#Conversations: Dubai Watch Week 2023

[00:00:06] Dubai, where opulence knows no bounds and luxury is a way of life. A dazzling desert oasis which is now on top of everything luxury. Fashion, watches, supercars, hotels, restaurants, adventure. You name it and Dubai has mastered it.

[00:00:31] The pursuit of luxury or fine living here is not just a goal but it is a lifestyle. Top to bottom, it is bling, bling and bling. They say money can't buy happiness but does it hold true when you are in Dubai? You tell me.

[00:00:54] Dubai is the ultimate playground for luxury experiences. And if you are in Dubai, how can you not think of shopping? Head to the most talked about Dubai mall and enjoy shopping at some of the most prestigious brands.

[00:01:13] While you are at it, you could also enjoy some personal shopping services and butler services via the concierge. Shopping accompanied by a tour of the Burj Khalifa is a must. You can also enjoy the stunning fountain show that you can watch while sipping some wine and enjoying dinner.

[00:01:40] Hello and welcome back on Lux Insider with me or host Anita Khatri. New year, new beginnings and of course a new episode. I am joined by a very special guest here with me discussing new experiences in Dubai along with new watches at the recently held Dubai watch V.

[00:02:02] Please allow me to welcome Mr. Kevin Kharas, my watch buddy and my life buddy. So Kevin thank you for joining us today.

[00:02:12] My pleasure and what better than having my wife around here where I can discuss something about the beautiful pieces which I've got to see at the Dubai watch week. Obviously beautiful woman, beautiful watches. I understand all of that. Let me hear from you.

[00:02:33] How was your first time experience in Dubai? Dubai I had been 20 years back to Dubai for a very short visit but this was a real detailed visit of five days and it was all five days in the exhibition so it was something really exquisite.

[00:02:52] Besides the exhibition Dubai I think is a beautiful place. It reminds you of Mumbai but a much much refined place compared to Mumbai. And regarding the venue it was something exquisite when the moment I entered the venue.

[00:03:13] You mean to say Dubai DIFC, the Financial Center. The place was apt. No definitely I agree with you. You also mentioned to me during the exhibition the cars you saw, the environment that the entire exhibition is set in, the people around.

[00:03:36] Basically I would just say that you can wear any kind of watch without being watched or having any fear of getting caught.

[00:03:45] It is something which is so normal there. You get to see the best of watches like the BMWs and the Mercs and the Audi's were just the normal cars there. And we got to see Rolls Royce, Ferraris, Demoghani's which were just awesome.

[00:04:05] I heard that maximum number of Ferraris are in Dubai. Yes that's what I know. Yes yes yes I got to know that. But actually we saw so many Ferraris. So many Ferraris. Yeah. To add to that even the Lamborghinis or even the McLaren.

[00:04:19] Yeah even in the exhibition we saw so many of the local big shops. Yes at some point I didn't know whether to concentrate on the watches or the cars. Or the cars. I can imagine and understand. So for you it was a complete treat.

[00:04:33] Yes yes treat to my eyes. I love gadgets. I've been working with an airline so dealing with aircrafts where you are dealing with gigantic parts. Then cars where you have intermuchative parts and then to watches where you have miniscule parts.

[00:04:51] So let me ask you which watch impressed you the most? There were so many beautiful pieces. 60 to 62 participants and each brand having their own exclusive watches. But one piece which really caught my eye was the Debitune DBT Evergreen. Oh wow. I love the concept.

[00:05:16] It was something very different compared to the watches which all have ours minutes and the seconds hands. This was something unique. Okay yes I agree with you. Debitune Evergreen. Evergreen yes. Evergreen that you are talking about. Yes yes yes. The shape was exceptional. Exceptional.

[00:05:36] But it also has on its dial a coat the Geneva design and then you have jumping hours at 6 o'clock. And you have minutes on a rotating. In the center and month and day of the week at 12 o'clock position. Correct.

[00:05:55] So you know that how many pieces I don't know and what was the price? Do you recall that? The price was I think if you convert it into INR it is in a tune of once year or crore. Okay and how many pieces you remember?

[00:06:09] But I do remember it had a five day power reserve and it was in Titanium. Correct and believe me this is a piece that I am eyeing. So be prepared it's on my list I don't know whether I will be able to get it.

[00:06:23] There is no arm in having an eye on it. I have an eye then I get it you know how I am. Yes yes yes. But you know talking about more than 60 participating brands. Dubai Watch Week actually began in 2015. And today this year was the sixth edition.

[00:06:44] And yes you are right it had more than 60 I think around 62 brands is what I heard. And they had more than 23,000 visitors. Yes which was the most impressive and fabulous exhibition that I have witnessed before. This is my first exhibition. You are lucky.

[00:07:02] I am lucky I think I would say because I don't know if there could be a better exhibition than this. There are. Seeing Dubai and seeing being in Dubai for this exhibition and seeing the way it went I think it's only going to be better.

[00:07:18] And better because they have something very exclusive the way to get things even the rain which disrupted everything. I thought that day was not of but by one. And you know we had a 9 o'clock appointment. Yes and we thought it was all finished but we reached.

[00:07:36] We managed by so by one I think one or one thirty everything was back in action as if nothing happened. So what do you like about the exhibition? Is it the setup? Is it the ease of navigation? Is it the environment in totality? What did you feel?

[00:07:54] I would say everything together. Okay. Beautifully organized even if you wanted to have a bite into something. If you wanted the washroom or the way the setup was done. Basically it was comfort of the visitors. Yes yes comfort.

[00:08:13] Do you know that this is the only exhibition meant only for consumers? So comfort is the key? Correct. Navigation, FNB. You know I mean there were cafes, there were places where you could actually sit and relax.

[00:08:27] Yes and since it was for the customers there was no pressurization of people pressurizing you to buying it or something. You just comfortably have a look at it and have a feel of the product and always have it in your mind what you would eventually like to have.

[00:08:44] Basically it's for the love of watches. Love of watches yes. Watch collector anybody who loves watches can visit Dubai Watch Week without even thinking twice you just have to register and you have to appreciate the pieces.

[00:08:58] Correct correct it was just as easy just the only thing one has to do is just register a few days earlier and that's it. You just go, you keep your QR code ready just scan it enter or put your email ID and get registered.

[00:09:14] So beside the bathroom was there any piece or any booth that you felt you know that the booth was very? The booth which really caught my I loved it was the AP or MAPI gave. Okay.

[00:09:29] And but getting into it I think was a task because the serpentine queue, I don't know what people waiting outside to get into it and have a glimpse of all the watches.

[00:09:40] And one had to do it on a hurry because you are pressurized to move out to accommodate the other people behind you. Yeah, that's true. But why did you like Audna Piguet booth?

[00:09:50] Because I thought you liked the Van Cleef and Apple but Van Cleef and Apple was good. But I being a little on the techie technocrat techie technical watches.

[00:10:04] I think I love watches like which I mentioned the Depecune, then the Khaled Bukhara, the Audna Piguet, the complexity, the complications, the way the things I achieved, the finish, which you could achieve the look on the wrist.

[00:10:19] Of course Van Cleef, Apple, I don't, I hope my pronunciation is correct. Van Cleef and Apple's not correct. And the setup was something exquisite.

[00:10:30] Yes, you're right. I think Audna Piguet definitely was one of a very nicely designed booth which was like, you know, you had to discover from heritage watches plus the discovery of complicated watches and the booth itself. These booths actually communicate the DNA of the brand.

[00:10:51] If you look at Van Cleef and Apple, it was very poetic, very romantic. Yeah, you can say that. The nice setup was that. And that's what the DNA is. And then in Audna Piguet it is all about complications or even the booth.

[00:11:04] Yes, Van Cleef was more on the jewelry which would suit women more. That's true. That's true. No but you know both the booths were spectacular. Spectacular. No doubt about that. I own them. Even Ola Sada is both was very nice and so was Tudor.

[00:11:21] I even liked the concept that they had their own bar and you know something where you could bite into something or just have a drink. That's true. I had a, I don't know what the name of the drink was but one at Tudor, I enjoyed that drink.

[00:11:39] Whatever it was, I don't know about what it was. I was thirsty so I enjoyed that drink. Yeah, yeah. And talking about Tudor, did you like any piece? In fact, Tudor Pagaris 39 which has got a Grand Prix Orthology Award also this time recognition.

[00:11:56] It comes in a rubber strap and a complimentary titanium strap. So I guess even the case is titanium. It has to complement. Yes, it is a titanium case and it's a very nice looking sporty watch.

[00:12:12] I think any Tudor watch has its own exclusivity. Yeah, it's an everyday watch and Tudor is a watch which I think any watch enthusiast would love to own as a everyday piece. That's true. That's true. All watches though have the similar DNA have their distinct appearance.

[00:12:33] Yeah, they have distinct character, distinct personality and that's what they're so unique. They're so different. Like even if you have Rolex, you have Tudor. You still know that Tudor has its distinct. Distinct in us compared to Rolex. This particular Palak is I think is priced approximately at 4,45,000.

[00:12:56] Oh, is it? Yeah. Do you remember visiting the Ulis Nadai booth? Yeah, I cannot forget that. We had some bitings there and we had a good drink. I was starving. Yes, I remember that. And they were kind enough to get me some vegetarian food, right?

[00:13:14] And you were literally, the starvation could be felt when you were biting into the... That's true. Did you like the freak? Freak is when you remember, when you hear the word freak, you remember Ulis Nadai. Ulis Nadai, right? And the piece has its own distinct appearance.

[00:13:35] It has no crown. No crown. It has no R and minute hands. It is something totally different. It is a real groundbreaking design. But this one which they launched is a 44mm. It's in titanium. DLC titanium. Yes. And the bezel is made of carbonium. Carbonium, correct?

[00:13:51] Yes. So which makes it very light. Very light, correct. And also it has a... I think it has a grinder system in your mind, right? Yes, yes. It has a grinder automatic winding system. System, okay. Where you kind of rotate the bezel.

[00:14:09] For it to get winding here. For it to get wound. It's an exceptional piece. You liked it. It is an exceptional piece since the time it was launched in 2001. Yes. And it is 20 years. It's only being more innovative and getting better and better. That's true, that's true.

[00:14:24] So it is a very desirable watch. Which other watch did you like? I liked the Kalev Bukalo. There were two unique pieces. They were created for Dubai. They were exclusively created for Dubai. Yes. Watch week and Dubai market. Yeah. So which one you liked?

[00:14:40] I liked the green piece. The green. Green is a happening color and I think the Kalev Bukalo is termed as the... Green paradise. Green paradise, yes. Correct. And of course it's one masterpiece, right? Just one unique piece. Just one unique piece here.

[00:14:58] Correct. And do you know remember how much it was priced? It's a figure which some will not forget. 1.7 crore. I think 1.7 crores, yes. Yeah, 1.7 crore. And an exceptional piece. It had a tourbillon also if I'm not... Yes, it had a tourbillon.

[00:15:14] I'm not sure at what position the tourbillon was. It was a Manero tourbillon in 18 karat white gold, correct? Yeah. These Kalev Bukalo watches are known for their peripheral movements. Correct. Where you don't have a rotor that is something exquisite and trademark of the Kalev Bukalo watches. Yeah, correct.

[00:15:37] And I don't know who the lucky guy would be able to download the watch. I don't know who a book sit I guess, who is the first one to book it. And it's not available for any other customer. Yeah, just one unique piece. It's just one unique piece.

[00:15:50] Correct. But for Dubai market. For Dubai market, yes. So that one guy in Dubai... You remember Audma Piguet? It had an exclusive collection of 41mm Royal Oak self-winding rainbow collection. It was all 10 watches which were set basically the bucket with the colours, the gems which were there.

[00:16:16] One needed to buy the full set. You can't buy one watch. You have to buy all 10 watches. I've heard about that. It was launched in 2022 and this collection was flown from Milan, a collector who already owns to just display it over there.

[00:16:31] And they have been able to deliver only two collections. I was not aware of that. But I knew you couldn't just not buy one piece, you have to buy all of it. You have to buy 10 pieces. Yes, yes. And which other watch which impressed you the most?

[00:16:43] Was there anything else that impressed you? Well then we had... There were so many beautiful watches I think given the... Moser. H Moser and... H Moser company. That way we had Oris. Oris? We had Oris. As I said each piece has had... Constantin Shakin. Constantin Shakin, he was...

[00:17:04] Loren Fairey. Loren Fairey, yes. Yeah, it will go on and on. Endless, it is endless. But if you had to select one piece for yourself which one that would be? I would go for such a difficult decision. What about the HM11? My God. Wow.

[00:17:28] That would be a dream watch. Yeah. MBNF. MBNF, yes. Yeah, that's a beast on your wrist. Would you like a beast on your wrist? I wouldn't mind. Oh my God, okay. And that one, that watch was like... And the guy who makes it is a... Max Boosa.

[00:17:45] Max Boosa, he is a guy who is really impressed me through and through. The sense of design, the way he executes. He comes with some strange designs every year. Yeah, that's true. So we have people looking forward to his designs. What it's going to look like?

[00:18:00] What it's going to be? What will be its features? The mechanism, the materials involved, the way he is being able to achieve those designs in the tough materials. Yes. I think he has got 18 calibers in 21 years. Yeah, this year. This was the 18th calibre design exclusively for this.

[00:18:20] Yeah. What for the HM11? And this one is especially the one which you're talking about. It's like a house. Four functional rooms. Four functional rooms, each having a distinctive feature. Actually those functional rooms are the ones where you have display of the time. Damn, yes.

[00:18:35] But then nobody will understand unless you go through it. Out of which one room is exclusively for winding the watch. Winding the watch, yeah. And you have a tourbillon in the center. And also titanium is used there? Yeah, it's made of titanium. Yes.

[00:18:50] I don't know all in all there is lot which happens in the watch industry. Lot to do with the material. They use different materials then to achieve that accuracy. That is another aspect which is apart from the aesthetics,

[00:19:06] it is the sense of achievement which they have been able to get in such hard to machine materials. Now working on titanium is definitely not working like steel. On steel. Titanium is a hard material. You require the tooling, you require the machinery.

[00:19:23] And on top of that the amount of shine they have been able to achieve on titanium which was the polish is gone to such an extent which was some years back just a blunt and a matte finish.

[00:19:36] But now they have been able to achieve even the mirror finish on that. Mirror finish on titanium. Titanium, yes. Exceptional. No wonder. No end to the materials being now even I think sapphire glass is being used

[00:19:50] which used to be initially used only on the cover of the dial. The full case is being made of sapphire glass. Correct, correct. That's true. That's it. Basically the sapphire glass is a face of the watch. Right.

[00:20:07] But now it is going to be the face of the entire watch. That's true. That's true. So in all and all I think Dubai experience was fantastic for you. It was, it was my first and looking forward for more exhibitions.

[00:20:22] I don't know about the exhibitions being held in Geneva or Basel or for that matter any Basel is close. Basel is close. For that matter any other this but I think Dubai is something really exclusive.

[00:20:38] I don't know if I should be saying that because this is the only fair I have been till now and I really enjoyed every bit of it right from day one till the day I had to say bye to Dubai watch. But also you.

[00:20:51] Even we had the amount of entertainment we had out of the blue suddenly when you were walking through this. Yeah. The path to the paths. Yeah, there were entertainment quotient for the customers coming in the evening. So yeah that also get us going.

[00:21:09] But even we stole our entertainment quotient by either going down for you know a dinner experiencing Burj Khalifa fountain or beautiful. Yes, yes. And having a look at all different type of people from all around the world. Yeah, that's true. It's very cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan, yes. Yes, yes. Very.

[00:21:32] That's true. So all in all Kevin you would agree with me that it was a wonderful experience. Although packed schedule and I would say crazy schedules at times at Dubai watch week but we managed to steal some leisurely moments. Yes, it was definitely a crazy packed schedule.

[00:21:51] What with the number of brands and the number of agents each brand had it had to be a crazy schedule. And in spite of that we really managed to squeeze in some time for the evenings. Yes.

[00:22:05] With a wonderful dinner at the Burj Khalifa then a late night visit to the Lebanese restaurant where we saw lovely dance. Graceful which I would really look forward again. Well, I can't forget that. I saw how happy you were to see the dance. Yeah.

[00:22:23] Really looking forward for that for the next trip to Dubai and. Dance or Dubai? Both, both I would say. Okay. So in all it was a wonderful experience my first trip to Dubai and my first trip to the Dubai watch week. It was amazing.

[00:22:37] Thank you so much Kevin for joining me. My pleasure. With that it is a wrap of this episode of Lux Insider with me your host Anita Khatri. I'll be back with you next week same time. See you then.