JEDDAH, 31 December — A golden crown manufactured in the Kingdom has found its place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest crown produced ever. The rare piece of art weighing 1.5 kilograms that was produced by Al-Nashar Company has been unveiled in Jeddah.
This achievement follows the production of the biggest golden ring in the world two years ago, said Faidhi Al-Hashidi, the head of the gold and jewelry manufacturers’ syndicate in the Kingdom. The ring, manufactured by the Jeddah-based Taibah Company, has been showcased in several international exhibitions, most recently the United Arab Emirates.
Al-Hashidi stressed the vast potential offered by the gold and jewelry industry in expediting the Saudization process, as the number of the Saudi nationals among the workers in the manufacturing and sale of jewelry is considerably low. He commended the efforts by the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in training Saudi youths in this area.
More than 1,000 women have been employed to manufacture jewelry in various units of L’azurde for Gold and Jewelry, according to Abdul Aziz Al-Othaim, general manager of L’azurde.
Al-Hashidi said contests such as the “Weight in Gold,” which has been launched in the Eastern Province, will help in promoting the jewelry industry in the Kingdom. Winners of the contest, which is part of a campaign to popularize the gold industry and the advance made in the manufacture of jewels in the Kingdom, will be entitled to gold prizes — in addition to the participation in a program aired by the Abu Dhabi TV. The contest organized in collaboration with the World Gold Council will also be launched shortly in other cities, the chief of the gold manufacturers said.
He expects considerable growth in demand for jewelry as the number of pilgrims has been increasing following the implementation of new Umrah regulations. In the holy month of Ramadan this year, when the Umrah pilgrims came in their largest numbers ever, the sales rose by 50 percent compared to other seasons. The Haj and Umrah seasons are the peak periods in the gold market.
