The 16th edition of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) concluded on Monday on a high note, with more than 27,000 visitors over six days, and is the largest exhibition by far with more than 500 participating brands from over 10 countries. The DJWE saw the participation of the Young Qatari Designers (YQD) initiative for the third year in a row, where a special pavilion was dedicated to 12 young Qatari designers, under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Ahmed al-Obaidly of the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) said, “We are delighted with the success of the exhibition this year at the level of local and international participation, the level of public interest and interaction with the events, and the speakers at the forum and workshops.
“Through the QNTC, we are working to strengthen the contribution of business to the development of the tourism sector and the strengthening of the national economy, given the advantage in terms of increasing the rate of tourism spending, and supporting the areas of aviation, hospitality, and transport, as well as other partner sectors.”
The ‘DJWE Forum’ returned for the second year with the participation of Qatari and international experts, designers, and professors of history and arts in the jewellery and watches industry. Among the prominent speakers were Alex Popov, president of the Moscow Diamond Exchange; Geoffroy Ader of Artcurial; and Melvyn Kirtley, senior gemologist at Tiffany & Co.
The sessions included discussions on Qatar's rich heritage and the history of jewellery and pearls in Qatar. Among the distinguished academic speakers at the forum were Dr Najla Ismail and Dr Jochen Sokoly, with Aisha Alfardan giving a presentation about the rare Alfardan family natural pearls.
Prestigious French watchmaker Objectif Horlogerie presented free ‘Discover Watchmaking’ workshops, and renowned expert Geoffroy Ader, who presented daily high-level educational talks with the Qatar Watch Club, in co-operation with the Turkish Watches Club. Jewellery workshops discussed precious stones and evaluation of diamonds.
A charity auction was hosted on February 24, and led by auctioneer Geoffroy Ader from Artcurial and moderated by Habib Tamimi. The auction benefitted ‘Education Above All’, a global movement that contributes to human, social and economic development through the provision of quality education.
A dedicated Indian Pavilion marked the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019. Visitors were also treated to a special visit by internationally-renowned Bollywood actress and style influencer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who visited the Indian Pavilion, accompanied by Indian ambassador P Kumaran.
Sheikh Nawaf Nasser bin Khaled al-Thani said: “Amiri Gems is proud to be part of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition since its inception. This reiterates our commitment towards the national events that contribute in accomplishing a diversified economy and support the pillars of the 2030 National Vision.”
Alfardan Group vice chairman and Alfardan Jewellery president Ali Alfardan said: “Once again, Alfardan Jewellery proved an exceptional presence during the exhibition – pushing boundaries to showcase one-of-a-kind pieces by exclusive high-end leading brands in the industry and their very own Qatari-made and inspired magnificent gem jewellery.
“Alfardan Jewellery also introduced for the first time Tiffany & Co at our pavilion. We have also introduced several new exciting designers for the first time in Qatar. We thank all our customers and visitors for their part and support in making this year’s event a great success as always.”
Fifty One East chairman and managing director Bader al-Darwish said, “This is a particularly special year for Fifty One East as we celebrate 70 years of market presence, bringing light to the lives of our valued clientele by offering them an impeccable customer experience and the finest brands the world has to offer. Equally valued are the strong relationships we have with these brands, many of which are partnerships nurtured over decades.”
Al Majed Jewellery vice chairman Jamil bin Mahdi al-Majed said, “We would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for visiting Al Majed Jewellery Pavilion during the exhibition. We are honoured to have been one of the first founders of DJWE and to see the growth in the number of visitors year by year. We are extremely proud of our own successes and achievements that enable us to contribute to strengthening the local market.”
