When Dubai Watch Week debuted in 2015, organizers and model executives alike mentioned they thought it was time for the area to have a significant occasion on the world horology calendar.

And this 12 months, with 68 manufacturers scheduled to take part within the occasion Nov. 16-20, it appears they have been proper.

Watches will not be bought on the truthful, typically referred to as D.W.W., however many manufacturers have come to see it as a horological second, and about 20 new fashions are scheduled for presentation at model boutiques and particular occasions all through the town, the biggest within the United Arab Emirates.

Amongst these introductions will probably be timepieces from Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux.

Patrick Pruniaux, chief government and co-founder of Sowind Group, which owns each manufacturers, wrote in an e mail that the truthful is an effective venue for the debuts. “We’ve been a long-term partner of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and are very familiar with its professionalism and the company’s extraordinary eye for detail,” he wrote, referring to the group that based the truthful, a significant watch retailer within the area. “We recognize the importance of Dubai Watch Week on the world stage, hence we chose this year’s event to reveal our latest models.”

With a sequence of panel discussions, grasp courses and debates, the truthful is also referred to as a great supply of horological studying and enrichment. “Dubai Watch Week is the place to be if you’re into watches,” mentioned Mishal Hamed Kanoo, who has been a speaker on the truthful a number of occasions through the years. (The truthful, based as an annual occasion, moved to a biennial schedule in 2017.)

The Instances requested eight collectors, business executives and watch journalists for his or her impressions, and ideas about the place to search out all of the motion in Dubai.

Founding father of the watch web site Arab Watch Information, in addition to the Arab Watch Membership, which has collaborated with manufacturers on 19 particular version watches since its institution in 2015.

Why D.W.W.? “You can have coffee with an idol of yours and have a discussion,” mentioned Mr. Akhras, who mentioned he has attended the occasion since its inception. “It’s a very open kind of platform.” He mentioned it’s also a great occasion for watch newbies: “It offers a great start for someone who doesn’t know much about watches and wants to learn and understand what’s happening in our world.”

He’s trying ahead to Along with attending lectures and networking, Mr. Akhras mentioned he’ll cowl as many new watch occasions as potential for the Arab Watch Information, which is able to have a good time its tenth anniversary subsequent 12 months. He’s particularly anticipating assembly collectors to ship the most recent Arab Watch Membership special-edition watch — born out of a collaboration with the Swiss model Oris and the retailer Seddiqi, and based mostly on Oris’s Massive Crown Pointer Date mannequin. Already bought out, the 50-piece restricted version has a purple dial with the Oris identify in Arabic.

High tip Dune bashing, going to the desert in 4x4s with a information. “You wander around the desert, camp for a nice dinner and then come back. It’s beautiful and a lot of fun.”

Favourite consuming Gaia, Zuma, LPM Restaurant & Bar and The Arts Membership, all within the Dubai Worldwide Finance Centre (D.I.F.C.) mall, the place D.W.W. is staged.

On his wrist will probably be A bespoke Cartier Crash with a inexperienced dial that he mentioned he picked up late final 12 months.

A watch collector based mostly in Cyprus and the founding father of Watch Anish, a advertising and marketing communications firm specializing in watch manufacturers.

Why D.W.W.? “I remember when I was younger, I’d look in the window of different Rolex boutiques and would never be brave enough to go through that door,” he recalled. “Dubai Watch Week’s casual atmosphere allows people to do that — to get people over that first hurdle of wanting to ask questions and not feel silly. We all start somewhere.”

He additionally mentioned that he thinks that the area’s strict legal guidelines and extreme penalties are a giant deterrent to luxurious robberies: “Which means that people feel very safe wearing their watches and jewelry in Dubai. In the end, it’s kind of a big reason why we make these purchases — to be able to buy, enjoy and wear them.”

He’s trying ahead to The truthful as a major networking alternative. “I meet friends that I might see only once or twice a year at big exhibitions like this. You’ll interact with people that share the same passion for watches. Sometimes it takes a big event like this for people to travel.”

High tip Get a neighborhood SIM card with loads of information. “There are so many fun things to see, you’ll want to document everything and share all your experiences. I’ve had bills of like 2,000 pounds just for over a week at Dubai Watch Week. Spend $30 or $50 on a local SIM card and you can do as much as you want and not run out of data.”

For artwork lovers The 37xDubai, a digital artwork area in D.I.F.C.’s Burj Daman tower, which was slated to open Nov. 1. “Dubai has so many venues that are always outdoing each other, so it takes something really special to make you go ‘wow.’ This is one of those rare occasions — it’s such a cool space.”

On his wrist will probably be “It’s an emotional decision on the day. A watch is a small extension of your personality and I never really plan what to wear in advance at all.”

The watch world veteran not too long ago based Biver watches along with his son, Pierre. Their new model is scheduled to make its D.W.W. debut subsequent week.

Why D.W.W.? “I believe — and I’m probably the only one — that Dubai Watch Week is a kind of replacement for Basel,” he mentioned, referring to the Baselworld commerce present that held its closing version in 2019.

He’s trying ahead to Being on the Biver stand and assembly clients. “It might be an end customer that doesn’t buy today, but might buy tomorrow, or in three years or 10. The more impressions of the end user you can get, the better.”

High tip The desert expertise, which he referred to as an “experience of life as well as kindness and love.”

Favourite consuming Zuma, within the D.I.F.C. mall. “It’s my favorite restaurant, not only in Dubai.”

On his wrist will probably be The Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon Biver in titanium with a sodalite dial.

A co-founder and co-host of the podcast Luxurious Unedited, and proprietor of a luxurious boutique in Oman.

Why D.W.W.? Ms. Daud notes that this will probably be her first time on the truthful — it had clashed along with her journey schedule up to now. “I’m really looking forward to getting the feel of it — to feel the essence and seeing how they approach people, rather than just the watches,” she mentioned, referring to the truthful’s organizers. “For me, it’s always about the conversations and interactions.”

Her plans? Ms. Daud will probably be engaged on her podcast, infusing it with what she referred to as “the Misha way of watch buying.”

“I always tell people, ‘Buy what you love’ — like art. I have to love what I see. It’s the same for watches.”

High suggestions Ms. Daud recommended planning forward, as eating places and desert excursions get booked up. And produce a jacket or sweater. “As warm as it is outside, everything from cars to malls to restaurants blast air-con, so it’s absolutely freezing inside.”

Favourite consuming On the LPM Restaurant & Bar, within the D.I.F.C. mall, the escargot with garlic butter and ache perdu with spice ice cream are her go-to orders. She additionally recommends the beachside restaurant Shimmers: “It’s a beautiful setting, but be warned lunch will last till sunset with the right friends, and much laughter.”

On her wrist will probably be A yellow gold Rolex Daytona Ref. 116508 with a inexperienced dial, generally called the John Mayer (after the singer-songwriter, an avid watch collector, voiced affection for the mannequin throughout a 2019 video interview with the watch publication Hodinkee.)

Founder and chief government of the general public relations company Kaaviar PR and co-founder of Watch Femme, a Geneva-based nonprofit group that helps girls within the watch business.

Why D.W.W.? The Seddiqi household and particularly Hind Seddiqi, director normal of the truthful, have lengthy been what Ms. Hirschy referred to as “staunch supporters” of Watch Femme. And on the truthful, she mentioned, “the panels are so well curated and always feature speakers you’re not going to find at any other event.”

She’s trying ahead to The Watch Femme Watch Pace Courting occasion, scheduled for Nov. 18, wherein contributors will type small teams and every group member then can strive on about 10 watches. “The goal is to experience different watches in a fun way. It’s super interactive.”

Additionally, Watch Femme is holding its first dwell Tick Speak, a sequence that options girls working within the business and beforehand had solely been held on Zoom. Ms. Seddiqi is to talk on the occasion.

High tip Regardless of being within the metropolis, she mentioned, Dubai has wonderful seashores. “If you really want to treat yourself, spend the day at the Bulgari Resort on an island in Jumeirah Bay.”

Favourite consuming Al Mallah, on the 2nd of December Avenue a couple of 10 minute drive from the D.I.F.C., for genuine Lebanese meals. “It started as a juice stand on the street 40 years ago and they have amazing watermelon juice and shawarmas.”

On her wrist will probably be A Frederique Fixed Highlife in metal with a pink dial. “It’s perfect to match my black and pink Missoni dress.”

Chairman of The Kanoo Group, a enterprise conglomerate based mostly within the United Arab Emirates, with pursuits that embrace transport, journey, power and building.

Why D.W.W.? For Mr. Kanoo, who will probably be talking on a panel analyzing how impartial manufacturers can navigate company buyouts, seeing the watches on the wrist is essential. “Trying on the watches and the touch and feel is the enjoyable part.”

He’s trying ahead to Discovering out what the impartial manufacturers like MB&F and Czapek & Cie. (he’s an investor) have in retailer. “They can come up with new, interesting watches you probably wouldn’t think of.”

High tip “You need two things: comfortable shoes and a fat wallet.” Then, he added, “Your fat wallet might become thinner by the time you go back — and not necessarily for watches.”

For artwork lovers The artwork district of Al Quoz, in western Dubai, for up to date artwork, particularly Alserkal Avenue, which has many small galleries.

On his wrist will probably be “I still haven’t decided. It will depend how I’m feeling on the day.”

Chief business officer at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, which represents greater than 80 watch and jewellery manufacturers in additional than 50 boutiques within the U.A.E.

Why D.W.W.? Mr. Seddiqi, who has been concerned with the truthful since its inception, mentioned D.W.W.’s give attention to schooling and craftsmanship is what makes the occasion stand aside. “It opens a new gateway for the end consumer to understand the steps for creating a timepiece,” he mentioned, including that the occasion has the sort of “casual conversation that has been missing at other exhibitions or fairs.”

“People mingle with one another. You will suddenly see the C.E.O. of Audemars Piguet and the C.E.O. of Rolex sitting and discussing something. A lot of ideas come up,” he added, citing for instance the Legacy Machine FlyingT Allegra, a 2021 collaboration between MB&F and Bulgari that germinated through the 2017 D.W.W.

He’s trying ahead to Seeing shoppers, particularly if he “can change the mind of a client that maybe hates a certain brand,” he mentioned. “You listen to him or her and then you end up sitting with the C.E.O., or the marketing or creative director, of that brand. You open a totally new page for the client — to understand the brand’s direction, why its movements are done a certain away — and the client ends up changing his or her perspective.”

High tip The Gold Souk within the Deira neighborhood of Dubai. “It’s an amazing experience and you never know what you might find.”

Favourite place XVA Gallery within the Al Fahidi district of Dubai’s outdated city. The constructing was as soon as the house of Mr. Seddiqi’s paternal grandfather, and the household enterprise began there greater than 70 years in the past. His father and different kinfolk additionally grew up there. “It is a very sentimental place for us.”

On his wrist will probably be “Stay tuned, it’s a surprise across all five days of the event.”

Co-chief government of Oris, which is to take part in D.W.W. for the second consecutive time.

Why D.W.W.? Mr. Studer likened D.W.W. to a household gathering, calling it “one of the nicest” occasions within the business. “It’s great food, great people, great watches. What else could you ask for?”

He’s trying ahead to Seeing collectors get their Arab Watch Membership collaboration watch (“We wanted to do something in the region and Hassan was the perfect person to do a watch collaboration with. We started talking pre-Watches and Wonders 2023 and met in Geneva.”) and presenting Oris’s personal fashions, scheduled to be unveiled on Nov. 16. Mr. Studer mentioned he didn’t wish to give an excessive amount of away, however mentioned that one is “very conceptual, technical and beautiful — the same as Dubai Watch Week.”

High tip He identify checked the Dubai Body, the museum and observatory that has turn out to be a neighborhood landmark, and the outdated gold and spice souks as must-visits. He additionally inspired a little bit of retail remedy, even when only for the expertise: “Shopping is an art form in itself in Dubai.”

Favourite consuming Alongside Gaia and Cipriani (“the old classic where everyone hangs out”), Mr. Studer mentioned he needs to strive the Italian restaurant Stylish Nonna, additionally within the D.I.F.C. mall. However, actually, wherever outdoor will swimsuit, he mentioned: “It’s November and the weather is fantastic. We get five bonus days of summer.”

On his wrist will probably be The Oris ProPilot X Kermit Version, ”which has a inexperienced dial, naturally, however its most entertaining characteristic seems on the primary of each month, or ‘Kermit Day’, when Kermit’s cheery face pops into the date window.”