Al-Khalaf explaining a point at his company’s pavilion at the exhibition yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram
By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter
The region’s connoisseurs of jewels never compromise on their purchasing decisions at any point and hence only those pieces having utmost perfection and precision stand a chance to get a good buyer in such a vibrant market as Qatar.
“Here the consumers are very quality-conscious while deciding on an ornament purchase,” said Soud Ali al-Khalaf, vice-chairman of Arts & Gems. The Qatari jeweller has little doubt that local clients are extremely aware of the growing market trends.
The entrepreneur feels “finishing of the ornament” matters most in the jewels industry. A large number of customers, it seems, make their final decision on their jewel purchase based on this vital aspect, pointed out al-Khalaf, who travels across the world throughout the year to bring jewellery from the world’s best manufacturers to the country.
In a market that deals in millions and billions, only the best can survive in the long run, added the jeweller, insisting that only the best industry players are coming to market their metals at the Doha exhibition.
“Good things certainly cost a little more than others and that’s the main reason why most of the things showcased at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition are appearing to be catering only to the high-end market,” explained al-Khalaf.
The stalls at the massive exhibition venue are stocked with ornaments made of precious and semi-precious stones drawn from different parts of the world, such as South America, India, Myanmar and some African countries.
“A casual onlooker might not be able to distinguish between a multitude of things displayed in the showcases but discernible and regular consumers certainly can say without doubt which is the best and which are not,” said al-Khalaf, explaining the reasons for showcasing several ornaments prominently at the entrance of his independent pavilion at the venue.
He said this was the “second coming” for the company in the business. The firm was not active in the market between 2000 and 2009. “Our ongoing march has been fruitful so far and we hope to find more opportunities locally and across the region in the coming days,” added al-Khalaf.
