The 47th Watch & Jewellery Middle East Show, the largest and longest running event of its kind, concluded on a high note on Saturday. The show delivered top performance and generated new business and witnessed latest trends and innovations.

This edition has so far been the best in terms of jewellery purchase from both trade & general consumers, excellent visitor-traffic and hosted some exclusive jewellery displays for the first-time ever in the region.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, with the support of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the five-day event involved the participation of over 500 exhibitors and leading brands from around the world.

The bi-annual exhibition, which was hosted and organised by Expo Centre from October 1 to 5, has seen an exceptional presence of Emirati designers, showcasing their stunning collection of coloured gems and jewellery.

For the first time since the show’s inception 26 years ago, Brazil participated in the autumn edition, displaying more than 400 stunning creations and exquisite masterpieces of jewellery and gemstones with some distinctive collections, inspired by the Brazilian culture.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong also had a strong presence in this edition with a huge pavilion, bringing together 40 exhibiting jewellers and displaying an exquisite selection of precious jewellery, watches, diamonds and gemstones with classic, contemporary and modern designs.

Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, said: “The Watch and Jewellery exhibition has once again earned the trust of all exhibitors and helped them promote their creations to the region’s consumer sector. The event attracted a record number of visitors and jewellery aficionados and fashion magpies and effectively met their needs with diversified luxury brands of fine jewellery and watches, with the best deals at best prices, besides unbelievable valuable prizes in daily raffle draws”.

Al Midfa expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its infinite support to the exhibition and to Expo Centre Sharjah and for its constant efforts in ensuring to maintain the leading position of the event.

He also thanked all stakeholders who worked very hard to produce an event with such a resounding success, befitting the status of Sharjah as a significant global jewellery market.

The CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah stressed that the show has grown to be the flagship event of the centre, which has always been very keen to constantly develop its activities and programmes and promote its status locally, regionally and internationally.

“Expo Centre will spare no efforts to enhance the exhibition’s reputation as one of the region’s largest and most important events specialized in the design, manufacture and trade of jewellery, watches, gold, diamonds and precious stones,” Al Midfa noted.

Exhibiting companies expressed their great satisfaction with the event, praising its professional organisation especially since it was held over an area of 30,000 square metres, making it one of the Middle East’s largest shows in terms of occupied exhibition space

They also referred to the large number of visitors and the volume of deals and sales concluded during the five-day exhibition, adding that the autumn edition has so far been the best experience for them in the region.

They emphasised that the Watch & Jewellery Middle East Show tops their choices as the best platform to unveil their latest designs and showcase their brands to the Trade & general public, who are always expecting to see & buy the latest jewellery creations from around the world under a single-roof.

Gwen Dakisha Shenoy, of Shenoy Jewellery, which started-off its business in the UAE 25 year ago, highlighted his continuous interest to participate in Sharjah’s flagship event saying: “I have been participating in the exhibition since the first edition. I have been coming to both editions annually, given that this is an ideal platform to showcase our unique jewellery designs, in addition to being an important occasion to launch the latest fashion lines”.

For his part, Cem Terzihan of Terzihan Jewellery, Turkey, said: “This is the fourth time I’m taking part in the show and I’m willing to do so in the upcoming editions. This fantastic event provides us with many opportunities to share our culture and experiences, besides being a unique platform for commercial transactions and investments, as well as a favoured marketing place for our unique and distinctive designs that are widely accepted.”