The 13th edition of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE), held under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, concluded Saturday.

Organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and delivered by Elan Group, DJWE 2016 took place at the recently-opened Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) for the first time.

More than 500 brands of jewels and watches exhibited at DJWE, giving visitors the opportunity to “enjoy spectacular one-offs, new models of watches and works of art in precious metals and gems”, according to a statement.

“The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition has enjoyed a superb week, during which visitor response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Ahmed al-Mulla, chief operations officer of Elan Entertainment. “Everyone involved has worked hard to make this edition of DJWE the best ever, and we are delighted with the result.”

Visitors from Doha, the region and abroad were impressed by the brand-new displays and also praised the new location, DECC, the statement noted.

DJWE 2016 also saw the introduction of new activities such as workshops for enthusiasts and designers to see experts at work, and a number of information seminars on jewellery and watches.

Innovative Swiss watchmakers Cabestan outlined the unique chain-driven system, underlying their elite exclusive range, while New-York-based jewellery house David Webb spoke about the timeless modernity of the founder’s enduringly desirable designs.

The Doha exhibition permits exhibitors to sell directly to visitors. The International Gemological Institute (IGI) attended DJWE for the first time, as the world’s largest independent gem certification and appraisal institute for diamonds, coloured gemstones and jewellery.

The IGI brought Doha’s first ever mobile diamond jewellery testing laboratory to provide potential buyers with on-the-spot, world-respected accreditation of the quality of each and every gem exhibited.

The more recherché luxury watch manufacturers demonstrated different brands of signature exclusivity.

TAG Heuer took the opportunity to unveil a completely new watch, Connected, with three digital watch dials (known as faces) reproducing the appearance and function of a traditional dial from TAG Heuer’s Carrera collection.

Exclusive watch personalisation expert George Bamford outlined the possibilities of a range of intricately personalised coating and engraving services designed for steel sports watches.

Celebrated jewellers also unveiled new, one-off pieces with fascinating stories behind the stunning appearance. Tahitian pearl jeweller Robert Wan revealed a black pearl collar 40 years in the making, on show for the first time at DJWE 2016, while renowned jeweller Moussaieff brought a rare colour-changing necklace of pink and purple sapphires and London-based Glenn Spiro a beryl necklace containing a stone gifted in the 1920s by a Romanov exiled in Paris.

Each jewel exhibited at DJWE was evaluated before arrival for size, clarity and quality, and the exhibition standards allowed entry to only the world’s most precious metals: platinum, palladium, pure and sterling silver, and white, yellow, and rose gold.

“With new, more stringent selection criteria in place, and an abundance of rare and one-off creations, this year’s showcase for the world’s loveliest gems has reaffirmed Doha’s eminence among locations renowned for luxury,” the statement added.

The DJWE is organised by QTA as part of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 to attract more visitors to the country.

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