?”
In the midst of the confusion, at least he got a R$450 discount. One of the Brazilians then questioned the sellers while waiting outside, screaming. “Is it gold?”. And he, behind the counter, confirmed — also shouting. “Yes, it’s gold!”.
Confidence then grew and Abreu took the earring. “With the Brazilian way we got a discount and made the purchase”, said the carioca, with the Flamengo shirt.
And everyone there knows that the secret in the place is to haggle. Anyone who enters the local shops spends a good deal of time negotiating to guarantee a good discount on each piece. If it weren’t for the Arab look of the place and its vendors, the flood of green and yellow shirts and Portuguese would make us feel like we were in the center of São Paulo.
Brazilians are on the podium of the nationalities that spend the most in local jewelry stores during the 2022 World Cup, according to shopkeepers. They lose only to the Mexicans, who are unanimous among sellers. Everyone says that Latinos are the ones who buy the most precious stones and metals. Argentineans and Ecuadorians also guarantee their place among the main customers.
The items most sought after by Brazilians are small jewelry, but with an Arabic design.
The place resembles a gallery, but with more charm. The traditional architecture of Persian countries, with its handcrafted tiles all over the floor, domes and arches, associated with simple and unadorned shop windows. The flags of the countries participating in the World Cup are also everywhere.
The stores vary in size and lighting. Some are larger, with lights that focus on each jewel. Others, smaller ones, are more reminiscent of jewelry stores.
The place is surrounded by streets with other jewelry stores. Those who really exude luxury look for nearby stores, which keep pieces capable of buying apartments in upscale neighborhoods in São Paulo.
In one of them, a transparent gold dress, weighing about 2 kilos, cost more than R$ 1 million. The store had already sold two units. Salespeople say that ostentation is a more common preference among Arab customers.
More modest and economical, a success among foreigners even before the World Cup is the personalized pendant with the name in Arabic. It was the choice of Pernambucan Silvio Oliveira, 40, for his wife, Eduarda, who “released” him to watch the games in Qatar.
“It’s fair, right, the boss has credit”, he says.
With the invoice in hand, he consulted with his friend about the price paid for the jewels. In addition to the pendant, Oliveira also took a gold ring, both for around R$1,400. He chose the lowest price after consulting at three locations.
“They said the price was good. Judging by the number of stores they have here, the competition is great, so I think that in a way this had an impact on the price.”
The country has strict rules for buying and selling gold and precious stones. They exist mainly because of Ramadan, the Islamic fasting period, when the sector is heated due to the exchange of gifts at the end of the festivities.
Unlike other products, in the case of jewelry, sellers are required to provide invoices containing the buyer’s data, in addition to information about the product, such as serial number, type, weight, carat, price per gram, trademark, metal purity and the price of labor.
In addition, stores are also required to give written guarantees and clarify replacement and return policies and what is done if the merchandise is defective. Among the information that they are not obliged to pass on is the origin of the products.
The sellers questioned did not know how to inform where the raw material was extracted and said that the jewels come ready for sale, imported mainly from Italy.
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