Quill & Pad has landed in Dubai for the exciting inaugural event known as Dubai Watch Week, which targets both local and international watch collectors and aficionados.

“Dubai Watch Week is a first for the Middle East and an incredible initiative by the Seddiqi Group,” said Maximilian Büsser of MB&F of the event co-organized by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Follow the red arrow to Dubai Watch Week

The compact show comprising five sections spread among a number of interesting art galleries is centrally located in the thriving Emerati metropolis, easily accessible from the downtown area (where the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa are located) and the business hotels.

A packed press conference opening the inaugural Dubai Watch Week

The show opened with a press conference comprising local and international journalists, who have come to learn about the event and watchmaking in general.

Panel discussing social media at Dubai Watch Week

Various panels in the Art of Horology section have already taken place, and the turnout has been encouraging. Here we see Alexander Friedman of Watchonista moderating a panel on social media.

Watchmaking master class with Peter Speake-Marin at Dubai Watch Week

Various master classes with famous watchmakers have also already taken place, such as the one pictured above with Peter Speake-Marin of Speake-Marin. These have proven extremely popular.

Rebels of Horology exhibition at Dubai Watch Week

Another popular element has been the Rebels of Horology exhibition, which features recent innovations by independent watchmakers including Bovet, Cabestan, De Bethune, Greubel Forsey, Hautlence, Laurent Ferrier, MB&F, H. Moser & Cie, Moritz Grossmann, and Urwerk.

Rebels of Horology exhibition at Dubai Watch Week

The exhibitors that we have spoken to are thus far quite content with the public turnout of the inaugural event.

Watchmaking master class with Daniel Reintjes, CEO and chief designer of Van der Klaauw astronomical watches

Guests are thrilled to go hands on with real watch movements under the tutelage of famous watchmakers.

Dubai is known for the varied and extremely aesthetic architecture of its skyscrapers

Guests enjoying a “conversation” with Greubel Forsey’s Stephen Forsey at Dubai Watch Week

Relatively intimate “conversations” with brand CEOs constitutes one of the wonderful program points at Dubai Watch Week. The photo above depicts one such conversation with Stephen Forsey of Greubel Forsey.

Watchmaking master class with Lang & Heyne CEO Marco Lang at Dubai Watch Week

The Opera Gallery makes a very appropriate setting for the 72 pre-selected watches in the running for the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

The Opera Gallery makes a very appropriate setting for the 72 pre-selected watches in the running for the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

All 72 of the pre-selected timepieces of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève are also on display at Dubai Watch Week.

“The appetite for greater insight into the world of watchmaking continues to grow exponentially in the Middle East, which has become a key export market during the last several decades,” said Abdulhamied Seddiqi, vice chairman of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. “Dubai Watch Week (DWW) is being established as a leading platform for education, debate and discovery into the world’s most innovative and covetable timepieces.”

The Transmission of Knowledge discussion panel featuring Stephen Forsey and Philippe Dufour moderated by Marc-André Deschoux (The Watches TV)at Dubai Watch Week

Stay tuned for more of the participating brands and the watches seen at Dubai Watch Week.

For more information, please visit www.dubaiwatchweek.com.