The rock beneath Thanalan is rich in precious metals and jewels, and since ancient times have men toiled to fashion this bounty into wondrous treasures. Following Ul'dah's rise as a mercantile power in the thirteenth century of the Sixth Astral Era, the demand for jewelry grew as fast as did the merchant class itself. With the increased patronage, the elegant art of goldsmithing blossomed into one highly lucrative as well.

Not content to rest upon its laurels, a popular atelier at the time—Eshtaime's Aesthetics—invited renowned Near Eastern masters to work in its halls. These artisans' tutelage allowed their goldsmiths to create unique pieces that took the Ul'dahn markets and industry by storm. The Ul'dahn organization that beckoned these craftsmen to their facilities eventually became the Goldsmiths' Guild. In addition to normal teaching duties, today it scrambles to protect its reputation from the influx of imitation works.