What makes the Seddiqi family so unique is not just their success or volume of stores, but rather that every one of them that I met is a serious watch lover. That is actually quite rare. Many of the family dynasties that manage a group of watch businesses tend to have separated themselves from the mentality of pure watch collecting in favor of a more practical approach to seeing watches as a means to an end. People like Ahmed and Mohammad Seddiqi are hardcore watch lovers whose collections range from new to old, and aren’t limited by the brands that they carry.
Speaking of brands, Dubai is among the few places in the world that I’ve been to where I’ve seen so many brands that I’ve never heard of before. Sure, the stores are filled with all the notable big brands as well as the key independents, but there are also luxury watches produced especially for the region (as I am supposing) which are uncommon, to say the least.
I also noticed a distinct focus on European watches. Perhaps it was the stores and areas that I visited, but if a watch wasn’t Swiss, German, or French it wasn’t likely to be found in any of the stores. Nevertheless, I did very much enjoy the intense assortment of watches ranging from entry-level quartz to high-end one-of-a-kind tourbillons… many times in the same stores.
Prices aren’t great in Dubai, even though there is a very friendly tax advantage (no taxes). I am sure that deals can be found, but unlike places such as Las Vegas or Hong Kong, watch sales people don’t seem in the business of “moving product at all costs.” That speaks to the local concept behind selling luxury timepieces which seems more akin to the European luxury sales model versus local traditions which are reported to heavily involve negotiating when dealing with the sale of many other things.
So what was Dubai Watch Week? In simple terms, it was a summit of many of the most important influencers in the watch industry who came together to listen to discussions, meet with one another, interview some of the most authentic and inspired watchmakers, and to experience just how much the region’s watch buying habits influence the entire Middle East as well as the world.
For many watch lovers who don’t travel to Dubai or other cities in the Middle East, their sole impression of Arab watch lovers is viewing their regular activity on social media channels like Instagram. Why exactly are wealthy Emirates (for example) spending so much time on Instagram and often choosing watches to buy that way? That is a good question and one to which I believe I found the answer while visiting Dubai. It is because they lack any other serious tools to communicate about watches, as there doesn’t seem to be any serious online watch community blogs or forums in Arabic. Thus, timepiece lovers in the region with watch money burning a hole in their pockets either use Instagram to learn about new watches or they have to spend a lot of time driving through Dubai traffic from one watch store to another.
So while the watch community is more discreet and loosely organized in Dubai, it is ferociously active. In just a few days there, about 20 local people recognized me while I was just walking around. This was a clear message to me that those people comfortable reading English are spending a lot of time reading about watches. Eventually, we will have to make an Arabic version of aBlogtoWatch – it just seems as though the people in the region would really find it useful. In any event, I think the world needs to know that Dubai watch lovers are active, opinionated, and highly sophisticated when it comes to their passions.
If Dubai Watch Week is an extension of what the Seddiqi family holds dear in the watch industry then it is a glowing example of the region’s placement in the global watch market. A focus on true modern independent watch making; a serious look at the watch auction market for what it is and isn’t; a study of online watch collector behavior; an honest and open analysis of today’s best watch models and designs; and a deep understanding of how the luxury watch sales models work best in the region – these are all topics covered at Dubai Watch Week. Even more will come next year as Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, as well as their partners, have the resources and the motivation to make this a lot more than just another watch show where brands show their latest timepieces and people stroll around looking at them.
Dubai is easily one of the most interesting watch markets around the world, in addition to being among the most fascinating places to check out in general. If anything, go there to see the wild architecture and engineering feats such as the artificial land in the ocean Palm district as well as the Burj Khalifa which is the world’s tallest building. While watches aren’t nearly in your face as much as in places such as Hong Kong, you’ll find advertising for timepieces even outside of the most modern and built up districts. This is a place where the watch industry really enjoys the people, and the people really know how to enjoy their watches.
