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Mark Your Calendars: Jewels of the World Reveals New Dates; UAE Climbs to No. 8 Globally in Swiss Watch Imports in Q1 2026
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Market News
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Mark Your Calendars: Jewels of the World Reveals New Dates
We are pleased to announce the revised dates for the upcoming Jewels of the World in Saudi Arabia. This highly anticipated event will now take place from June 15–19 at its new venue, the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, and from June 23–26 at Dhahran Expo, Al Khobar offering exhibitors and visitors an elevated experience with enhanced opportunities for engagement and connection. Bringing together leading international and regional jewellery brands, the exhibition will continue to showcase exceptional craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless design. Attendees can look forward to exclusive collections, networking opportunities, and a refined exhibition environment. Further details regarding the program will be shared soon. We look forward to welcoming you to this prestigious celebration of fine jewellery. |
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UAE Climbs to No. 8 Globally in Swiss Watch Imports in Q1 2026
In March 2026, Swiss watch exports declined by 1.0%, though first-quarter exports rose 1.4% year-on-year to CHF 6.2 billion. While precious metal (-4.0%) and steel watches (-9.0%) saw lower values, export volumes increased by nearly 57,000 units, driven by steel (+5.8%) and other metal watches (+23.8%). The UAE has strengthened its position, now ranking No. 8 globally among importers of Swiss watches in Q1 2026, with imports reaching CHF 316.6 million, up 5.0% versus 2025 despite regional tensions. The U.S. remained the top market, while France surged unusually due to re-exports, and Saudi Arabia declined sharply. |
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Company News
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Chopard as Official Partner of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival
Chopard continues its prestigious role as the official partner of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, which will take place from 12–23 May 2026. Since 1998, under the vision of Caroline Scheufele, the Maison has crafted the legendary Palme d’Or in ethical gold. Created in Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie ateliers, this iconic trophy requires over 70 hours of expert craftsmanship. Blending artistry, sustainability, and emotion, Chopard also creates all official trophies awarded by the Festival jury, reaffirming its enduring commitment to cinema and artistic excellence. |
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Messika Unveils New Move Portraits Starring Julianne Moore & Kiko Mizuhara
Messika unveils new portraits for its iconic Move collection, continuing the Maison’s creative partnership with Ezra Petronio. Starring Julianne Moore and Kiko Mizuhara, the campaign celebrates femininity in its freest form - radiant, multifaceted, and constantly in motion. Captured against a pure white backdrop, the portraits let light and emotion shine through. Julianne embodies the balance of strength, tenderness, family, and craft, while Kiko reflects a dynamic energy shaped by cultures, disciplines, and generations. Through their distinct stories, Move symbolizes the inner momentum and individuality of every woman, highlighting femininity as a force of grace, power, and endless motion. |
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Samra Launches Emirati Talent Showcase to Empower Local Jewellery Designers
House of Samra announces the Emirati Talent Showcase, a curated initiative supporting Emirati jewellery designers in collaboration with Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises (Dubai SME). The program reflects the UAE’s creative spirit and Samra’s commitment to nurturing local talent. Selected designers will present their collections inside Samra boutiques across Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Hills Mall, and Dubai Festival City Mall. The initiative provides visibility, retail exposure, and direct access to an international clientele, strengthening entrepreneurship and design innovation. It reinforces Samra’s role as both a luxury jewellery house and patron of regional creativity. |
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Product Launch
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“The Chessboard”: A Unique High Jewelry Masterpiece Where Art Meets Savoir-Faire by CHANEL
CHANEL’s “The Chessboard” is a unique masterpiece where Gabrielle Chanel is reimagined as the queen of an exceptional chess game. Each of the 32 pawns reflects the world of the House, combining gold, ceramic, and diamonds with extraordinary craftsmanship. Iconic symbols such as the Vendôme column, the lion, and the mannequin bust are transformed into miniature sculptures, highlighting CHANEL’s heritage. The black pawns are crafted in high-tech ceramic with white gold and diamond accents, while the white side is sculpted in gold with refined detail. The queens conceal the time beneath their pedestals and can be worn as necklaces, showcasing artistry and innovation. |
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Van Cleef & Arpels Celebrates Ballet as an Art of High Jewelry in the Ballet Précieux Collection
Van Cleef & Arpels has long drawn inspiration from dance, especially ballet, as a timeless source of creativity, blending elegance, harmony, and excellence. Since the 1940s, ballet has influenced the Maison’s feminine creations, bringing graceful movement to its designs. This year, it celebrates this heritage with twelve High Jewelry ballerina clips, expanding the Ballet Précieux collection first launched in 2007 and enriched in 2023. Inspired by classical ballets like The Nutcracker and The Sylph, each piece reflects intricate craftsmanship, with costumes and gestures precisely recreated. Sculpted in green wax, then crafted in gold and set with carefully selected gemstones, each creation showcases exceptional savoir-faire and artistic mastery. |
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Introducing SKYDANCE, the First Ladies’ Timepiece by Louis Moinet
Louis Moinet unveils SKYDANCE, a poetic new ladies’ timepiece inspired by the eternal relationship between the Sun and the Moon. Designed as a horological jewel, it celebrates the celestial rhythm that has long defined humanity’s perception of time. Set against a luminous mother-of-pearl dial, the Sun and Moon engage in a graceful, hypnotic choreography. The Moon, formed from genuine lunar meteorite, glows with quiet elegance, while the radiant Sun shines on an aventurine backdrop, driven by an automatic movement that brings the celestial dance to life. Eleven diamonds mark the hours, enhancing the dial’s brilliance, while refined details such as dewdrop-shaped hands and a titanium case elevate its sophistication. Limited to just 28 pieces per version, SKYDANCE reflects Louis Moinet’s legacy of astronomical inspiration and artistic mastery, marking two historic anniversaries in 2026 and continuing its tradition of transforming time into poetry.
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Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata
Louis Vuitton unveils the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata, a horological masterpiece from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton that pushes the boundaries of conventional watchmaking through colour, movement, and imagination. Inspired by the House’s artistic collaborations, the dial combines grand feu enamel with automata craftsmanship in a vibrant, multi-layered composition. Housed in a 42mm white-gold case, it features 20 miniature elements across four levels, creating rich texture and depth. Pastel swirls form the backdrop, while Monogram Flowers with diamond details and a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock add balance and motion. Symbolic motifs, including LOVE in pink enamel, complete its expressive design. |
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Bell & Ross Unveils BR-03 Skeleton Steel, Continuing Its Legacy of Innovation
Marking 20 years of the iconic BR-03, Bell & Ross unveils the BR-03 Skeleton Steel, a refined evolution of its 2025 Skeleton trilogy. Continuing the Maison’s commitment to sophistication and functionality, the 41 mm square case houses the new BR-CAL.328 self-winding mechanical movement, featuring an X-shaped skeletonized architecture for enhanced visual impact and structural strength. Offering a 54-hour power reserve, the three-hand, no-date calibre combines precision with performance. True to Bell & Ross DNA, the BR-03 Skeleton Steel reimagines skeletonization as both a technical feat and a bold aesthetic statement. |
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Mark II: A Bold New Chapter in Reservoir Design
Mark II marks a bold evolution for RESERVOIR, extending its design vision beyond complications to the entire watch. Inspired by automotive, industrial, and aeronautical instruments, the brand has always emphasized distinctive, graphic dials as its signature. Previously, cases and straps remained understated to highlight this storytelling element. With Mark II, RESERVOIR introduces a fully integrated design, where case and bracelet contribute equally to its identity. The result is a watch with a strong, recognizable silhouette—one that stands out instantly on the wrist. Like iconic timepieces before it, Mark II is designed to make a lasting impression even at first glance. |
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Lebois & Co Introduces the Heritage Atelier Chronograph ‘Bleu sur Blanc’
Lebois & Co introduces the Heritage Atelier Chronograph ‘Bleu sur Blanc’ (Ref. 324.552), a refined enamel-dial timepiece within its Atelier sub-collection. The watch features a warm off-white Grand Feu enamel dial paired with deep blue chronograph registers, highlighting a classic two-register layout with artisanal execution. The Atelier line focuses on small-batch creations that emphasize dial craftsmanship, texture, and finishing. The enamel dial is made using traditional Grand Feu techniques, where multiple layers are fired at high temperature to achieve a durable, glass-like surface with rich depth. Its subtly domed three-piece construction enhances light reflection, producing a distinctive tone between eggshell warmth and bright white clarity. |
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Belly Tank Racer by L’Epée 1839
L’Epée 1839’s Belly Tank Racer is inspired by legendary hot-rod history, when WWII pilots repurposed surplus aircraft drop tanks into streamlined race cars. These teardrop-shaped fuel tanks, once mounted under fighter planes, became symbols of ingenuity and reinvention in post-war America. The timepiece captures this spirit with an elongated aerodynamic form that echoes the original belly tank racers—low, narrow, and purpose-driven. Designed by Eric Meyer, it reflects L’Epée 1839’s philosophy where form follows function, and every detail serves a purpose. Blending nostalgia with modern aesthetics, it embodies optimism, mechanical creativity, and a forward-looking vision rooted in a golden age of innovation.
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Celebrity News
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Paris Hilton wears Chopard to the 12th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Los Angeles
On April 18th, Paris Hilton attended the 12th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Los Angeles wearing Chopard. Paris selected a necklace in 18k white gold set with 71.34-carats of diamonds, a necklace in 18k white gold set with 22.77-carats of diamonds, and a necklace in 18k white gold sest with 48.10-carats of diamonds, all from the Haute Joaillerie Collection, along with earrings from the L'Heure du Diamant Collection in 18k white gold set with 4.46-carats of diamonds.
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