19th MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show to host 225 exhibitors

Besides, national pavilions from Hong Kong - China, India, Italy, Turkey, and Russia, will also be hosted at the Show.

Among the countries from where a majority of the exhibitors would be participating at the event are Bahrain, Hong Kong - China, India, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, and the UAE.

The coming edition, occupying a total exhibitions space of 10,800 sq. m. as compared to 8,000 sq. m in the last edition, will display some of the latest and most exotic designs.

Given that the Show is the Middle East's first jewellery exhibition that will display the 2005-06 autumn and winter collection, a stream of jewellery connoisseurs from across the Middle East region will be visiting the event.

Like in the past, visitors to the Show will be treated to the most fascinating and wide range of choices in gold and diamond jewellery.

The MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show is a bi-annual event held under the patronage of H.H.Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Crown Prince And Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

"The population in the Middle East has always had a very strong affinity towards diamond and gold jewellery. That affinity is growing stronger every day," said Mr. Fasahat Ali Khan, Acting Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

"The year 2005 is considered to be an excellent period for the UAE gold and diamond trade in terms of consumption as well as price. Gold is forecast to climb to USD $ 500 per ounce by the end of 2005. As far as consumption goes, it is expected to continue receiving major boost from strong oil prices leading to rising GDP of the Gulf States. The regional diamond trade too never looked better. The UAE, by opening a Diamond Exchange and implementing the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) has consolidated its position as a major diamond trading hub in the region,"

said Mr. Khan.

Mr. Khan further said that while on one hand the MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show was an ideal platform for jewellers from across the globe for reaching out to an affluent population with strong affinity to gold and diamond jewellery from across the Middle East, on the other, for prospective buyers, there was no other venue that offered such wide ranging choices under one roof.

According to the World Gold Council (WGC), the UAE's gold consumption in terms of tonnage will rise by 13 to 15 per cent in 2005 compared to last year.

On the diamond trading front, UAE exported and re-exported rough diamonds worth Dhs 5.4 billion in 2004 compared to Dhs 4.4 billion the year before that. Its import of rough diamonds reached Dhs 3.2 billion in 2004 compared to Dhs 2.1 billion in 2003.

"The MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show is an event that has been successfully bringing people who have a pronounced affinity towards gold jewellery and watches and some of the finest jewellers from across the globe on a single platform for the last eighteen editions. It is very correctly described as a jeweller's dream and a buyer's paradise," said Mr. Saif M. Al Midfa, Manager, Expo Marketing Services - Expo Centre Sharjah.

Some of the major participants at the MidEast watch and Jewellery Show this edition are Pak Fook, Vitorisn, and Orient Pearl from China, Unialmaz, Onsaz Jewellery, Santosh, Tibrewala from India, Imvidia, Noi Gioielli, Belle Arte, Tutti Frutti from Italy, May Jewellery from Japan, Al Baraka, Jewels, Almas, La Reine, Luna, Sergio, Demanto from Lebanon, Lazo Diamond Jewellery, Permata Shahyan Jewellery from Malaysia, Nilgiri's from Singapore, Bipre Trading from Thailand, Osmanli and Anatolia from Turkey, Diamond House from Qatar, and MSM Jewellery, H.V.Diamonds, Blue Bell, Shalimar, Twinkle, Unique Diamond, Diasqua, Pristine Jewellery, and Dhruvstar from UAE.

The MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show is organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). The event also has the support of the World Gold Council (WGC).

"Besides displaying some of the latest, most sought after and exotic jewellery and watches, the coming edition of MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show has several other attractions including opportunities for buyers to win gold bars and other valuable prizes, free entrance for ladies and teenagers between 12 and 17 years of age, dedicated children play area, and exclusive timings for ladies between 11 am and 4 pm on the 16th and the 17th of November," said Ms. Taghreed Khallaf, Group Project Manager, Expo Centre Sharjah.

The 19th MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show is open for the general public on November 15 and 19 between 11 am and 10 pm and on November 16, 17, and 18 between 4 pm and 10 pm. The show is open exclusively for ladies on November 16 and 17 between 11 am and 4 pm. Children below 12 years of age are not allowed in the exhibition halls.