Qatar has remained “a healthy market” for jewellery and watches due to customers’ high level of taste and knowledge on brands and collections, Blue Salon vice chairman Nabil AR Abu Issa has said.
“We depend on the local consumers and they are always available to see new stuff and buy,” he told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) yesterday. The event concludes today at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
“We are in much much better shape than neighbouring countries because of the strong economy of Qatar,” the entrepreneur stated, while elaborating on Qataris’ familiarity and attention to detail when it comes to jewellery and watches.
Abu Issa said a lot of costumers in Qatar would often contact him while attending other exhibitions such as the Baselworld Watch and Jewellery Show in Switzerland, scheduled next month.
“When I am in Basel, a lot of our customers call me from Qatar and say ‘keep one (limited edition) for me,” he noted.
About sales, Abu Issa said they performed better in January and February this year compared with the same period last year.
“In 2015, it was almost flat as 2014, a little bit of increase but as a group since we are a holding, we have a lot of different businesses,” he said. “But overall, let us say maybe four to five percent above 2014 which is good because last quarter (of 2015) the economy was a bit slow.”
With increase in sales in the first two months of 2016, he expressed optimism that business will further improve in the coming months.
Some of Blue Salon’s popular brands include Breitling and Bovet.  
He described Breitling as an affordable luxury brand which produces high quality watches made in Switzerland.
“Bovet is a very expensive brand and has been performing well. Annually, it makes 3,000 handmade/hand-engraved watches sold to various outlets around the world.”
Collections and timepieces from Jacob&Co, Korloff’s, Ferragamo, Zenith, DeBethune, Ouzounian and Valentina Callegher, among others are also on display at the event.
Summing up the DJWE 2016, Abu Issa said the biggest advantage this year is the better accessibility of the venue, the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre in West Bay.