One of the region’s biggest horology events is back for its fifth season.
Dubai Watch Week, a cultural platform designed to share knowledge on and celebrate watchmaking, opened to the public on November 24.
Launched by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons in 2015, it is the one of the largest non-commercial watch events in the Middle East and, this year, it’s confirmed the presence of 48 leading watch brands.
Taking place at DIFC Gate from 10am to 10pm over five days, the event also features a number of immersive activations, competitions, workshops, panel discussions and food and beverage outlets.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know if you’re thinking about visiting the watch lover’s paradise:
Brands participating in Dubai Watch Week
Entry is free, but you have to register to get access to some of the world’s most famous watch brands including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Tudor, Hublot, and Chopard. They will all also have standalone interactive spaces to visit.
Other participating brands include Breitling, Bulgari, Mont Blanc, Oris, Tag Heuer, Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk.
WatchBox, a leading destination for pre-owned luxury timepieces, is also set to return.
Check out some unique timepieces
Constantly evolving, this year the event has launched the Collector’s Lounge, a dedicated space for watch connoisseurs to discuss the latest releases and horology news. This area also showcases limited editions conceptualised by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons to commemorate the UAE’s 50th anniversary, plus pieces from Buben & Zorweg and Miki Eleta.
You can also see some beautiful and very expensive pieces, such as the Hublot sang bleu, a high jewellery watch that costs Dh3,788,400.
Sit in on masterclasses, or a horology forum
There are masterclasses on everything from how to create your unique timepiece to Murano glass in watchmaking.
One of the highlights is also a horology forum, a series of panel discussions with experts exploring themes and topics from including alignment of online personas with actual identities, and NFTs and cryptocurrencies in luxury.
Meanwhile, a Creative Hub gives visitors the chance to partake in some of the industry’s most debated topics – from investigating collector credibility to deciphering luxury’s ascension to crypto and how it transcends limits.
Check out the installations
Dial of Discovery is an activation that offers visitors a chance to reflect on themselves and their experience at Dubai Watch Week. Thought-provoking questions such as: “What describes you best?” to “What are you looking for?” have been printed on the wall-like structure to encourage moments of meditation amidst the event.
Elsewhere, next to Christie’s event space in DIFC, the Time to Capture installation will reveal inspirational messages to allow each viewer to capture time on their phones and experience more moments of mindfulness.
Spend your time wisely to win rewards
Each visitor can receive a special booklet including scratch games and instant wins across all of Dubai Watch Week’s activations. Horology explorers can win big by working their way around the event and collecting stamps from five key locations: the Exhibition Hall, the Collector’s Lounge, Christie’s, the Dial of Discovery and Time to Capture.
Skywards, the loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai, is offering up to one million Skywards Miles to those who can collect all five stamps in their Dubai Watch Week booklets, with 125,000 being given out at random each day. On Sunday, November 28, one lucky winner will score a grand prize of 500,000 Skywards Miles as well as a limited-edition timepiece from H Moser & Cie.
Meet industry creatives and familiar faces
Attendees get the chance to meet familiar faces in the creative industry, including renowned musician and innovator will.i.am. The celebrity guest will be participating on a panel in the Creative Hub to discuss the challenge that lies in focusing on heritage luxury while finding synergy in a fast-moving digital world. Meanwhile, British artist Keira Rathbone will be bringing sights to life using a manual typewriter in the Exhibition Centre.
Eat up
Burger joint Salt is launching a limited-edition menu of treats especially for the event.
Other exciting dining concepts to try at Dubai Watch Week include Cipriani, which has a pop-up that serves popular breakfast favourites, as well as a selection of carpaccio, burrata, salads and gnocchi to choose between. Home Bakery will ensure that sweet cravings are satiated, while Twst also offers a range of sweet treats.
Play some games
No matter the age, an interactive game booth featuring foosball and air hockey at the event is sure to keep everyone entertained.
The event is on until Sunday, November 28; free to enter; dubaiwatchweek.com
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Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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Kashima Antlers 3 (Nagaki 49’, Serginho 69’, Abe 84’)
Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
