Jewels of the Gulf

GOLDEN OFFERINGS FROM THE LIKES OF FREYWILLE , AND DAZZLING DIAMONDS AND OTHER CREATIONS FROM CHATILA , MANSOUR , MOUAWAD, CARTIER AND MORE .

WORDS VEENAH GUNASEGARAN

Dubai’s golden wealth is so striking that the city retains a permanent golden hue. It is reminiscent of the impression the sun’s rays make when setting against the Burj Al Arab; while the city’s diamonds and pearls almost make the moon pale in comparison. With these promises, Dubai quietly beckons visitors to indulge in its exquisite jewellery, made by experts who pride themselves on creating unrivalled pieces that outshine expectations. This allure is unsurprising, as Dubai offers an abundance of jewellery shops (both big and small), enforces a strict quality law on its products ensuring the best of the best and offers competitive prices by not charging sales tax on purchases.

Diamonds

Diamonds may not come to mind in the same way that gold and pearls do when conjuring up thoughts of Dubai’s bustling jewellery scene, but they are fast gaining attention in the city’s international trade market.

Along with having its own diamond exchange (Dubai Diamond Exchange), Dubai also trades some of the best diamonds in the international market – making the gleam from this precious gem extend beyond its physical properties. Buying a diamond is a difficult task, and the four ‘C’s – cut, colour, carat and clarity – should always be meticulously checked prior to purchase.

The charisma of a diamond comes from its precise ‘cut’ and the sparkle that bounces off its polished surface. The cut of a diamond depends on three attributes – the maximum light reflected back through the stone, the dispersion of the light into a spectrum of colours and the flashes of dazzling light that catch your eye with every move of the stone.

The ‘colour’ of a diamond is also important in deciding its value, and it is calculated using a colour-grading scale. ‘D’ is graded to diamonds that are close to ‘colourless’ and they are the generally the most expensive (with the exception of the colours pink and blue, which are extremely rare and not included in this colour range). At the end of the grading scale is the ‘Z’ classification, which is the least desirable and is for diamonds that have slight hints of yellow or brown in them.

The weight of a diamond is measured in carats, where one carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams, or about the weight of a paperclip. One carat is divided into 100 points, so a 25-point diamond will be 0.25 carats. Larger diamonds have a higher cost per carat, due to their increased rarity. Carat shouldn’t be confused with ‘karat’, which is used to measure gold purity.

A diamond’s ‘clarity’ refers to any of its identifying features and if it contains any flaws. These flaws are called ‘inclusions’ and are basically air bubbles, cracks or any non-diamond minerals that appear in the diamond. Look for an ‘FL’ grade on your diamond to know if it’s completely flawless or, at the extreme end, ‘I3’ for obvious inclusions.

Once you’ve gone through the four ‘C’s before buying your diamond, you’re only left with one more ‘C’ – cost, which shouldn’t be too much of a worry considering you are guaranteed the best quality diamonds at competitive prices when shopping in Dubai.

Pearls

There is an Arabic legend that says when moonlight-filled dewdrops descended to the sea from the sky, they were swallowed by oysters and thus formed pearls inside their shells. Dubai’s association with pearls goes as far back as this old adage – long before the discovery of oil on the Gulf, pearl trading was the source of most of Dubai’s wealth.

Today, while we may have a more scientific explanation for the formation of pearls, the concept of their creation is still similar – when a foreign object slips through into an oyster and irritates it (much like a splinter in a toe), the oyster naturally tries to protect itself by coating the object with layers of the same substance of

Freywille

For over 30 years, FREYWILLE has been setting new standards in jewellery design, enamelling processes and internationalisation. The brand’s passion for the humanist and philosophical traditions of Europe is a defining element of the FREYWILLE culture, which places creative power and the joy of art above all else.

The collections frequently pay homage to the world’s greatest artists, with the likes of Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Alphonse Mucha all used as reference points and inspiration. FREYWILLE has boutiques all over the world, including in Dubai, where it is located in the Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Centre and Central Galleria in the Mirdif City Centre. www.freywille.com which its outer shell is made (nacre) and eventually over time these layers form into a pearl.

Generally, cultured pearls are less sought after than natural pearls, despite their equal quality, simply because they are not as rare. Pearls are on par with diamonds as symbols of elegance and natural beauty, and their value, like that of a diamond, is also determined by factors like size, colour, lustre, shape and surface quality.

The main thing to look out for when selecting a pearl is the glowing appearance of its surface and its ability to reflect light. Look at the pearl and, if you find your reflection looking back at you, then it’s made of exceptional quality, thanks to the layer of nacre coating it. The quality of the pearl’s lustre is attributed to two main factors – the health of the mother oyster and the length of time the pearl spent in the oyster.

Pearls can be found in a whole range of colours, from shades of white, pink, silver, gold and blue, through to darker colours such as peacock green and aubergine purple, to shades of grey. The shape of a pearl varies from round to baroque (irregular) with the spherical and symmetrical shapes being the most popular choice with consumers today.

The size of a pearl is also important, and is measured in millimetres. This has an impact upon the price, where a millimetre’s difference can raise the price by up to 200 percent.

Gold

Dubai is also known as ‘The City of Gold’, both because of the important part the city plays as an international platform for gold manufacture and trade, and because of how much the locals appreciate this precious metal. Indeed, Dubai’s inhabitants are so enthralled by gold that 76 percent of them are owners of it and they are also eager to share it with those that travel to their land – almost 95 percent of Dubai’s tourists make a gold purchase of some sort!

On average, 34 grams of gold is bought by each person in Dubai per annum, which accounts for the highest per capita of gold sales in the world. One of the most popular places to purchase gold in Dubai is the Gold Souk, a traditional market consisting of around 300 jewellery retailers. At any given time, there is said to be around 10 tonnes of gold or jewellery at the souk and this is evident from the dazzling shine from the window of each store proudly displaying its jewellery. The diversity of shops here gives you an unlimited choice for purchase, which could either help or hinder your decision-making.

Haggling is the only way that you can be sure of getting a good deal in the souk, so you are encouraged to be persistent, and even consider walking away, so merchants will drop their price in order to get your business. And even if they don’t come back to you, there are plenty of other vendors to offer you a price you’ll be happy with. l

Damas

DAMAS

With its headquarters in Dubai, Damas is one of the Middle East’s leading international jewellery and watch retailers. Here you will find:

BRUMANI

A passion for jewellery, design, precious gems, the pursuit of excellence in every detail and the art of ‘handmade’ jewellery is the essence of Brumani. The legacy of the family from Italian and German immigrants, with more than 50 years of tradition in jewellery, has been left to the Brazilian brothers. Their strong and colourful identity elegantly depicts the spirit of Brazil into each and every jewellery piece with the use of only the finest gemstones.

Faberg

Founded in 1842, Fabergé has been the most revered name in jewellery since Peter Carl Fabergé became official goldsmith to the Russian Imperial Court. The house has long created exquisite jewels and objects, including the legendary series of lavish and ingenious Imperial Easter Eggs. Today, Fabergé continues to explore and epitomise the ‘art of colour’, pushing the boundaries of artistry and craftsmanship with coloured gemstones and innovative techniques.

www.faberge.com

Pasquale Bruni

Pasquale Bruni was drawn into the world of jewellery at a very young age in the workshops of Valenza, the centre for the production of jewellery in Italy. He rap- idly mastered the techniques and learned the secrets of the goldsmith’s trade, as well as developing a keen eye for detail. A piece of jewellery created by Pasquale Bruni is a work of art that charms with its minute details. www.damasjewellery.com

Mouawad

Each Mouawad Bespoke creation is a unique work of art, brought to life by the House’s prowess in crafting the extraordinary.

For over a century, Mouawad has been fashioning spectacular jewellery destined for its exclusive clientele and has now created a Bespoke section. Visit the website to discover more about its heritage of exceptional artistry and passion for crafting the extraordinary exalted in Mouawad’s bespoke creations.

Upon delivery of the Mouawad Bespoke creation, the client is presented with a Certificate of Authenticity, giving detailed information on the gems and craftsmanship.

Mouawad co-guardian Pascal Mouawad says, “Mouawad has a tradition of procuring large and exceptional diamonds. As with all Mouawad creations, our bespoke pieces are made completely in-house, from the sourcing of gems through to craftsmanship and delivery.” www.mouawad.com