The precious metal is on track for its biggest weekly decline since early January, down about $30 since hitting a lifetime high of $1,444.40 a troy ounce on Monday. Spot gold was bid at $1,409.00 an ounce in London on Friday morning.
The biggest earthquake to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago struck the northeast coast, triggering a 30-foot high tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings.
"Gold is trading off oil, but Japan's earthquake and tension in the Middle East is helping," said Andrey Kryuchenkov, an analyst at VTB Capital. "Markets are nervous also with a planned 'day of rage' in Saudi Arabia."
Investors are watching to see what happens in Saudi Arabia, where a planned day of demonstrations will test whether activists calling for political reform will succeed in taking their protests to the streets.
Also on the radar was Libya, where a sea and tank assault was launched on the oil port of Ras Lanuf overnight, intensifying a counter-offensive against the out-gunned insurgents.
"Historically, those sort of events in the Middle East have tended to be quite supportive," said Michael Lewis, head of commodity research at Deutsche Bank.
"But the effect will probably fade quite quickly."
The yen fell broadly and slumped to a two-week low against the dollar and Brent futures slipped after the earthquake as investors retreated from assets they see as risky.
Brent crude in London was trading above $113 a barrell, down from $118.50 on Monday.
A stronger dollar makes dollar-denominated commodities cheaper for holders of other currencies, while gold is used as a hedge against inflation, often triggered by rising oil prices.
But neither of these was in play on Friday.
"There have been signs of some profit taking and scrap sales, but the market remains tight. Focus is concentrated on the Middle East; any sign of resolution will take some froth off the gold market," Standard Bank said in a note.
"Private investors have bought (silver) as a more affordable gold substitute, while professionals have remained keenly aware of silver's propensity to outperform in a bull market."
Silver was bid at $34.46 an ounce from $35.25 on Thursday, having rallied to a 31-year peak above $36 on Monday.
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