Global brands converge in Sharjah as Watch & Jewellery Middle East Show amplifies demand

The 57th edition of the show, held at Expo Centre Sharjah, turned out to be one of the region’s largest gold and jewellery exhibitions

Sharjah: The 57th edition of the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show concluded at Expo Centre Sharjah, reaffirming its position as a key commercial and trend-setting platform for the regional jewellery industry. Featuring over 400 exhibitors from 19 countries, the five-day event brought together global manufacturers, designers and luxury watchmakers at a time when the Middle East continues to strengthen its relevance in the global gold and jewellery trade.

Organized by Expo Centre Sharjah with support from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the show spanned 30,000 square metres and showcased a wide spectrum of offerings, from gold, diamond and gemstone jewellery to luxury timepieces and advanced manufacturing technologies. Beyond product display, the exhibition reflected evolving consumer preferences, including rising interest in laboratory-grown diamonds, high-design pieces and culturally inspired collections that blend tradition with contemporary aesthetics. The event attracted over 96,000 visitors, highlighting robust regional demand and sustained consumer appetite for jewellery across price segments.

International participation included exhibitors from China, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Türkiye, the UK and the US, alongside representatives from eight Arab countries. Five international pavilions were dedicated to Italy, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

Among the show’s highlights was a gold dress valued at AED 5 million, created by Al Romaizan Gold & Jewellery. Made from more than 10 kilograms of 21-carat gold, the piece holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s most expensive gold dress and was displayed publicly for the first time.

The exhibition also saw the unveiling of ‘Spirit of the Emirates’, the UAE’s first locally sourced gemstone. Fashioned from natural red jasper extracted from the Al Siji region of Fujairah, the stone was developed in partnership with the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation.

Founded in 1993, the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show has evolved into the region’s longest-running and largest exhibition of its kind. Its bi-annual format is a strategic differentiator, aligning with key buying cycles such as spring weddings and year-end festive demand, thereby offering exhibitors multiple opportunities to drive annual business growth.

For the Middle East jewellery industry, the show’s significance lies in its role as a convergence point for global supply chains and regional demand. Increasing participation from international brands and manufacturers reflects growing confidence in the Gulf as both a consumption and distribution hub.

As competition intensifies and consumer expectations evolve, platforms like the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show are becoming critical for market visibility, trend adoption and relationship-building. Its continued expansion signals not only the resilience of the regional jewellery sector but also its ambition to position itself more prominently within the global luxury ecosystem.

Retail Jeweller ME News