Exclusive interview with Mr. Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, Chief Commercial Officer of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons; Dubai ranked seventh best FinTech location globally

   
 
 

Interviews

 

Exclusive interview with Mr. Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, Chief Commercial Officer of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons

For nearly four years Dubai Watch Week is fully committed to providing resources, services and opportunities to the global watch community. Can you please elaborate on how this event has lived up to the commitment and what has been the key to its success.
Since its inception, Dubai Watch Week has provided consistent and evolutive programmes in order to encourage the transmission of knowledge relating to watchmaking. Our Horology Forum panel topics allow open access to some of the greatest and keenest minds in the industry, encouraging flee-flowing debate that anyone can attend and learn from. Our creative hubs connect brands, sponsors and partners with the relevant audience, whether it be global media, VIP clients or industry peers. In addition, our masterclasses offer a dedicated space for the showcasing of the skilled work that has been beautifully mastered by artisans in the field of watchmaking and the métiers d’art. The key to our success has been a consistent and considered offering that caters to the need of our visitors, brands and partners.

The Dubai Watch Week is recognized as a significant event for the watch industry at large. How important is it for Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and for the UAE market?
Dubai Watch Week has established itself as a key event for the watch industry and is now an important date on its global calendar. As the founders of the event, we are particularly proud of the growth of Dubai Watch Week as we believe it offers added value to our customers, to our brands, to the region’s collector base and to watch enthusiasts who wish to gain better access to the industry. 

In your opinion, what has “Dubai Watch Week” archived locally and regionally?
I believe that Dubai Watch Week’s success lies in its ability to connect local, regional and international audiences, uniting people in their common interest in watchmaking. 

Swiss watch exports to the UAE and the region in particular is showing a decline. How do you reason for this and what are your expectations? What role can the “Dubai Watch Week” perform in reversing this trend and in enhancing sales?
Whilst this may be a current trend, the demand for quality Swiss timepieces in the UAE and the region remains high. Dubai Watch Week helps to support the industry by engaging customers and collectors and offering them unique opportunities in which to learn and discover more about fine watchmaking; interaction with brand CEOs, watchmaking classes that highlight the value of hand assembled watches and creative hubs that allow access to global launches and limited edition pieces.

The 4th edition of Dubai Watch Week focuses on the theme “Innovation and technology”.  Can you explain this further and tell us what we can expect. Will the “Innovation and technology” open the event’s doors to smart watches?
The aim of this theme is to offer an exciting and immersive platform in which to learn more about the horological world. Since the inception of the watchmaking, the intersection of radical thought coupled with technical ability has allowed for the industry’s progress. Whether it relates to disruptive messaging, sophisticated complications, research & development or transmission of knowledge, we champion all the ways that innovation & technology have been championed in order to take our visitors on a dynamic journey of discovery.

 
 
 

Market News

 

Dubai ranked seventh best FinTech location globally

Dubai has been recognised as the seventh FinTech location globally for economic potential, highlighting Dubai’s efforts to support and expedite sustainable economic growth, according to a statement from Dubai Media Office. Dubai is the only financial centre in the MEASA region to appear within the top 10 FinTech Locations of the Future 2019/20 for Economic Potential index by fDi Intelligence — the Financial Times.
 

Bahrain’s Business Executives are optimistic on country’s growth outlook

According to the new survey, the vast majority of business executives in Bahrain are upbeat about the country’s growth prospects. Although regional political volatility remains a cause of concern, optimism about Bahrain prevails on the back of infrastructure development, finds the 2019 edition of the Business Barometer: Bahrain CEO Survey carried out by Oxford Business Group (OBG). As part of its survey on the economy, the global research and advisory firm asked more than 60 C-suite executives from across the kingdom’s industries a wide-ranging series of questions on a face-to-face basis aimed at gauging business sentiment. Three-quarters of respondents described their expectations of local business conditions as positive or very positive for the coming 12 months, up from 58.5 per cent in last year’s survey.
 
 

Company News

 

BOVET 1822 announces new collaboration with Daniil Medvedev

BOVET 1822 has announced the new collaboration with worldwide tennis champion #5 ATP ranking Daniil Medvedev. Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Raffy have much in common in their respective challenges: they both have to demonstrate continuous effort, abnegation, humility. Their meeting has even further manifested this sharing of values, always going forward by improving each day, the need to be and remain an incredible Champion. Drawing on their common values and a shared taste for excellence, Maison BOVET, and worldwide champion Daniil Medvedev will drive a common path made by Precision, Passion, Abnegation, and Fairness.
 

TAG Heuer appoints three Tennis stars as ambassadors

The most promising young players disrupting the tennis rankings – Felix Auger Aliassime, Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe – are the most recent additions to the TAG Heuer team and join existing Brand Ambassador Denis Shapovalov in a new campaign that captures their skill and motivation and highlights the values they share with the brand. . In July, TAG Heuer arranged a photo shoot with the four professional players as part of a campaign that highlights the mental strength, dynamic and innovative playing style, and youthful energy that have taken them to where they are today – and will undoubtedly take them further in the coming years.

 

REBELLION Timepieces as official partner of the Swiss team, COOL Racing

REBELLION Timepieces announced its timing partnership with COOL Racing. Already involved in European Le Mans Series, Michelin Le Mans Cup, FFSA GT4 and Mitjet Championships, the Swiss team is entering the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team of Patrick Barbier and his drivers (Nicolas Lapierre, Antonin Borga, and Alexandre Coigny) do the series of championships by announcing their participation at the FIA WEC and ELMS in LPM2 category, the French championship FFSA and the Michelin Le Mans Cup for this 2019-2020 season.
 
 

Product Launch

 

Glashütte Original celebrates tenth anniversary of Senator Chronometer

For ten years now, the Senator Chronometer has combined an unmatched tradition with certified precision to meet the highest of standards. These precision timekeepers and their wealth of tradition inspired the design of the dial on the latest addition to the line: The displays, among them the running time display with the discreet day-night indicator, are arranged following that of their historic predecessors. Above them, pear-shaped “poire” hands in blued steel follow their course, framed by a laser-engraved, galvanic black railroad chapter ring, Roman numerals and the particularly slim bezel of the newly designed case in red gold, which leaves even more space for the impressive face of the timepiece.

 

H. Moser & Cie presents a dual window display for the new perpetual calendar

For the first time in its history, H. Moser & Cie. has created a perpetual calendar with two windows displaying the date and month. The aim of this development is to offer optimal legibility in the brand's sportiest line: Pioneer. The Pioneer Perpetual Calendar MD features a steel case water-resistant to 120 metres, enabling it to display the time under any conditions, whether on land or underwater. A practical, wearable perpetual calendar for everyday heroes.
 

Jaeger-LeCoultre presents two new interpretations of the Rendez-Vous Celestial

Revisiting its much-loved celestial theme on the occasion of 76th Venice International Film Festival – La Biennale di Venezia, Jaeger-LeCoultre has presented a magnificent new interpretation of its alluring Rendez-Vous Celestial watch for women. In this new ‘Northern Lights’ edition, mother-of-pearl and multi-coloured sapphires take centre stage, uniting two of the Metiers Rares® that Jaeger-LeCoultre has so thoroughly mastered – gem-setting, and hand- painting.

 

Panerai Luminor Due

In keeping with the genetics of the Luminor Due family, Panerai remains unconventional in its attitude and its predisposition. The new watches have been mechanically redesigned in terms of size and consequently they are innovative. Naturally inclined to change, today the Luminor Due with its new content is acquiring a more pronounced identity. Leading the way, on the one hand there are three new models sharing the brushed titanium of the case and the blue satine´ soleil finish of the dial. On the other hand there are three updated models of varied character, embodying a consistent array of style and versatility.
 

The Longines Master Collection

Longines introduces new models featuring a moon phase indicator at 6 o'clock circled by an Arabic numeral date ring on which a hand points to the current day. The mechanism is powered by a new movement developed exclusively for the brand – the L899 calibre. Available in two sizes (40 and 42 mm in diameter), the new models of The Longines Master Collection are available in a range of different dials: black barleycorn with painted Roman numerals, silvered barleycorn with painted Arabic numerals or blue sunray with applied indexes.
 

Cuervo y Sobrinos launches Esplendidos CSWC Series

The relationship started in 2015 when Cuervo y Sobrinos was named the official timekeeper at the Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC), a prestigious event held at select locations around the world from the Amalfi Coast to St. Petersburg and from New York to Paris. It is now in its 10th year bringing together cigar club presidents, dignitaries, manufacturers and other brands who want to associate their names to this prestigious international event. The unique event created by cigar expert Marko Bilic is celebrating the 10th anniversary in style and for this occasion Cuervo y Sobrinos is launching three special editions of its Esplendidos Collection.

 

Al Zain Jewellery launches Simply NINA Collection

Playful Summer Sun, Pastel colours, Versatile and at times a bit more serious for those demanding occasions but always feminine and elegant! That is Simply NINA! The Simply NINA collection features handcrafted designs that include natural lime green Chrysoprase, pink Opal and white Mother of Pearl stones along with sparkling white diamonds set in a choice of 18K yellow or rose gold. Each stone is individually & painstakingly set in a gold frame to suit the individual cut and form of every stone. The beauty of this collection is that each item is individual.
 

Tiffany & Co. presents Men’s collections

The Tiffany Men’s collections reflect Tiffany & Co.’s authority as the purveyor of American luxury goods — direct, uncomplicated and rooted in a legacy of expert craftsmanship and inspired by the time-tested techniques used in Tiffany’s artisinal workshop such as stamping and soldering. Tiffany Men’s honors the hand of the artisan and the spirit of inn ovation.
 
 

Celebrity News

 

Elsa Hosk wears Messika

Model Elsa Hosk was stunning in Messika Paris at the Opening Ceremony of the 76th Venice Film Festival. She was wearing the Wild Moon and Snake Dance High Jewelry rings from the 'Born To Be Wild' collection and My Twin ear clips.

 
 
 
 

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