All photos by Adam Hodges

If you’re looking for a new watch this week – or just want to gawk at some finely-made ones – you’re in luck. The annual Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) has opened to the public at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in West Bay.

In its 13th year, the exhibition features more than 500 of the world’s most exclusive brands, including Rolex, Bulgari and Alpina, with exhibitors from 17 different countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud opened the exhibition last night at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a VIP reception that allowed guests to take a first look at the displays.

The show isn’t just for buyers or collectors, but also an opportunity to simply admire the fine workmanship these brands offer and catch a glimpse of some rare gemstones.

What’s new

This year, the exhibition includes an onsite certification lab from the International Gemological Institute to provide buyers with expert grading of diamonds and other gemstones purchased at the exhibit.

The weeklong event also features several educational seminars, including one today at 6pm that will show attendees how watchmaker Cabestan meticulously hand-creates the roughly 50 watches it produces each year.

Among the other new offerings is that visitors can turn their eye scans into jewelry:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCBNIFxkVeE/

Organizers are expecting around 30,000 visitors to stop by the exhibition this week.

The DJWE will run from Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 10pm every day except Friday. Friday’s hours will be from 3pm to 10pm.

Entry is free, but visitors are required to register onsite with their Qatar IDs or passports, or can save time by pre-registering online here.

As always, small children are not permitted inside the exhibition.

Thoughts?