RIYADH: Riyadh’s Jewellery Salon, which wraps up on Friday, brought together international and local jewelry houses to meet Saudi clientele before the fair heads to Jeddah from Feb. 27 to March 1.
One of those firms was British luxury label Asprey, which collaborated with Saudi brand Nuun Jewel’s founder Princess Noura Al-Faisal to produce a capsule collection that features five clutches, each of which represents a distinct region of Saudi Arabia.
The Pochette 1781, as interpreted by Princess Nourah in five styles is part of a capsule collection that is on showcase at Jewellery Salon this year. (Supplied)
“Asprey are very well known for their jewelry but also for their bags. They are known for the Asprey Pochette 1781 iconic clutch, and I was trying to spread my wings as a designer and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to portray Saudi heritage in a way that’s not really thought of?’” Princess Noura told Arab News.
The designer thought it would “be wonderful to be able to use traditional patterns from different areas (and) put them within the bag design so you have the leather on the outside and then the precious hand embroidery on the inside and that felt very Saudi as well somehow. The colors and the patterns — each one is truly representing that region,” Princess Noura added.
I was trying to spread my wings as a designer and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to portray Saudi heritage in a way that’s not really thought of?’
Princess Nourah Al-Faisal, Nuun Jewels founder
Powered by the desire to transform the jewelry scene in Saudi Arabia, Haya Al-Sunaida launched the Jewellery Salon in 2009 to invite international designers to an industry that was previously dominated by a few elites. Her aim was to curate an exhibition that could unite local and international jewelers in a single platform and serve exclusive clientele in the country.
While perusing exquisite jewels at the exhibition, which took place at the Al-Faisaliah Hotel, guests were drawn to a rainforest green pop-up that featured the distinctive designs of London’s Glenn Spiro jewelry house.
A selection of pieces from Bahraini jewelry house Devji Aurum featuring both Indian and Arabian jewelry styles was also on display.
“We are a family-run business that purchases rare gems. We’re not aiming to sell the pieces or grow it into a massive business; we are actual jewelers, dealers. Every year, we produce a specific number of pieces. We purchase materials, stones, and gems that we adore. In addition, we don’t promote anywhere while having a great client of private customers,” founder Spiro told Arab News.
A selection of pieces from Bahraini jewelry house Devji Aurum, which is well-known in Bahrain and Dubai and boasts both Indian and Arabian jewelry styles, was also on display.
The greatest pieces from the Bahraini jewelry house Devji Aurum, which is well-known in Bahrain and Dubai and has an Indian and Arabian jewelry style, are also on display. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)
The fourth-generation owner of the brand Dev Devji attended personally to meet visitors.
“We are born and raised in Bahrain. So, we have been coming to the Saudi market for quite some time now. We have a huge clientele from Saudi Arabia that visits our boutiques in Bahrain and Dubai, so we’re quite excited to be part of the exhibition this year,” Devji said.
Saudi jewelry label Sulaiman Al-Mudhiyan, known for their diamonds, brought glittering pieces to the Jewellery Salon exhibition and even offered competitive prices at the event.
“We are returning to this exhibition. We have a large selection of rings, earrings, and other items, and we are offering our guests incredible prices,” Nasser Ahmed, a sales executive at Sulaiman Al-Mudhiyan, said.
