Dubai Watch Week is coming in hot for its sixth edition, which means the watch industry is coming in hot… For Dubai.
Every autumn, as a white carpet descends with reassuring inevitability upon Switzerland’s watchmaking towns and villages, many of its inhabitants turn their attentions not to the glowing fires of their homes, but to heat from a different source; Dubai.
Synonymous with glitzy lifestyles, audacious skyscrapers and being a desert playground metropolis, Dubai is also hot, hot, hot for watchmaking. In fact, this November 16-20, Switzerland’s watchmaking enclaves are going to find themselves experiencing something that’s becoming as annually familiar as the snowfall – a mass exodus to the Middle East,
The growing popularity of Dubai Watch Week has in turn led to an increased demand for exclusive timepieces, prompting Swiss brands to establish a stronger presence in the region and even tailor specific designs and collections for the discerning Middle Eastern clientele.
Welcome to a Week of Haute Watchmaking
DWW unfurls in the centre of the desert emirate this winter for its sixth, sizzling edition. More than ss watch brands are participating in the five-day event, with many global launches tightly under wraps alongside the programme of stringently non.com mercial networking, mingling and hanging out.
“Our objective (was) to create an educational, experiential and networking event like no other,” explains Hind Abdul Magied Seddiqi, Director of Dubai Watch Week. “Dubai Watch Week is an unprecedented and inclusive experience, influencing the evolution of the global watch industry in a city that prioritises culture and innovation.” Open to all, the event encompasses exhibitions, networking spaces, and features the now highlight event that is the Horology Forum, a unique concept created by Dubai Watch Week.
An innovative twist on traditional panel-led discussions within the watch industry, the Horology Forum brings together renowned leaders from their respective fields to interact in panels that enlighten audiences and participants with unfiltered, passionate insights on top is across various industries not necessarily tied to the world of horology.
Dubai Watch Industry Trends
Although big brands dominate as elsewhere in the world, a desire and curiosity for independent watchmaking has flourished steadily over the past 20 years, It’s one reason why one Max Büsser, one of the industry’s biggest indie stars, swapped ice and snow for sand dunes and soaring temps.
Norquain recently partnered with Dubai Marathon as official timekeeper, Mean-while, well known brands such as Richard Mille sponsor Tour de France-winning UAE Team Emirates. The UAE’s approach to marketing has always been global: bigger, bet ter, and with a bang. It’s no surprise watch companies want a slice of the pie.
On Local Time…
In Dubai, watch connoisseurs and collec tors’ tastes have changed over the past three decades; watch clubs such as Emirates Watch Club and super influencers such as Arab Watch Guide lend their voice to the conversation around watches with increas ing influence, alongside a thriving local publishing scene, with print and digital amplifying brand stories,
The appetite for ‘regional exclusives’ is stronger than ever, and’one of a kind’ pieces and regional exclusives have become even more highly sought-after. Savvy brands understand this. During the goth anniversary of the UAE, brands including Moritz Grossman, H. Moser et Cie, De Bethune and Louis Moinet all released timepieces in homage to the UAE.
Pre-owned Watches get a Second Chapter
The Seddiqi family partnered with WatchBox to stake a strategic claim in the pre owned sector and bring the famed online reseller to Dubai. Second hand watches are now part of the scene in an increasingly sophisticated way, with auction houses also established firmly as part of the landscape.
Over the past few years, Dubai Watch Week has evolved into a ground breaking platform that not only showcases the region’s affinity for luxury timepieces but also cements its position as an integral part of the Swiss watchmaking universe. The impact of Dubai Watch Week is not confined solely to the event itself, Its influence has reverberated throughout the Middle East, sparking a surge of interest in luxury watches and fostering a vibrant community of watch enthusiasts and collectors.
