Need Cairo Shopping Help
 

We will be in Cairo at the beginning of our upcoming trip to Egypt and then again at the end after our Nile Cruise. I want to purchase several personalized cartouches as gifts. Can anyone tell me how long the stores take to produce them to order? Also, any recommendations as to specific stores for this item? Thanks.

Somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes.

yes, mine took just minutes. I'll check my receipt to let you know which store we used. There were lots of russians buying and store was full. It could be that the guides take people there, but I did love the jewelry, I just don't know enough to know what price to bargain to.

Why don't you go to some local shops or on the internet & check out the prices of gold chains with something like a cartouche on it before you go?

A reasonable price in Egypt for a gold chain & cartouche is not far off from the price of the gold that goes into it. I think they mostly sell 18 carat. (Anyone disagree on that?)

There are a few Al-Gabry jewelry stores in Egypt. One in the Marriott on Zamalek, one in the mall opposite the Ramses Hilton. One in the Ritz Carlton in Sharm. The one in the Ramses Hilton Mall has more of lower end jewelry than upper end jewelry. It's kind of a kick b/c the mall is frequented by Cairenes as well as tourists.

I think they have one in the Khan, also. I bought a couple things at 2 of their stores & was satisfied with the price& workmanship. And the family members who work there are nice people.

I've only seen 18k and they do it right on the spot with very little waiting.

Of course, if you're buying something at an Egyptian store, it takes extra time because you need to sit and drink tea or Turkish coffee while you're bargaining.

Thanks to all for the good advice. I will be purchasing silver cartouches for my neices, a silver keychain for my friend, and probably all gold, or silver with gold for myself. I have checked some prices on the internet, I just had no idea they could be produced that quickly. It certainly takes a load off my mind to know it can be done in one day, especially since our days will be pretty full in Cairo with sightseeing. Mimi

just make sure you are not getting the ones they glue on.

NancyU: What do you mean, glued on? Aren't the figues stamped into the metal?

no, some are literally glued on. ANd they do such a nice job of it you have no idea until a week later and the darn things are falling off. (if they last that long)

NancyU: Please tell me where you got the glued-on ones, so I can avoid that shop!!!

Fodorites, I would really appreciate the names and locations of some shops in Cairo that imprint the figures into the metal and do not glue them as the ones NancyU got. Thanks.

Me, too. I'm planning on buying several for gifts as well as one for me.

I am not sure of the shop. Just try if you can to see what they are doing (watch them) if you can. One of my guide books "the practical guide to cairo" has the name of a good place. I will hunt the book down and then post the name.