Valuable delights at world luxury expo

By JoeyAguilar/Staff ReporterThe ongoing World Luxury Expo features some of the most expensive and valuable products, such as Steinway & Sons’ “fully-crystallised” pianos, Kashperia’s Pashmina shawls and Pablo Picasso’s original paintings.The expo, which was officially opened yesterday, will run until November 16 at The St Regis Doha.Steinway’s 9-ft-wide “Model D” may cost around QR750,000, while the price of a custom “fully-crystallised” grand piano can reach as much as QR12mn. Although the new concept was launched about four months ago, some institutions - like a music school in Qatar - have already placed their orders.An official said their company also features a high-end audio system, the whole package pegged at QR900,000. It comes with furniture pieces from Italy: a normal living room set handcrafted and designed by a specialist.Tanveer Basharut from Kashperia showed some of their limited-edition items such as the Yoouquna (QR60,000), a fabric that keeps a person warm during winter and cool during summer. “We brought only three pieces because this is a limited edition. It’s our first time to introduce it in Doha,” he said. “This intricate work is all hand-made.” They also have the Guthrah (QR5,000), a favourite fabric of Qataris during the winter. The company has a showroom at The Pearl-Qatar.For art lovers, there are Picasso’s original paintings, Portrait of Vollard (1937) and Still Life With Red Pitcher (1955). The exhibits also include Roy Lichtenstein’s 1963 silkscreen work - “Crying Girl”.The expo also showcases luxury automobiles such as Lamborghini, Audi, Mercedes-Benz as well as Harley-Davidson motorcycles.