What holds us together as a community? The love of timepieces, of course, but what is love without an outlet for expression? Salons such as Watches And Wonders or Geneva Watch Days have increasingly incorporated aspects and activities aimed at the community of enthusiasts — talks, panel discussions and hands-on experiences — but in an immediately observable sense, this trend originates from Dubai Watch Week and the space they created for the industry and the community to come together.
Now, because I never pass up an opportunity to bring up my country of origin, it must be said that the Seddiqi family have been extremely generous in acknowledging the inspiration they derived from Tempus, a similar type of community event organised in Singapore by leading retailer The Hour Glass in 2004 and 2007. Community, it seems, is the locus point around which our industry turns, the reason and justification for what we all do.
On a more casual basis, collector meetups have been a part of the horological scene for a long time. Collector circles such as Red Bar Group (with its numerous international offshoots) regularly gather to indulge in their shared passion, and Paneristi have their famous P-Day where Panerai lovers fly into a different city each edition and spend the day together. Something institutional on the level of Dubai Watch Week, however, is quite different, as participating brands and visitors will surely attest.
Initially starting off as an annual event between 2015 and 2017, Dubai Watch Week then transitioned to a biannual cadence, held on odd years, with the even years dedicated to the travelling Horology Forum format. Each edition of Dubai Watch Week is bigger and better than the last, and each time at the close of the event, the common question on everyone’s lips is: How will they top this edition?
The answer invariably comes down to the community that comes to Dubai for the event. While the slate of activities is as varied as ever, featuring the educational Master Classes, the exciting Creative Hubs, the passionate Horology Forum, and the stimulating activities planned for the Collectors’ Lounge, what makes the difference from year to year is really the attendees. Dubai Watch Week is named for its location, but certainly not for its audience.
Watch lovers from all over the world travel in especially for this time, lured by the opportunity to personally interact with the people who drive their favourite brands and speak with the opinion leaders who shape this industry. Where our audience goes, WorldTempus follows.
For the first time, Dubai Watch Week 2023 will be covered live on WorldTempus with our daily video reports that you’ve come to know and love. You look forward to them during Watches and Wonders, during Geneva Watch Days, and now you can expect the same for Dubai Watch Week. Fine watchmaking was born in Switzerland, but it lives in the hearts of everyone who loves creativity, beauty and tradition. And it has a home on WorldTempus.
