Gold in Turkey has an important place in society. Often used as a form of investment, gold is seen as better than money in the bank especially amongst the more traditional Muslims for whom earning interest on money goes against their beliefs. Money should be freely in circulation not sitting in the bank earning interest for doing nothing – or so they feel. By buying gold to sell later they are still investing but in a more acceptable way. Gold rarely drops in value & you can enjoy wearing it too .

At weddings & on the birth of children gold is give as gifts. The purpose of this at a wedding is several fold. If the couple need financial assistance they can sell the gold, if the wife becomes widowed or is abandoned she can use the gold to live off until she can improve her circumstances.

Gold in Turkey is either 14 or 22 carat gold – you generally won’t find 9 carat here, to them its not “real” gold & should be consigned to christmas crackers. 22 carat gold is easy to spot its colour is far more buttery than other carats & it is much softer & obviously more expensive. The majority of gold in tourist resorts is 14 carat.

Gold in Turkey should always bear a hallmark – 585 denotes 14 carat ( ie 58.5% gold content ) whilst 22 carat should have 916 stamped on it – but these may not be officially recognised in other countries. Buying gold for pleasure rather than to sell back in UK is far better . You should be given a guarantee by the jewellers, especially if there are any precious stones involved & this will help you insure the item for the correct value when you get home. If you are looking to buy gold on holiday to Turkey always go to a reputable jeweller – ask around for recommendations & anywhere the locals shop is usually trustworthy. Price of a piece will be determined by weight of the gold, craftmanship & any stones used. The basic price  for 14 carat is currently around £20 a gram.

The great thing about jewellers in Turkey is that they can make any design you like so if you want a “copy” of an item you like or wish to have a unique design made, they can do this for you & can usually get the item ready within a few days. This is perfect if you are celebrating a special occasion ( wedding, anniversary, landmark birthday ) as you get can something that no one else will have & at a good price too. Always haggle ( it’s worth a try )  & do not feel pressured into buying – there are plenty of great jewellers in every resort & town so take your time & have a good look around.