Luxurious pieces on display at Arts & Gems pavilion

CATHERINE W GICHUKI DOHA Luxurious pieces of jewellery and watches are on display at the Arts & Gems pavilion at the ongoing Doha Jewellery and Watches Ex...

CATHERINE W GICHUKIDOHA Luxurious pieces of jewellery and watches are on display at the Arts & Gems pavilion at the ongoing Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE), which opened at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center on Monday. A number of companies showcasing timeless watches and elegant pieces of jewellery are housed in this company which is 100 percent Qatari-owned. These companies are Gema by Arts & Gems, Kaltham Jewelry, Noor Jewels, Jaipur Gems, Purity Jewelry, Hazoorilal Legacy, Vama Jewelry, Amayra Jewelry (Bagrecha), Imperia Jewelry (Peace Gems), Al Hasimi Pearls (Prive pearl) and Nigam (Oriental Gemco). Arts & Gems Vice-Chairman Soud Ali Al Khalaf told Qatar Tribune that the company was established by his father in 1979 and in 2009, the company became 100 percent Qatari-owned. “Since then, we started being active in exhibitions and we started selecting many jewellery products suitable for our markets,” he informed.He said this was the seventh time they were participating in DJWE. He expressed optimism that the 18th edition of the DJWE would be a success just like the previous ones.“The last two years have been challenging for everyone because of the COVID-19 pandemic. DJWE has given us a chance to meet with our partners who participate in DJWE,” he added.Khalaf said that this year some brands are participating with them for the first time from Hongkong, Belgium and one from India. He said that her sister has established the Gema line under Arts & Gems which he hoped will be a success, adding that two big companies - Hazoorilal Legacy and Jaipur Gems from India - are among the companies participating under Arts & Gems.“A company like Nigam has participated with us for sixth time; Vama for the fifth time and Purity Jewellery for the second or third time and we have a long-standing relationship with these companies,” Khalaf said.He said that these companies have unique items – jewellery which is of 18-carat gold and diamond. These companies participate with the best quality of gold and diamonds. We also have companies specialising in natural pearls,” he added. Khalaf said that their jewellery features Arabian, European and Indian styles, among others. “India is very famous with traditional jewellery. These partners who have joined us have their styles too, and that’s what makes Arts&Gems more attractive to our clients,” he said.Talking about Qatar Tourism giving exhibitors a platform, Khalaf said, “They know what a client requires and they are very flexible. They always provide us with support that we need.”He said that DJWE is a wonderful opportunity for Qatari designers to be exposed to different ideas, meet with suppliers and manufacturers, and exchange knowledge with people from different parts of the world, which ‘helps them to improve their skills and knowledge’.According to him, Arts & Gems tries to support young designers by giving them a platform to exhibit with them. “In 2016 or 2017, a young designer from Saudi Arabia participated with us, and many others have become renowned international designers. We are here to support young people,” he said.He said that DJWE was a great platform for exchanging ideas.