Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons unveils limited-edition creations to mark UAE’s golden jubiliee

The UAE has leapfrogged from a fragile union of independent emirates back in 1971, to today becoming one of the world’s most developed countries. Several institutions which call the UAE home unveiled plans to celebrate the country’s golden jubilee. Among them is the Dubai-headquartered Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, one of the world’s largest luxury watch and jewellery retailers who recently organised the Dubai Watch Week.

Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons has showcased a range of over 35 limited edition watches and jewellery pieces, purpose-designed for the UAE’s 50th anniversary. An internal think tank comprising 15 members from across the organisation, led by Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, chief commercial officer at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, brainstormed on ideas and the design of the pieces. “The ideation, designs, launches, and content were all led in-house by the think tank. The designs encapsulate the current trends in the industry, yet also include features and elements that are bound to drive the curiosity of avid collectors. We initiated the dialogue with brands and shared our vision with them for this initiative. A big priority for us was working with independent brands, in addition to others,” says Mohammed.

Some of those who are featured as part of the collection include Greubel Forsey (Balancier S – The Ether), Frederique Constant (Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Year of the Fiftieth), Hublot (Classic Fusion Chronograph Concrete Sand), Ressence (Type I DX2) and De Bethune (UAE Hawk), among others. Mohammed was however clear that the focus of the entire exercise would be to celebrate the UAE and not just highlight Seddiqi’s long-standing partnership with dozens of top-tier brands. “We also wanted to work with brands that aren’t in the [Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons] portfolio such as Sarpaneva and others. The brands were instrumental to the process in terms of exploring unused materials, implementing intricate details, and creating pieces that would appeal to a wide range of watch collectors.”

Among the dozens of brands that Seddiqi partnered with for this project, one hit closer to home than the rest – the West End Watch Co.

“For Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the relationship [with West End] stemmed from my late grandfather and the [company’s] founder, Ahmed Qassim Seddiqi’s passion for watches. He used to receive watches from Kuwait and would show them to his friends and neighbours. This eventually led to people purchasing these watches from him and that’s how the relationship with the brand blossomed. Today, as the second-, third- and fourth-generation family members have joined the business, we feel a connection to the brand as it symbolises the beginning of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and how the business developed over the years. This was one of the stepping stones to Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons becoming the leading watch and jewellery retailer in the UAE.”

While a few of the pieces were revealed to coincide with the UAE’s National Day, others were released in the run up to the Seddiqi-organised Dubai Watch Week. The majority however were displayed at the Watch Week itself which took place from November 24-28. They were showcased in a special Collector’s Lounge that was set up for the event at DIFC. “Dubai Watch Week is considered to be one of the strongest platforms in the industry, one that is non-commercial as well. It focuses on education and building relationships. As the founder of Dubai Watch Week, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons has witnessed the importance of showcasing limited editions created via this platform.”