Horological Mecca
Growing from strength to strength, Dubai Watch Week 2019 delivered such a formidable showcase of immense sophistication and passion for horology that others might want to start taking notes.
WHAT PURPOSE DO watch fairs serve today when news and information about the industry as well as the latest novelties get instantly delivered straight to our phones? If last November’s Dubai Watch Week was anything to go by, such events are more relevant and needed than ever before. The key is to prioritise the end-user experience and be equally attentive to different groups of visitors while letting your passion for watches lead the way.
For the fourth edition of Dubai Watch Week, people from all corners of the world – and all corners of the watch industry – convened over a shared passion for horology. The organiser was leading Dubai-based luxury watch retailer, Seddiqi & Sons, which took over the open area of Gate Village at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Under the imposing 15m-tall arc, the exhibition hall housed 36 of the world’s most illustrious watch brands.
Unlike Any Other
Most notably, even Rolex joined the party last year, bringing along a mini-exhibition of the iconic Submariner collection plus a selection of vintage timepieces and Middle East special-edition watches. Seddiqi & Sons operates the world’s biggest Rolex boutique and Dubai Watch Week is the only watch event outside Switzerland that showcases Rolex.
Chopard as well set up a unique space spotlighting its latest Alpine Eagle collection, launched in late
2019. The brand also took this opportunity to engage the local community on the topic of sustainability, introducing the newly founded Eagle Wings Foundation, of which Chopard co-founder KarlFriedrich Scheufele is a founding member.
But Dubai Watch Week is more than an exhibition of beautiful timepieces. Apart from watch brands, the organiser enlivened the event with auction house Christie’s and pre-owned watch retailer WatchBox, whom Seddiqi & Sons had recently partnered with on a new boutique at DIFC.
An unexpected move but one that’s perfectly germane to watch appreciation since the secondary market, some might argue, is the real market.
Covering both aspects of the industry, primary and secondary markets, is just one way Dubai Watch Week stays ahead of its peers. Says Hind Seddiqi, chief marketing and communications officer of Seddiqi Holding: “Listening is the only way to remain relevant. If you don’t listen, how can you survive? Our mandate is not to force the youth to wear watches. It is to encourage them to appreciate watchmaking as art.”
Indeed, Dubai Watch Week was an all-inclusive event where every member of the family was engaged. Christie’s held an auction for young children; various masterclasses invited young adults to try their hands at watchmaking, engraving, miniature painting and more; there was an open studio for anyone and everyone to share their passion for horology; and trendy homegrown burger joint Salt set up shop on the premises. At every level, Dubai Watch Week is literally making watch collecting fun again.
Dubai Watch Week is the only watch event outside Switzerland that showcases Rolex.
“Success is always under construction. It’s never finished.” – Chef Izu Ani
Class In Session
What better way is there to appreciate timepieces than to learn and experience how they’re made? Miniature painting, chamfering, watchmaking, brush making, hand-engraving and watch design workshops showcased the finer side of horology. There were even classes on how to pamper your beloved timepieces using cleansing lotions, preservative perfumes and handcrafted instruments! Christie’s also held art and watch appreciation classes to delve deeper into this beautiful universe.
Dubai Watch Week is not just about watches. It’s a place for horology experts to gather and share their views on some of the most pertinent issues facing the industry today. Full-house attendances at the Horology
Forum and the Creative Hub demonstrated Seddiqi & Sons’ keen understanding of the business and top concerns of its customers.
Discussion topics were particularly well thoughtout and they included retailer waitlists, buying and selling your watches, the journey to watch collecting, the state of the industry, what the industry needs, and the difference between good and great marketing. Headlining some of these talks were Jean-Claude Biver, master watchmaker Philippe Dufour, Instagrammer Shameonwrist, Danny Govberg of WatchBox,
Max Büsser of MB&F, and horology experts James Dowling, Ariel Adams, Eric Tortella and more.
Full-house attendances at the Horology Forum and the Creative Hub demonstrated Seddiqi & Sons’ keen understanding of the business and top concerns of its customers.