Indian expat’s 52-year journey in Dubai’s gold trade
Amratlal Tribhovan Das arrived in Dubai 52 years ago, at a time when gold cost just Dh6 a gram. He remembers the date clearly: December 13, 1973. Flying in from Mumbai on an Air India flight, he stepped into a quiet, modest Dubai Airport with only a small bag of clothes and a packet of chikoo fruit. Born in 1941 in Una village in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, he had trained as a goldsmith in Mumbai after moving there in 1958. Encouraged by relatives already in the UAE, he decided to take a chance on the Gulf. His original plan was to travel by ship, but when the vessel met with an accident and his visa neared expiry, he had no choice but to take a flight costing Rs1,100 — a hefty amount in those days.
Dubai in the 1970s was a very different place. The gold market sat along the Dubai Creek, abras were paddled by hand, and ferry rides were just 10 fils. Only a handful of gold shops existed in Bur Dubai and Deira. On his first morning, he was puzzled to find the Bur Dubai market shut at midday, not knowing it was closed due to mourning for a trader.
When Amratlal’s initial attempt to set up a workshop in Dubai didn’t work out, he moved to Sharjah to stay with his wife’s brother-in-law. Sharjah was then a small town connected to Dubai by a single road surrounded by desert. Working from home in the mid-1970s, he crafted jewellery entirely by hand, often relying on the few hours of electricity available on each street. They worked when the power came on and rested when it went off.
A major turning point came in 1976, when new rules allowed anyone to apply for a trade licence. Amratlal convinced a relative to invest while he provided the craftsmanship, and together they started a home-based workshop. By 1980, he opened his first store, Yogesh Jewellers, near the old Sharjah Cinema. Over the years, he expanded but eventually shifted his focus entirely to manufacturing, where his expertise truly shone.
One highlight of his early career was a handmade, Italian-style bangle he designed using an iron mould he built himself. It slowly gained popularity and eventually became a viral favourite across the UAE, establishing him as a respected craftsman.
Amratlal belongs to a family of goldsmiths spanning nine generations, with his son and grandson now carrying the legacy forward. His family joined him in the UAE in 1975, when the residency visa cost just Dh10 — a reminder of how much the country has grown. Gold prices also reflect this transformation: in 1973, one tola (11.664g) cost Dh65, and one gram was under Dh6. By 1980, a TT bar (116.64g) rose to Dh10,000, dipping to Dh3,700 in 1997 before climbing steadily in later years.
From working in a small room lit for only a few hours a day to running a large manufacturing unit that produces about 150 kilos of gold ornaments monthly, Amratlal’s journey has been defined by hard work and perseverance. His factory now supplies clients across the GCC and employs 85 workers.
Despite all his achievements, he still fondly remembers his first dream after arriving in Dubai: buying a Rado watch. It took him six years, but in 1979 he purchased it — and he continues to wear it to this day.
