The 44th edition of the MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show launched today at Expo Centre Sharjah, under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and with support from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The show, which will continue until April 7, features more than 500 of the most renowned brands and companies that specialize in the design and manufacture of watches and jewellery, as well as accessories and ornaments made with gold, diamonds, precious stones, pearls and others.

India, Hong Kong, Italy, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand will set up national pavilions at the five-day event, which is also being attended by leading brands and companies from the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Taiwan, and the UAE.
HE Saif Mohamed Al Midfa, Chief Executive of Expo Centre Sharjah, said that the MidEast Watch and Jewellery Show is one of the largest international economic events that is hosted by the Emirate.
“The event is of great importance to large segments of businesspeople, investors, traders, experts and representatives from the watch and jewellery design industry in the UAE and the region,” he said.
Al Midfa said: "The bi-annual event has elevated Expo Centre Sharjah into a major platform for the trade of watches, gold and jewellery in the Middle East. The show has become a destination for international brands, companies, traders, designers, and craftsmen to showcase their latest products and enhance their presence in the region.”
The exhibition provides visitors the opportunity to buy directly from manufacturers and offers them the chance to win valuable prizes through lucky draws for every purchase of Dh500 and above. The prizes include a daily draw for half a kilo of gold, in addition to the bumper draw for a BMW that takes place at the end of the exhibition.
The Hong Kong pavilion also plans to offer many prizes to its visitors. The exhibition will be held under the sponsorship of Salem Al Shaibi Jewellery, the Platinum partner of the show, and Khaleej Times, the media partner for the show. 

The event is being held amidst expectations for the global precious stones and jewellery market to record a compound annual growth rate of over 7 percent by 2019, according to a report by TechSci Research.

Meanwhile, the UAE’s luxury goods market is expected to grow from US$3.18 billion in 2004 to US$8.98 billion before the end of the current decade.

The show opens its doors on Tuesday and Saturday from 12 pm to 10 pm and on Wednesday from 4 pm to 10 pm. The exhibition will also be open from 12 pm to 11 pm on Thursday, and from 3 pm to 11 pm on Friday. The exhibition will be exclusively reserved for women on Wednesday from 12 pm to 4 pm.