The seventh edition of Dubai Watch Week has kicked off in magnificent fashion at Burj Park, Dubai Mall, creating an expansive 200,000-square-foot paradise for watch aficionados and collectors from around the world. This prestigious event brings together legendary watch houses boasting centuries of heritage alongside bold independent creators, uniting the entire spectrum of horological excellence under one spectacular roof.
Record-Breaking Participation and Grand Opening
The official inauguration ceremony featured prominent addresses from Hind Seddiqi, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Seddiqi Holding and CEO of Dubai Watch Week, alongside Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chairman of Seddiqi Holding. Their speeches beautifully highlighted the event's deep family roots while presenting a progressive vision for the global watch industry's future.
This year's edition marks a significant milestone with participation from over 90 brands, representing a massive 46% increase compared to the previous edition. The exhibitor list spans historic watch manufacturers with centuries of expertise to innovative independent designers pushing creative boundaries. Unlike conventional luxury watch fairs, the festival's layout creatively integrates art installations, interactive displays, and community learning experiences, fostering an immersive environment that encourages exploration beyond timepieces alone.
Interactive Experiences and Educational Highlights
Brands have introduced distinctive activations to engage visitors throughout the event:
- Girard Perregaux presents a racing-inspired driving simulator that perfectly aligns with its automotive-themed watch collections
- Van Cleef & Arpels merges poetic watch artistry with Middle Eastern cultural influences, blending exceptional craftsmanship with storytelling
- Bonhams operates a public watch valuation booth, offering valuable insights into vintage watch investment and appraisal processes
A historic moment unfolded with the first-ever CEO roundtable discussion, gathering industry titans including Georges Kern of Breitling, Ilaria Resta of Audemars Piguet, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele of Chopard, and Julien Tornare of Hublot. This exclusive discussion provided attendees with unprecedented access to the strategies and challenges shaping luxury watchmaking's future trajectory.
Exclusive Timepieces Steal the Spotlight
Several limited-edition masterpieces made stunning debuts during the opening day:
Mattar Bin Lahej x Octo Finissimo: This remarkable 40mm titanium watch, limited to just 70 pieces, features exquisite Arabic calligraphy engraving on the case, bracelet, and dial. The design draws inspiration from a quote by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum: "The future will be for those who can imagine, design, and implement it. The future does not wait, but it can be designed and built today." The timepiece houses the sophisticated BVL 138 ultra-thin automatic movement with micro-rotor, showcasing hand-finished Côtes de Genève, chamfering, and perlage.
Louis Vuitton Escale Limited Edition: Two elegant 40mm models, each capped at 30 pieces, feature stunning turquoise and malachite dials complemented by matching stone rings encircling the case. Platinum craftsmanship extends to the lugs, bezel, crown, and caseback. The LFT023 automatic calibre includes a beautiful rose-gold micro-rotor, visible through the transparent caseback. Each piece required meticulous hand-cutting and polishing to accommodate the unique properties of individual stones, paired with textured Saffiano leather straps.
Norqain Wild One Meteorite Special Edition: This marks Norqain's first timepiece featuring authentic iron meteorite, highlighting the natural Widmanstätten pattern that makes each dial completely unique. Housed in a 42mm burgundy Norteq carbon-fibre case, the watch contains the Norqain Manufacture Calibre NN20/1 by Kenissi, which is COSC-certified and visible through a sapphire crystal caseback.
Audemars Piguet Celebrates 150 Years with House of Wonders
To commemorate its 150th anniversary, Audemars Piguet has brought its spectacular House of Wonders, a 1,000-square-meter traveling exhibition, to Dubai. This immersive experience reimagines the brand's 1875 headquarters and includes multiple fascinating sections:
- Clock Room, Gallery of Time, Mechanical Secrets, and Astronomical Observatory
- Archival documents, rare complications, and contemporary designs tracing watchmaking evolution
- A forward-looking Lab section emphasizing innovation and collaboration
Visitors can participate in exclusive masterclasses and a special panel discussion with the Dubai Future Foundation, highlighting the crucial role of cooperation and innovation in shaping Swiss horology's future direction.
