Royal designs, rare diamond cuts and holistic talks were the centerpiece of attention for the thousands of stylish visitors who attended Dubai International Jewelry Week 2016, which concluded yesterday (Dec. 10). Returning to the show at the Dubai World Trade Centre was Lebanese designer Nsouli Jewelry, who welcomed to their booth a vast numbers of visitors enchanted by the jeweler's collection of striking chokers. Nsouli Jewelry's Dania Nsouli said: "Currently rose gold is extremely high in demand and our collection of royal chokers is a direct response to that growing trend." Featuring high quality, hand-picked diamonds individually set in 18K rose gold, each choker takes around one month to six weeks to manufacture in the jeweler's Belgian office. "Chokers are on rise now and we're very proud to showcase our renowned Belgian diamond cut to Middle Eastern collectors. One of our most striking pieces weighs 107.28g and features 58.32ct white diamonds, famous for their high quality in clarity and color." Royal design jewelry lovers were also spoiled for choice at the Italian Hasbani Gioielli S.p.A. stand, which showcased several sapphire and diamond engagement rings resembling the style of jewelry worn by Princess Diana. Joseph Hasbani, owner at Hasbani Gioielli S.p.A., said: "In recent years we have witnessed almost a 15 per cent increase in demand for sapphire engagement rings. My personal guess would be that all girls want to feel like princesses and for that very reason there isn't much interest in rubies or emeralds." Hand-crafted in Italy and showing off a distinctive oval-shaped sapphire, one of the largest Hasbani rings features a sophisticated set of multiple diamonds linked individually, making it a flexible piece. Hasbani added: "Sapphires are usually featured with diamonds because the stone doesn't stand out much alone, so it needs to be surrounded by diamonds to enhance its colour and The Duchess of Cambridge's ring is precisely designed in this classic manner." Also attracting scores of visitors at the show was Solitaire Jewels from the USA, who brought to Dubai unique collections of stacked bracelets made of mixed precious metals adorned with a vast variety of diamond cuts and colors. Alok Krishnani, owner at Solitaire Jewels from the USA, said: "Stacking bracelets is currently a very popular trend as people who already have their own jewelry look for new designs to mix it with and it appeals to their individualistic and experimental needs. "We've witnessed a lot of interest in our ‘Messie' collection that showcases unique, hand-cut diamonds with no two precious stones alike – every single diamond is different, featuring various colors and shapes, and set in a versatile band." In addition to jewelry lovers seeking individualistic expression and ways to enhance their looks, many visitors showed great interest in the daily workshops, "Discover the World of Gemstones", led by Mariam Yasin, Holistic Therapist and Founder of Wellness Lifestyle blog Inner Beauty Buzz. Yasin said: "People think more and more about well-being and I was very pleased to recognize some faces from last year's show as it clearly shows that my sessions were impactful and provided them with some new insights. "We're all here because of jewelry and sharing my knowledge about more specific qualities of gemstones that can affect many aspects of our lives is very appealing because it empowers people with knowledge that allows them to choose what jewelry suits them best." The 21st edition of Dubai International Jewelry Week drew to a close on Saturday 10 December gathering 240 leading jewelry brands, jewelry enthusiasts, collectors, designers, and retailers from around the world to launch their latest collections at the Middle East region's most influential jewelry event. The show will return to Dubai World Trade Centre on Nov. 15-18, 2017. — SG
