More consumers in the Middle East are being duped into buying genuine luxury watches that have been embellished with inexpensive or fake diamonds, an industry association says.
Omar Chaoui, the Middle East delegate for the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, said the trend had picked up pace in the region as consumers sought bargains amid economic uncertainty.
"Go have a look at the gold souq and you will see some jewellers that have watches exhibited that are sold as new watches or second-hand watches that are diamond set," he said. "Take a picture of that watch and I dare you to go find that exact same kind of setting on the brand's website. You will not."
The increase in tampering comes after the luxury watch industry was hit hard last year. Global exports of Swiss timepieces last year fell to 13.2 billion Swiss francs (Dh41.97bn), down by 22.3 per cent from 2008, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reported. The value of the UAE's imports fell to 438 million francs.
There are signs of recovery so far this year. Switzerland's watch exports in the first quarter rose 16.6 per cent from the same period last year, federation figures show. In the UAE, imports of the timepieces jumped 49.1 per cent to 144.1m francs.
Sales of counterfeit goods are also on the rise, according to the Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG), based in Dubai. A 2006 study conducted by BPG estimates they could be worth as much as US$670m (Dh2.46bn).
The quality of fake products globally is improving, making it more difficult to detect, said Mr Chaoui. And the embellished products add a new dimension, because the goods are partially genuine. Retailers will buy the high-end watches, alter them and then sell them with the original box and documentation.
But consumers later find the original manufacturer may not honour the warranty because the watch has been tampered with, he said. He advised people to be sceptical of bargains.
"You want to buy a genuine product, make sure you buy it from an official retailer."
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
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MATCH INFO
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Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
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Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Race%20card
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Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
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NBA Finals results
Game 1: Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114
Game 2: Warriors 122, Cavaliers 103
Game 3: Cavaliers 102, Warriors 110
Game 4: In Cleveland, Sunday (Monday morning UAE)
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
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Account Number: 11 530 734
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To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.