The village of Celuk, located approximately 4km southwest of the Sukawati District, is also Bali’s major centre for goldsmiths and silversmiths. The main road of Jalan Raya Celuk is lined up with galleries and workshops.

The village is usually an included stopover on tour itineraries to the central and northern regions such as Ubud and Kintamani. The silver and gold shops line the roads approximately 10km northeast from Denpasar. The village of Celuk is also a link between Bali’s Batubulan-Mas-Sukawati-Ubud ‘golden pentacle’ of artisans and craftsmen.

The gold and silver items crafted here are of high quality and feature unique and elaborate designs as the craftsmen are known for their skills and their industriousness.

Almost all of the households in the village are homes to jeweller families and each Celuk villager possesses artistic skills in developing and executing intricate designs and varying patterns.

The gold and silver items they produce include souvenirs and mass export items such as rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, studs, broaches and many other Balinese ceremonial accessories and adornments.

As a tourism destination, Celuk welcomes visitors by the day who come to see the elaborate designing and production processes up close and witness a work of art in the making. Also, produce can be purchased directly here.

Many of the households act as galleries, showcasing items in their front houses through glass displays and others are viewable in their workshops.

Heading eastward along the Jalan Raya Celuk thoroughfare, immediately visible are the rows of galleries and art shops dealing with gold and silver. Several spots also feature items other than jewellery such as uniquely designed silverware; elephant motif spoons, floral design-rich forks, plates and trays and more is for sale here.

Celuk Gold and Silversmiths
Celuk Gold and Silversmiths in Bali

The many rows of art shops welcome not only prospective buyers, but also visitors who are merely interested in their design and production processes.

Finished products are displayed in 360-degree viewing glass cases, enabling visitors to inspect the designs from all angles. Should you wish to inspect an item even closer, you may ask the gallery or shopkeeper to take them out for you, and they will be happy to explain the process of production and other interesting details behind the items.

Most of the items have small paper price tags in US$ and, in many cases, IDR. Prices vary according to weight or the intricacy of the design with items such as small pendants starting from IDR 50,000 or approximately US$ 5.5. Complex, magnificent items such as silver sail ships in glass displays, or a temple replica reach a high of about IDR 15 million.

Although most of the items bear price tags, bargaining is still possible. A common rule of thumb when buying items at traditional art markets also applies here; start with half of the price on the tag.

Location: Jalan Raya Celuk, Sukawati, Gianyar