Young Qatari Designers, an initiative by Qatar’s luxury retail destination Fifty-One East, was presented for the first time at this year’s Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition, which concluded on February 25. The project provided a free platform for six emerging jewellery designers to display and sell their wide-ranging creations. Here are some of the standout pieces and concepts.
Bridal jewellery by Sarah Al Hammadi
The in-house designer of Sarah’s & Co specialises in extravagant wedding jewellery. From five-carat cushion diamond rings and classic heart-shaped solitaire necklaces to bracelets and necklaces with floral motifs and multiple strands, Al Hammadi seeks to create “rich but clean pieces that marry Arabian and western designs by creating jewels that would befit brides who are at once forthright, elegant and modern”. Pictured: Four-strand bridal necklace.
Arabesque patterns by Noor Al Fardan
The founder of Noudar Jewels and member of the prominent Al Fardan family is known for her five-in-one ring sets and finger bracelets, although she has now expanded her collections to include chokers, bangles and stacked multicoloured cocktail rings. Al Fardan’s designs are greatly influenced by elements of Arabian and Islamic culture, such as lacy henna patterns, Omani daggers, evil-eye motifs and hamsa amulets. Pictured: Ring set and finger bracelet
Sakura necklace by Nada Al Sulaiti
The founder of Hairaat Fine Jewellery travelled to Europe and Far Asia to take courses in gemmology and jewellery design. In 2015, she won the Golden Award at the A’Design Competition for her Sakura necklace, which is inspired by Japanese cherry blossoms and was displayed at the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition this year. The cascading necklace has rotating flowers in various hues of pink, as well as green jewelled leaves. For Al Sulaiti, who is interested in the concept of wearable art, designing jewellery is “like miniature architecture — it needs science and art to make the perfect piece”. Pictured: Sakura necklace
Clover designs by Fajr Al Attiyar
The designer and mum-of-five is enamoured with clover flower heads, and has even named her company, Trifoglio, after this symbol of good luck. Her three- and four-leaf clover designs span costume jewellery, semi-precious coloured gemstones and diamond-studded pieces in white and yellow gold. Al Attiyar also customises her designs by incorporating her buyers’ gemstones of choice, realising that the symbolism behind birthstones and other lucky charms plays a big part in the jewellery that we own. Pictured: Four-leaf clover designs
Pride of Arabia by Nouf Al Meer
The founder of Nouf Jewellery is inspired by the symbolism and colours found in nature. She looks to create pieces that reflect originality and gallantry. Accordingly, Al Meer’s Pride collection includes pendants, bracelets and earrings featuring bejewelled Arabian horses, a motif she describes as “symbolic of chivalry, power and nobility”. Al Meer’s pieces are also available at Bloomingdale’s in The Dubai Mall. Pictured: Pendant and earrings from the Pride collection
Pipes and fences by Ghada Al Bouanain
While gold, platinum and other sparkly materials form the base of her pieces, Al Bouanain always looks to incorporate unconventional materials in her creations. For her first collection, Pipe in Gold, she was inspired by the pipes found in a garage, using this rather rigid shape to dramatic effect in bracelets and earrings. Of her second collection, she says: “Although the new collection is called Digital Garden, it is only the fence I have incorporated, with a lone flower or two emerging from the slates.” Pictured: Bracelets from Digital Garden, left, and Pipe in Gold collections
