96,000 Visitors, a Dh5 Million Gold Dress, and the UAE's First Local Gemstone: Sharjah's Jewellery Show Just Got Bigger

The Numbers First, Because They Tell the Story

The 57th edition of the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show just closed in Sharjah, and the headline figure is a 6 percent increase in attendance compared to last year, bringing total visitor numbers to over 96,000 people. That is not a modest uptick. It reflects a regional luxury market that is genuinely growing, not just holding steady.

The event ran for five days at Expo Centre Sharjah, supported by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It covered 30,000 square metres of exhibition space and brought together 400 exhibitors from 19 countries. For a regional trade event, those numbers sit firmly in the premier tier.

Sharjah's property and retail sectors have both been on a strong trajectory this year. Our reporting on the Sharjah property market hitting record AED 17.9 billion in Q1 2026 gives some context for the broader commercial momentum in the emirate right now.

The Dh5 Million Gold Dress Everyone Was Talking About

The centrepiece of the show, and the piece most visitors came specifically to see, was a Dh5 million gold dress created by Al Romaizan Gold and Jewellery. The dress holds a Guinness World Record as the world's most expensive gold dress, crafted from more than 10 kilograms of 21-carat gold. This was its first public display, and the queues to see it reflected its pulling power.

Items like this serve a dual function at trade events. They generate media attention and foot traffic, but they also signal the ambition level of the market. When a regional goldsmith can create and display a world-record piece like this in Sharjah, it says something meaningful about where the UAE sits in the global luxury jewellery conversation.

A Quiet but Significant Milestone: The UAE's First Local Gemstone

Beneath the headline of the gold dress, the most commercially significant moment at the show may actually have been quieter. The exhibition saw the unveiling of "Spirit of the Emirates", described as the UAE's first locally sourced gemstone. The stone is a natural red jasper sourced from the Al Siji region in Fujairah, developed through a collaboration with the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation.

For the UAE's jewellery industry, this matters strategically. Until now, the country has been primarily a hub for importing, processing, and retailing jewellery from international sources. A locally sourced gemstone, even a single example, opens a conversation about building a more complete value chain domestically. That is a meaningful shift in direction.

International Reach and Local Talent: Both Growing

The exhibitor list covered a wide international range. Countries represented included Italy, India, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US, and several Arab nations. Dedicated country pavilions featured exclusive collections, new launches, and designs aimed at regional luxury buyers.

On the local side, the Emirati Goldsmiths Platform had its strongest showing yet. Twenty Emirati designers participated, including seven women making their exhibition debut. That mix of international buying power and growing local talent is exactly the combination that strengthens a market over time.

What the Industry Was Actually Talking About

Beyond the showpiece items, the exhibition floor this year had a clear set of themes. Industry conversations centred on:

• Laboratory-grown diamonds and where they sit in the premium market
• Advanced manufacturing technologies for jewellery production
• Precious metals pricing and long-term supply chain strategy
• Packaging innovation as a differentiator in the retail experience

These are the conversations that matter for B2B buyers and suppliers at an event like this. The spectacle draws the crowd. The business happens in the halls around it.

Event Summary Table