Pick by occasion, not by looks: crystal for individual achievement and client recognition, wooden plaques for institutional and long-service moments, and trophies or medals when you are recognising many people at once. In Dubai the price gap between those three is smaller than most buyers expect — a boxed crystal award starts at AED 25, a wooden plaque with a box works out to about AED 51 per piece in a 50-piece order, and metal badge recognition runs from AED 3.80 per piece. What really moves the budget is engraving method, base material and whether each piece ships in its own box. Here is how to choose, with real catalogue prices.
The three families, and what each one signals
Recognition pieces are not interchangeable. Each family carries a different message, and recipients read it instantly:
- Crystal awards say individual, current, premium. Best for Employee of the Year, top sales performer, partner appreciation, speaker gifts. Light passes through the engraving, so they photograph well on stage.
- Wooden plaques say institutional, permanent, formal. Best for MoU signings, government and school ceremonies, retirement and 10-year service, inaugurations. They hang on a wall, which crystal does not.
- Trophies, medals and badges say competition, scale, participation. Best for sports days, school events, internal leagues, safety milestones — anywhere you need 50 to 500 pieces at a sane unit cost.
If you are recognising one person in front of a room, go crystal. If you are recognising an organisation or a decade, go wood. If you are recognising a crowd, go metal.
Crystal awards: the default for individual recognition
Crystal is the most flexible family in our Custom Crystal & Trophy Awards range, and it is cheaper than its reputation suggests.
Entry level — AED 21 to AED 55
Geometric blanks do the heavy lifting here. 3D rectangular crystals are AED 21.00, 3D cube crystals are AED 22.00, and the standard crystal award is AED 25.00. Shaped pieces cost a little more because the blank is moulded rather than cut: shield at AED 48.00, flame and hexagon at AED 49.00, tower and Victorian shield at AED 52.00, and the engraved leaf design at AED 54.00. For a 20-person awards night, a shaped crystal at AED 49 is the most reliable spend on this page.
Mid tier — AED 90 to AED 140, where the base changes
The jump in price is almost always the base. Crystal with a blue design side is AED 91.00; add marble and you are at AED 112.00 for crystal and marble, AED 136.00 for the diamond shape on a marble base, and AED 138.00 for the larger marble-and-crystal combination. Marble adds weight, and weight is what makes an award feel expensive in the hand.
Statement pieces — AED 150 to AED 280
For the one award that gets photographed: the Star Crystal Trophy at AED 154.00, the Crystal Globe Trophy at AED 182.00, and the UAE Falcon Crystal CR-10 at AED 280.00 — the standard choice for National Day ceremonies and government-facing recognition.
A practical note on boxes: some crystal lines include a presentation box and some do not. Crystal awards with a blue base and box at AED 48.00 and the rectangle wood-and-crystal award with box at AED 37.00 already include one. If your line does not, add the box before you compare quotes — it is the single most common reason two "crystal award" prices look different.
Wooden plaques: institutional, permanent, wall-mounted
Plaques in our wooden plaques range are priced in 50-piece production runs, because that is how the woodwork and plate engraving are batched. The numbers translate cleanly:
- 50 horizontal wooden plaques with box — AED 2,550, i.e. AED 51.00 per piece. Same price for the vertical format.
- 50 wooden plaques with a silver Spanish plate — AED 5,400, i.e. AED 108.00 per piece.
- 50 wooden plaques with Spanish plate, medium — AED 6,100, i.e. AED 122.00 per piece; the large format is the same price.
Choose the plate deliberately. A printed or laser-marked aluminium plate is the economical route and reproduces logos and Arabic text cleanly. A Spanish metal plate is cast and polished — it is the one that reads as ceremonial, and it is why the unit price roughly doubles. For wall-mounted recognition walls and long-service displays, our dedicated guide to wooden plaques and memento awards in Dubai covers sizes and mounting.
Trophies, medals and badges: recognising a crowd
When the list runs past 50 names, the per-piece maths decides for you. Metal badge recognition from our name tags and badges range: 50 plastic button badges, 44 mm at AED 190 (AED 3.80 each), 50 round black metal badges at AED 300 (AED 6.00 each), 50 gold pin badges at AED 350 (AED 7.00 each), and 50 gold brass badges with safety pin at AED 520 (AED 10.40 each). For UAE occasions, 50 UAE falcon badges with magnet are AED 430.
A sensible pattern for a company-wide programme: badges or medals for everyone, a shaped crystal for the shortlist, and one marble-based piece for the winner. Three price points, one visual language.
Real price table
| Piece | Family | Price (AED, VAT incl.) | Per piece | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D rectangular crystal | Crystal | 21.00 | 21.00 | Volume desk awards |
| Crystal award (standard) | Crystal | 25.00 | 25.00 | Internal recognition |
| Wood & crystal award, with box | Crystal + wood | 37.00 | 37.00 | Client gifting |
| Crystal, blue base, with box | Crystal | 48.00 | 48.00 | Awards night, boxed |
| Flame / hexagon shaped crystal | Crystal | 49.00 | 49.00 | Employee of the Year |
| Crystal with engraved leaf design | Crystal | 54.00 | 54.00 | Partner appreciation |
| Crystal & marble award | Crystal + marble | 112.00 | 112.00 | Executive recognition |
| Star Crystal Trophy | Trophy | 154.00 | 154.00 | Top performer |
| Crystal Globe Trophy | Trophy | 182.00 | 182.00 | Regional / global awards |
| UAE Falcon Crystal CR-10 | Trophy | 280.00 | 280.00 | National Day, VIP |
| Wooden plaque with box (×50) | Plaque | 2,550 | 51.00 | Ceremonies, MoUs |
| Wooden plaque, silver Spanish plate (×50) | Plaque | 5,400 | 108.00 | Long service |
| Wooden plaque, Spanish plate, medium (×50) | Plaque | 6,100 | 122.00 | Government, formal |
| Plastic button badges, 44 mm (×50) | Badge | 190 | 3.80 | Participation, events |
| Gold brass badges, safety pin (×50) | Badge | 520 | 10.40 | Milestones, loyalty |
All prices are live store prices, VAT inclusive. Personalised engraving of individual names is quoted per piece.
What actually changes the price
Engraving method
Sub-surface laser engraving inside crystal (the frosted 2D or 3D look) is the standard and is included on most lines for a single logo. Colour printing on crystal, metal plate engraving, and per-piece name personalisation are each separate lines. If every award carries a different name, say so at quoting stage — it changes the production route from batch to one-by-one. Our breakdown of silk screen, UV and laser engraving explains what each method does to a surface.
Base and weight
Marble, metal and thick wood bases are the real cost drivers. They also solve the most common complaint about cheap awards — that they feel light.
Boxing and transport
Crystal travels badly without a fitted box. If the award is being handed over at a venue, budget for individual boxes and allow a 2% spare quantity for breakage and last-minute additions to the name list.
Lead time
Plan 5–7 working days for logo-only engraving on stock crystal after artwork approval, 7–10 working days for per-piece name personalisation, and 10–12 working days for wooden plaques with Spanish plates. Awards ceremonies have fixed dates, so order against the ceremony date minus two weeks, not minus one.
How to order
- Send the name list and the occasion date on WhatsApp. The list length decides the family; the date decides the method.
- Pick two shapes from Crystal & Trophy Awards or wooden plaques. We confirm the engraving area for each.
- Supply your logo as vector artwork (AI, EPS or PDF). Engraving traces outlines, so a low-resolution JPG will not do.
- Approve a digital mock-up showing the engraving on the actual shape, including Arabic text if used.
- Confirm boxing and delivery date. We deliver across Dubai and the UAE, and can hold delivery to the day before the event.
FAQ
What is the cheapest decent award in Dubai?
A 3D rectangular crystal at AED 21.00 or a standard crystal award at AED 25.00, both with laser engraving. Below that you are into printed certificates and badges, which are a different kind of recognition — see our certificate printing guide.
Crystal or wooden plaque for a long-service award?
Wooden plaque. A 10- or 20-year milestone is a wall object, and a plaque with an engraved metal plate reads as permanent. Crystal suits annual, repeatable awards better.
Can you engrave each award with a different name?
Yes. Send the names in a spreadsheet with the exact spelling and job titles you want used. Per-piece personalisation is quoted separately and adds roughly 2–3 working days to the lead time.
Do you engrave Arabic text on crystal and plaques?
Yes, and we proof it before production. Arabic engraving needs the text supplied as outlined vector artwork or in a font we can confirm, so letterforms do not break. We cover the typography rules in our guide to Arabic and bilingual design in the UAE.
What quantity do I need to order?
Crystal awards can be ordered individually. Wooden plaques are produced in 50-piece runs at the prices listed; smaller quantities are possible and quoted per piece. Badges start at 50 pieces.
Will the awards arrive in time if my ceremony is in ten days?
Usually yes for stock crystal with logo-only engraving, provided artwork is approved on day one. Tell us the ceremony date in the first message and we will confirm before you pay, not after.
Get the right piece for the occasion
Tell us the occasion, the number of recipients and the date on WhatsApp at +971 52 210 0909 or call 0522100909, and we will send two or three options with real unit prices and a confirmed delivery date. Browse the full range at Custom Crystal & Trophy Awards.
