Dubai Watch Week 2021 in the words of Hind Seddiqi, CMCO at Seddiqi Holding
5 min read
Dubai Watch Week 2021- an event organised by Hind Seddiqi and her family, that brought the entire watch fraternity together to celebrate fine watchmaking, explore the new trends, and share a common love for diving deeper into the world of watches. With new brand launches and intriguing conversations at the Horological Forums, this event left everyone exhausted but with a smile on their faces…
The Seddiqi family’s association with Dubai Watch Week goes way back. Details of which you could find here. They expanded their love and fascination for watches and offered a piece to the world in the form of Dubai Watch Week. The driving force today for this event is none other than Hind Seddiqi. An elegant and strong powerhouse with a keen eye for details and great insight into the world of watchmaking, she’s truly given the watch fraternity something to look forward to.
Our Founder at The Hour Markers, Karishma Karer, speaks to Hind Seddiqi about the highlights of Dubai Watch Week 2021 and more. Let’s see what she has to say:
THM: With many new brand launches and an exciting collector’s lounge, forums, and the Christie’s area, how has the Dubai Watch Week 2021 experience been for you?
Hind: It’s been amazing. What truly surprised us was the daily number of visitors exceeding our expectations. For brands, the entire experience has been amazing and everyone gave us positive feedback. They got a chance to meet with their clients directly. This year, everyone wanted more of something, with the Horological Forum discussions being the most loved. For me, overall, it’s been incredible.
THM: Speaking about UAE’s 50th Anniversary, what are these limited edition watches like?
Hind: Not every year does UAE turn 50, and it’s an important milestone. To celebrate this differently, there are 32 limited-edition timepieces that have come in. We’ve always created limited edition timepieces, but for the first time, my cousin will create watches at accessible price points. Not only expensive watches but also watches which are priced at AED 2900. Although the demand for affordable watches with good quality is high, people who can afford to ‘break the bank’ are also looking to collect these watches. So this has been a huge success.
THM: There were quite a few interesting watches! The Furlan Marri caught my eye, a beautiful watch. We even got a peek at the gorgeous salmon MB&F timepiece. How involved was the Seddiqi family in the selection and designing process?
Hind: Usually, it is my cousin and a few family members or brand managers who take on the selection process. But this time, we had a think tank that involved brand managers, marketing experts, family members, and more, who met every Thursday and discussed the design process. This made the team feel a piece of them is in the timepiece and shows different varieties of watches catering to a wide audience.
THM: Any particular favourites that you have from the UAE Edition?
Hind: The De Bethune ‘UAE Hawk’ is my favourite. Despite it being too big for my wrist, it’s a beautiful watch. Even the Bulgari watch is one of my favourite picks. It is elegance and the simple touch of diamond on number 11, makes it stunning.
THM: Moving on...What’s the first watch that comes to your mind when we talk about Dubai Watch Week 2021?
Hind: Yes, it’s definitely the MB&F and Bulgari timepiece. It was a discussion that took place with Max and Fabrizio that took shape at Dubai Watch Week itself. It’s a beautiful watch, and we were thrilled to see how it turned out.
THM: At Seddiqi & Sons, you promote and support several independent watchmaking brands. What’s your take on independent watchmaking?
Hind: They’ve always been the reason we even started Dubai Watch Week. During the theme Rebels of Time, we onboarded several brands. They were easier to convince and understood the platform. We have a promise: to always support independent watch brands and we also ensure to sponsor two independent watch brands every year, to come and showcase their timepieces at no cost. If they enjoy the experience, they can participate in the coming edition. And this is it. This is how we'll always support independent watch brands.
THM: If you had to look forward to a collaboration of two watch brands, which one would it be?
Hind: It would definitely be URWERK and Konstant Chaykin. It would be a crazy watch, something to look forward to.
Dubai Watch Week is a show that welcomes everyone, evokes a sense of togetherness in the watch community. "Mark your calendars for 2023", says Hind, brimming with pride and joy after an extremely successful 2021 edition and, rightly so.
Check this link for the entire interview with Hind Seddiqi. After such an exhilarating and successful event, the entire watch fraternity is surely looking forward to the 6th edition!
