Jewellery and watches show attracts over 15,000 visitors

Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) 2017 attracted more than 15,000 visitors, the organisers announced yesterday at the event’s conclusion.The six-day show had both visitors and exhibitors agreeing “it was an exceptional experience,” they said in a press statement.Precious jewels and timepieces from over 400 brands were shown and sold by 40 exhibitors at the exhibition, which was held under the theme ‘Once upon a time… luxury’. Also, unique visitor experiences enabled more than 500 people to delve into the world of artisanship, creating special memories at watch-making workshops by Objectif Horlogerie and portraiture sessions at Studio Harcourt, the statement noted. Ahmed al-Obaidli, director of exhibitions at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), said: “DJWE this year has told its visitors wonderful stories of luxury and history, and we are proud to count DJWE as one of our own success stories; a testament to the potential that the business events sector in Qatar holds.”“We owe this success entirely to the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani,” he added, stressing that they enjoyed an “exceptional start” to this year’s calendar of exhibitions and business events and looked forward to sharing more successes with visitors through the rest of 2017. Al-Obaidli also thanked the Ministry of Interior and General Customs Authority for facilitating the entry of “all the elements needed to make this show complete”.The spacious Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre enabled Qatar’s premier retailers to bring creative flair to their exhibition pavilions - taking visitors on a journey of art, elegance and legacy. Bader Abdullah al-Darwish, chairman and managing director of Darwish Holding, said: “We are honoured to be part of the 14th edition of the DJWE, an event that has become the highlight of the calendar for the watches and jewellery sector in Qatar and reflects the country’s status as a world-class destination.”  “This year, Fifty One East is proud to stand hand in hand with the Young Qatari Designers initiative. It has always been essential to us that we help realise their ambitions. They are the base for the economic and social development of Qatar.”Sharing her experience of the show, Dana Alfardan, vice-president of Alfardan Jewellery, said: “Since the first edition of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, Alfardan Jewellery has been keen to support the show and exceed visitor expectations by showcasing the most exclusive and unique high-end brands in the watches and jewellery industry.” According to Jamil al-Majed, vice-chairman of Al Majed Jewellery, “This edition of DJWE has brought us new visitor experiences, raised the profile of Qatar and contributed to the nation’s economic growth. We are honoured to be part of this world-class event.” Aman Shahani, director of communications at Amiri Gems, added: “It is always a great pleasure to be part of DJWE. This premier event shines a spotlight on the region’s expanding portfolio of brands, which includes innovative new brands and luxury international jewellery houses from across the globe.” This year’s edition featured a new initiative, the Young Qatari Designers, a dedicated exhibition space that shined a spotlight on the country’s emerging talent. The initiative included Fajr al-Attiya (Trifoglio), Ghada al-Bouanain (Ghada Al Bouanian), Nada al-Sulaiti (Hairaat), Noor Alfardan (Noudar), Nouf al-Meer (Nouf Jewellery) and Sarah al-Hammadi (Sarah’s & Co). Al-Sulaiti said, “Dreams do come true: that is what we have learnt from this promising initiative. We thank HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, for his support and we promise to do our best for Qatar. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Qatar Tourism Authority and the sponsors for facilitating this.”  Brands at DJWE unveiled special events at their booths. Swiss diamond house Mouawad, revealed a $3.5mn jewellery box encrusted with diamonds, sapphires and lapis lazuli, which was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s most valuable jewellery box. Meanwhile, Robert Wan, House of Pearls offered ‘Pearlsonality tests’ that enabled participants to discover which pearls suited their character.DJWE 2017 was brought to its visitors by QTA together with this year’s partners, Auditoire.