The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) concluded on 29 February with record participation from both exhibitors and visitors. Organised by Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, the event hosted an astounding 129 exhibitors from 14 countries, showing 68% growth from the previous edition. It attracted more than 32,000 aficionados of luxurious ornaments and timepieces, demonstrating 34% growth in the number of visitors from 2019. The 18^th edition of DJWE will return next year from 22 – 27 February 2021.

Secretary General of QNTC and GCEO of Qatar Airways His Excellency Akbar Al Baker said, “This edition of DJWE boasted the largest number of exhibitors to date, representing a record number of countries. Such numbers demonstrate the influence of this prestigious event for both industry and consumers.

“With more exhibition space than ever before to accommodate a diverse and growing array of brands, DJWE attracts the biggest names in jewellery and watchmaking. As we conclude yet another successful event in 2020, we are already looking ahead to our eighteenth edition next year to ensure that the event continues to grow each year.”

Among the highlights of this year’s event was the participation of 18 Young Qatari Designers – the largest representation since the initiative began four years ago – illustrating the country’s steadily developing pool of homegrown talent. New participants included: H Jewellery, Kaltham's Pavilion, Camelot Jewellery, Clair De Lune Jewellery, and Letters Passion Arts, while returning brands were Trifoglio, Ghada Albuainain Jewellery, Nouf Jewellery, Ghand Jewellery, Leila Issam Fine Jewellery, Hairaat Fine Jewellery, Sarah’s & Co, AlGhla Jewellery, Hessa Jewels, Midad Jewellery, and Thameen Jewellery.

The collections presented by these young designers incorporated pieces inspired from local elements such as a desert rose or sadou weaving patterns, and of course, the locally sourced pearls drew special attention from visitors.

This year’s exhibition covered 33,000 square metres, the largest yet, and featured spectacular pavilions from Qatar’s seven industry powerhouses: Alfardan Jewellery, Ali Bin Ali Luxury, Al Majed Jewellery, Amiri Gems, Fifty One East, Al Muftah Jewellery and Blue Salon, as well as two exclusive pavilions dedicated to Indian and Turkish offerings. The Indian pavilion housed 28 leading brands showcasing the country’s varied craftsmanship and styles, while the Turkish pavilion featured 11 established Turkish brands. In addition, De Beers and Le Portique Jewellery made their first appearance at DJWE, as they prepare to launch stores in Qatar, while Jawaher introduced its new brand Lenore to the region.

The Amiri Gems pavilion brought high-end brands including Adler, Concord, Davidor, Letalis and Ananya. H.E. Sheikh Nawaf Nasser Bin Khaled Al Thani said: “Amiri Gems is proud to have been part of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition since its inception. Our participation reiterates our commitment towards the national events that contribute to achieving a diversified economy and that support the pillars of the 2030 National Vision. Our participation in this year’s edition of DJWE was a huge success. The Amiri Gems pavilion showcased unique and luxurious pieces from international brands. We will continue to provide the Qatari market with the finest jewels and gems and look forward to the next edition of this exhibition to enhance Qatar’s leading position in this industry in the region.”

This year, Alfardan Jewellery unveiled a number of exhibits including the Égérie watch line, Vacheron Constantin on the opening day, and an extraordinary diamond and gemstone collection by Tiffany & Co., designed by their chief artistic officer, Reed Krakoff.

Fifty One East pavilion didn’t have any shortage of visitors with Rolex exhibiting its Baselworld 2019 collection alongside TUDOR’s award-winning P01 watch. Chanel’s booth was inspired by the brand’s iconic camellia flower with its 1.5 1 Camélia 5 Allures collection as its centrepiece.

Al Majed Jewellery had special reveals by Tag Heuer including its Aquaracer Calibre 7 watch. The limited-edition watch constructed of 200 pieces is inspired by the colours of Qatar’s flag. Greubel Forsey and Roberto Coin had special reveals on the second day with Pasquale Bruni also showcasing its latest Atelier collection Aleluia’. The new horological masterpiece Zeitwerk D by German brand A. Lange & Söhne was unveiled on the last day of the exhibition.

Commenting on this year’s DJWE 2020 edition, Mr. Jamil bin Mahdi Al Majed, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Al Majed Jewellery, said: “We would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, for visiting Al Majed Jewellery Pavilion during this edition of DJWE.”

Ali bin Ali Luxury also revealed an exquisite range of new and unique designs at this year's exhibition, adding new brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Nous to their regular favorites such as Cartier, Piaget, Audemars Piguet, Van Cleef & Arpels, Graff, Damiani, Mikimoto, Ulysse Nardin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Baume & Mercier and Garrard.

Al Muftah Jewellery pavilion featured a host of exclusive international brands including Charriol, Chronoswiss, Cuervo Y Sobrinos, Dubey & Schaldenbrand, Ebel, Falcinelli, Giovanni Ferraris, Montana and Movado.

Mr. Abdullah Almuftah Deputy Chairman of the Board said, “Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, which is held once a year, is an indication of the health of markets, and over the years it has become the most important jewellery and watch exhibition in the Middle East.”

Blue Salon pavilion also impressed the crowds with latest collections by Breitling, Zenith, Bovet, Louis Erard, Montegrappa, Korloff and Digo to name a few.

In addition to a diverse collection of stunning adornments, DJWE also offered an educational platform with daily classes and workshops conducted by industry experts.

After receiving a great response last year, Qatar Watch Club returned with a series of panel discussions and educational workshops for the public. Independent Swiss watch brand Salon des Horlogers brought three luminaries of the independent watchmaking scene – Romain Gauthier, Ludovic Ballouard and Laurent Ferrier – to DJWE for the first time, giving visitors the rare chance to meet these masters and get hands-on experience with their timepieces. Objectif Horlogerie also offered demonstrations, while the De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds, in collaboration with UNI, hosted a daily diamond workshop with expert Rachel Sahar.

Source: Press release

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Binu Cherian

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