Riyadh hosts a world of jewels
RIYADH: Under the chandelier-lit halls of Riyadh's Mandarin Oriental Al-Faisaliah Hotel, the Jewels of the World exhibition gathered more than 60 brands for an eager crowd of jewelry and watch enthusiasts.
The exhibition, which ended on Monday, featured notable global names including Bil Arabi, Yoko London, Scavia and FerriFirenze.
Local talent was also spotlighted, notably Renad Al-Amoudi's striking Marque Legacy collection, which draws inspiration from the flora of the Saudi deserts, including Ruby Lily and Petit Iris.
Nader Freiha, director and organizer of Jewels of the World, said that the exhibition this year is 'the culmination of a journey that began in 2016.'
He added that hosting the event in Riyadh reflects 'the remarkable growth of the jewelry market in the Kingdom, which has become a destination for global brands thanks to its discerning clientele.'
The exhibition offers the opportunity to explore new collections debuting in Saudi Arabia, from everyday jewelry to ornate bridal sets, many of which are inspired by global artistic and cultural heritage, Freiha said.
'The exhibition is a benchmark for ensuring both quality and luxury simultaneously,' he added.
Ahmed Al-Shirazi, director of SJC Saudi Arabia, a destination for luxury jewelry, said that the exhibition is an opportunity to strengthen brands and attract new customers through showcasing designs and engaging directly.
The Bahraini jeweler observed a rising inclination among clients to use luxury jewelry as a form of self-expression and personal style, highlighting a heightened appreciation for the finer details in their overall look.
Nezar Mukhtar, a member of the Precious Metals and Gemstones National Committee at the Saudi Chambers Federation, observed visitors' keen interest in renowned brand names.
'Hosting exhibitions locally spares enthusiasts and designers the hassle of traveling and saves them valuable time,' he said.
Mukhtar added that events like Jewels of the World support the national economy and spotlight the sophisticated taste of Saudi consumers.
'Such an exhibition addresses the expectations of many discerning clients seeking specific quality standards in jewelry,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Spanish Muslims retrace ancient Hajj route on horseback from Andalusia to Makkah
CAIRO: Three Spanish pilgrims performing the Hajj in Saudi Arabia rode on horseback to Makkah, traveling thousands of kilometers in snow and rain and along a path they said had not been trekked for more than 500 years. Abdelkader Harkassi Aidi, Tarek Rodriguez and Abdallah Rafael Hernandez Mancha set out from southern Spain in October, riding through France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkiye, Syria and Jordan to arrive in Saudi Arabia in May. It was an emotional moment for the trio when they reached Makkah. No pilgrim had traveled this way since 1491, they said. Harkassi said the group's path from Spain took them across about 8,000 kilometers (nearly 5,000 miles) before they reached the Kaaba, the black cube structure in the Grand Mosque in Makkah. 'We had crossed so many kilometers to be there and Allah had replied to our wish,' he told The Associated Press on Thursday from Arafat, southeast of Makkah. 'We were in front of the Kaaba and had the opportunity to touch it. So, that 8,000 kilometers became nothing.' During their monthslong journey they came across scenic stretches of nature and historical landmarks in Syria, including the Aleppo Citadel and the Umayyad Mosque. They also found an old railway track built during the time of the Ottoman Empire that connected Istanbul to Saudi Arabia. They followed it for days to help guide them to the desert kingdom. But there were challenges, too. They lost their horses in Bosnia, only to find them later in a land mine zone. Nobody could fetch the horses because of the explosives, but the animals eventually made it out of the area unharmed, Harkassi said. The human element of the trip was the most valuable for the team, he added. 'When we didn't have anything, people helped us with our horses, with our food, they gave us money. When our assistance car got broken, they fixed it for us,' Harkassi said. 'People have been incredible. I think it's proof that Muslims are united, that the one ummah (nation) that every Muslim longs for is a reality.'
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Iraq frees Australian, Egyptian engineers after four years, but keeps travel ban
BAGHDAD: Iraq has released an Australian mechanical engineer and his Egyptian colleague who were detained for more than four years over a dispute with the central bank, authorities said Friday, though the two remain barred from leaving the country. Robert Pether and Khalid Radwan were working for an engineering company contracted to oversee the construction of the bank's new Baghdad headquarters, according to a United Nations report, when they were arrested in April 2021. A report from a working group for the UN Human Rights Council said the arrests stemmed from a contractual dispute over 'alleged failure to execute certain payments.' Both men were sentenced to five years in prison and fined $12 million, the working group said. A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Pether, in his fifties, was released 'due to his poor health.' Australian media have previously reported that the family suspected Pether had developed lung cancer in prison and that he had undergone surgery for skin cancer. A second Iraqi official confirmed the release of Radwan, adding that he was not allowed to leave the country until a 'final decision' was made regarding his case. Australia's ABC broadcaster quoted the country's foreign minister, Penny Wong, as welcoming the release and saying the Australian government had raised the issue with Iraqi authorities more than 200 times. Simon Harris, foreign minister for Ireland, where Pether's family lives, posted on X: 'This evening, I have been informed of the release on bail of Robert Pether, whose imprisonment in Iraq has been a case of great concern. 'This is very welcome news in what has been a long and distressing saga for Robert's wife, three children and his wider family and friends.' Speaking to Irish national broadcaster RTE, Pether's wife, Desree Pether, said her husband was 'not well at all' and 'really needs to just come home so he can get the proper medical care he needs.' 'He's completely unrecognizable. It's a shock to the system to see how far he has declined,' she said.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
How companies should — and should not — deploy AI
Even though nearly half of office workers now turn to generative AI in their daily work, fewer than one in four CEOs report that the technology has delivered its promised value at scale. What is going on? The answer may lie in the fact that generative AI was initially presented as a productivity tool, which led to it being strongly associated with cost-cutting and workforce reductions. Spotting the risk, some 42 percent of employees surveyed in 2024 worried that their job might not exist in the next decade. In the absence of training and upskilling to harness the technology's potential, it is not surprising that there would be more resistance than enthusiasm. Like antibodies fighting off a foreign body, there can be an 'immune response' within organizations, with employees and managers alike resisting change and looking for reasons why AI 'won't work' for them. In addition to slowing adoption, such resistance has prevented a fuller exploration of other potential benefits, such as improved decision-making, enhanced creativity, the elimination of routine tasks and higher job satisfaction. As a result, there has been little consideration of how to 'reinvest' the time that AI can save. AI adoption is not about saving minutes. It is about reinventing work for the benefit of employees and the organization. Vinciane Beauchene and Allison Bailey Yet our research finds that employees who use generative AI regularly can already save five hours per working week, allowing them to pursue new tasks, further experiment with the technology, collaborate in new ways with coworkers or simply finish earlier. The challenge for business leaders, then, is to emphasize these potential benefits and provide guidance on where to refocus one's time to maximize value creation. Consider the example of a global healthcare provider that recently deployed generative AI across its 100,000 employees. It created a scalable AI learning program with three objectives: high AI literacy across the organization, so that all employees could make the most of the technology; a broad suite of AI tools for every work scenario; and compliant usage. Owing to this holistic approach, the company soon improved employee satisfaction and productivity at the same time. But AI adoption is not about saving minutes. It is about reinventing work for the benefit of employees and the organization. When a company treats generative AI merely as a timesaving tool, it is more likely to chase piecemeal use cases — 10 minutes saved here, 30 minutes saved there — which will not have a meaningful impact on the overall business. After all, small-scale AI applications that yield diffuse productivity gains are difficult to reinvest or capture on a profit and loss statement. Without a holistic strategy to redesign their core processes around AI, organizations risk optimizing isolated tasks rather than fundamentally improving how work gets done. The result, all too often, is that bottlenecks will simply be relocated to other parts of the process or value chain, limiting overall productivity gains. For example, in software development, an AI that speeds up coding can lead to more arduous debugging or other delays, negating any efficiency gains. Real value comes from integrating AI across the entire development lifecycle. This example also raises a larger issue: Too many organizations pursue scale without first reimagining the structures and workflows needed to harness cumulative gains. The usual result is a missed opportunity, because time savings that are not reinvested strategically tend to dissipate. Rather than adopting a let-a-hundred-flowers-bloom approach, organizations should pursue a few big transformational initiatives focused on reimagining work from end to end. The true promise of generative AI lies in unlocking what we call the 'golden triangle' of value: productivity, quality and engagement/joy. An AI strategy should reimagine workflows to eliminate inefficiencies, augment decision-making and processes to encourage innovation and creativity, and enhance work, not mechanize it. Employees are more likely to embrace AI enthusiastically when it eliminates drudgery, feeds creativity and accelerates learning. Proper attention to upskilling will ensure that the technology augments human potential, boosting workplace engagement and job satisfaction. By emphasizing engagement and the quality of experience alongside productivity, organizations can move beyond a cost-driven perspective to one that creates more value for the business, its employees and its customers. AI can be much more than an automation mechanism, provided that firms adopt a comprehensive strategy for deploying it. Organizations should pursue a few big transformational initiatives focused on reimagining work from end to end. Vinciane Beauchene and Allison Bailey Business leaders should keep five imperatives in mind. The first is to focus on the biggest pools of value with the best-defined business cases for integrating AI. The second is to reimagine work, rather than simply optimizing it. AI should be used to transform entire workflows, not just automate a few steps. Third, managers must invest in upskilling, so that everyone understands the technology and its potential. Fourth, the golden triangle, with its balance between productivity, quality and employee engagement/joy, should be businesses' golden rule. Lastly, organizations should measure value beyond cost savings. Businesses that deploy generative AI most effectively will track its effects on workforce empowerment, agility and new revenue streams, not just operational costs. By heeding these imperatives, companies can use AI as a force for reinvention, rather than just a productivity tool. In the process, they will set the pace for the next era of business.
