UAE unveils first locally-sourced gemstone from Fujairah mountains

Red jasper stone, named Spirit of the Emirates, has been used in two jewellery pieces by Emirati designer Fatima Al Muhairi

“Spirit of the Emirates” on display at 57th Middle East Watch and Jewellery Show. Photo: Wam

A gemstone from Fujairah has been unveiled as the first sourced in the UAE.

The natural red jasper was extracted from the Al Siji region and has been named Spirit of the Emirates. It was presented at the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show in Sharjah, where Emirati designer Fatima Al Muhairi revealed two pieces made using the material.

The gemstone was sourced through a collaboration between the Emirati Goldsmiths Platform and Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation.

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According to the platform, the jasper stone has a natural red hue, a hardness level of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale and a waxy-to-glassy lustre. Jasper is commonly used in jewellery and decorative objects, and the material’s durability makes it suitable for set pieces.

Al Muhairi, described as the first internationally accredited young Emirati specialist in gemmology, created two designs to mark the launch.

The gemstone was sourced from Fujairah's Al Siji area. Photo: WAM

The first piece, also called Spirit of the Emirates, includes references to the mountain from which the stone was sourced, as well as a palm tree and architectural details inspired by Al Muwaiji Fort. The design also includes a natural pearl, linking the gemstone with the UAE’s pearl heritage.

Her second piece, Erth, is a brooch in the shape of a camel’s head. It combines the Fujairah jasper with a pearl from Al Suwaidi Pearls Farm in Ras Al Khaimah.

Mona Al Suwaidi, director of the executive office of the chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and head of the Emirati Goldsmiths Platform, said the launch followed work with Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation to make locally sourced geological materials available to Emirati designers.

The Emirati Goldsmiths Platform took part in the 57th Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show at Expo Centre Sharjah with 20 designers from across the UAE, including seven first-time female participants.

The showcase also included Al Shoufa, featuring designs by people of determination, as well as work by Durri Jewellery, an Emirati brand presenting contemporary collections centred on natural pearls and UAE-cultured marine pearls.