Published on
There’s no shortage of luxury at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition. But look beyond the diamonds, gold and pearls, and some of the most interesting stories are about the people behind them.
Now in its 22nd edition, the exhibition brings together more than 500 brands from 30 countries.
Aadel Haleem meets Qatari businessman and jeweller Hussain Alfardan, who grew up surrounded by the pearl trade and still has a deeply personal connection to it. One of the pieces he shows us took seven years to complete.
Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra explains how traditional jewellery is finding a new audience through contemporary fashion, while Qatari designer Noora Al-Ansari looks closer to home for inspiration, drawing on the country’s colours, architecture and pearl heritage.
There’s also a look at the technology being used to tell natural and synthetic diamonds apart.
From international names to homegrown designers, this episode of CULT goes inside the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition to discover why the value of a piece isn’t always about its price. Sometimes, it’s about a childhood memory, a family business or a tradition being passed from one generation to the next.