The UAE has its fair share of watch shops, one cannot walk through the smallest of neighbourhood malls without seeing at least one shop selling them.
The passion for watches in the UAE has spawned the Dubai Watch Week – a five-day event that starts on October 18.
Several watchmakers including Bovet, Cabestan, De Bethune, Greubel Forsey, Hautlence, Laurent Ferrier, MB&F, H. Moser & Cie, Richard Mille, and Urwerk will be showcasing innovations at the event.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is a true blue- blooded Swiss watchmaker that dates to the first half of the nineteenth century, founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833. In fact from the late 19th century to the early part of the 20th, there was a little bit of LeCoultre in most of the best Swiss watches.
LeCoultre produced movement blanks for Patek Philippe, made entire watches for Cartier and supplied IWC, Breguet, and Audmars Piguet among others with key components.
It has celebrities such as Bill Clinton and Jay-Z among its admirers.
Daniel Riedo, the chief executive, said that the company now has a UAE following with watches ranging from “the affordable” €5,000 to €30,000 (Dh20,487 to Dh122,926) range to the top end at €100,000-€500,000.
It has three standalone stores in the UAE in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Mall, Dubai Mall and Etihad Towers.
“We are always looking for opportunities to expand,” said Mr Riedo. “However one of the key points about Jaeger-LeCoultre is exclusivity and we don’t want to be in every mall.”
The brand has hundreds of inventions and ore than 1,000 calibres to its name, including the world’s smallest calibre, one of the world’s most complicated wristwatches and a timepiece of near-perpetual movement.
It’s history is important but the internet and globalisation has seen the brand become an international player with 75 standalone boutiques in several cities worldwide.
“There is definitely a large appetite for high-end watches in the Middle East,” says Marc de Panafieu, brand director for Jaeger-LeCoultre. “Dubai especially because of the amount of tourists. The higher appetite for luxury is obvious. Luxury is far more accepted here. The Middle East customer likes large watches, and gems are appreciated and they are not afraid to show them off.”
The watch show is to be held from October 18 to 22 at Dubai International Financial Centre. Highlights of the show are to include: a chance to apply for a 3 month internship at Ahmed Seddiqi Jewellers; There will be a $35,000 scholarship in watchmaking on offer at WOSTEP-CH; workshops and masterclasses explaining the craftsmanship behind making fine timepieces; and an opportunity to view all the 72 watches that are finalists for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the world’s foremost watchmaking competition.
ascott@thenational.ae
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