You’ve heard people mentioning it. You’ve probably seen signs about advertising it. But exactly what is Dubai Watch Week? And, more importantly, why should you care?
Well, watch enthusiast or not, you’ve come to the right place – as few people know more about the Middle East’s passion for mechanical watchmaking than us here at Esquire Middle East, and – put plainly – Dubai Watch Week is essentially the regional championships in this space.
Running from Thursday November 16 to Monday November 20, 2023 – in Dubai’s financial heartland of DIFC, the highly-anticipated event celebrates horology, the luxury industry, as well as intersecting industries such as design and automotive.
Founded as a non-commercial, and community building event by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons in 2015, the bi-annual event supports initiatives with similar values, fosters communities, and creates unique opportunities for networking and creative exchange.
This year will be the sixth (and largest) edition of the event, which will be held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council.
The event is free and open to UAE residents and visitors from the watch community and beyond, providing a unique opportunity to explore the latest trends in the industry.
What happens at Dubai Watch Week?
More than 60 of the world’s most iconic watch brands will showcase their latest timepieces, with many expected to unveil limited editions exclusively launched at the event.
Dubai Watch Week will also feature renowned speakers like François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet; Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, Chief Commercial Officer of Seddiqi Holding; Daniela Dufour, Watchmaker; Jean Arnault, Watch Director at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton; Nicholas Foulkes, Author & Historian; George Bamford, Founder of Bamford Watch Department; Austen Chu, Founder & CEO of Wristcheck; Tim Mosso, Watch Specialist & Media Director at WatchBox and Wei Koh, Founder of Grail Watch and Revolution Watch.
Leading brands including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, TUDOR, Hublot, Chopard, Ulysse Nardin, Girard-Perregaux, Van Cleef & Arpels, CHANEL, and Bulgari will have stand-alone spaces on-site.
For those looking to get a bit more ‘hands on’, the event will host 11 different masterclasses and workshops that you can sign up to, including an Emirati Safeefah leather bracelet-making workshop led by Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council and much more.
Complimenting the masterclasses are a series of sessions at the Creative Hub. There you can sign up to join in on discussions led by industry experts, such as a conversation the titan that is Mr. Jean-Claude Biver who will share his transformative influence on the watch industry. There will also be Horology Forum panels taking place, including the first-ever Arabic panel, so be sure to stop by.
Register for the sixth edition of Dubai Watch Week now and book sessions, by clicking here. Download the app for Android or iOS to learn more. Entry to the event is free.
Thu Nov 16-Mon Nov 20.The Gate, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), dubaiwatchweek.com.
