The 15th installment of the widely acclaimed Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) has helped create a healthy and competitive market in Qatar, according to the founder of a longstanding jewellery brand.

“Because of the show, more brands are coming in at very competitive prices, and everybody gets to participate in the exhibition,” Butani Jewellery founder and chairman Papu Butani told Gulf Times.
Butani, whose jewellery company is based in Hong Kong, noted that the brand is widely accepted in the Qatari market.
“Unlike 20 years ago, Qatari ladies today are into jewellery, they know their subject, and they really know what they are buying. When they come to us, we are sometimes puzzled that how they know so much?” said Butani.
“I think we have a very good rapport with the Qatari market. Our stall is one of the biggest inside the Alfardan Jewellery pavilion and we have a lot of people coming in and out buying jewellery, so I think we are doing something that is attracting many Qataris,” continued Butani, who has shared a relationship with Alfardan Jewellery since 1976.
Butani also lauded Alfardan Group, citing its diversified business portfolio. “Alfaradan has grown in a tremendous way and has expanded its business successfully. I think the business has progressed a lot and if they had grown the same goes for suppliers and exhibition participants like us.”


Butani Jewellery founder and chairman Papu Butani. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam.


Since establishing the company in Hong Kong 45 years ago, Butani said he and his family had been hands on in running the business.
“This is why we can deal directly with the customers and they know that they’re dealing directly with the bosses, and pricewise we don’t have to wait for anything and we can make instant decisions, so probably that’s one of the reasons we are doing better than many,”
Butani said the company lauches new collections every year during the DJWE. “Since we are wholesalers as well as retailers, we move our products very fast; we don’t sit on a product. What we have brought last year, I don’t think we have many pieces from previous collections today. Every time we come here we always offer a new collection.”
He added: “We have six designers, three from Italy and three from our region because we are based in Hong Kong, and we give them a lot of input coming from our customers. We always have new products on our hand.”

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