Jewels of Arabia, the Middle Easts first Arabic coffee table book tracing the evolution of jewellery and precious gemstones in the region will soon be launched in Lebanon at a special commemorative ceremony to be held at the Virgin Mega Stores in Down Town Beirut on 23 December 2009. The special ceremony will held under the patronage of presided over by HE Mona Ofeish, Minister of State in the Lebanese Cabinet. Publisher Nader Freiha will present the Honourable Minister with the symbolic first souvenir copy of Jewels of Arabia. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this book will be directed to The Smiling Childrens Foundation Charity.

Genevan watch company Romain Jerome has announced the appointment of Manuel Emch as its new CEO. Formerly with Jaquet Droz, Manuel Emch is gifted with considerable skills in the field of establishing and consolidating brand identity and now brings to Romain Jerome, his experience in the production and sales sectors.

After two successive quarters in the red, Italian jeweller Bulgari ended the third quarter of 2009 with a net profit of Euro 7 million, compared to 23 million in Q3 2008. Over the first nine months of the year, the group however recorded a loss of Euro 33.5 million, compared to a profit of Euro 77.2 million during the same period in 2008. In Q3 2009, turnover was Euro 233.2 million, down by 9 %. Cumulatively, the figure stood at Euro 629.5 million, compared to Euro 762.5 million during the corresponding period in 2008.

Movado Groups third quarter sales fell 5 % to USD $ 129 million and the retailer posted a net loss of USD $ 20.9 million compared to profits of USD $ 15.7 million a year ago. Movado attributed its operating losses to jewellery store liquidations.

 The UAE is Angolas major market for diamonds in the Middle East and the trade is growing between the two countries. According to Rui Jorge Carneiro Mangueira, Angolan Ambassador to the UAE, the UAE tops the GCC and the Middle East for the import of Angolan diamonds. In 2008, Angolan diamond exports to the UAE stood at USD $ 900 million. The Ambassador added that the Angolan Government is working closely with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) to boost diamond trade between the two nations.

CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, has announced the venue and dates for its 2010 Congress. CIBJO President Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri stated that the Congress will be held in Munich, Germany from 19 to 22 February 2010. The Congress will coincide with the Inhorgenta Europe 2010 Fair and is hosted by Munich International Trade Fairs (Messe Munchen). CIBJO is grateful to Messe Munchen for hosting the event as it offers access to one of Europes most prestigious jewellery shows, noted Dr. Cavalieri.

Jean Claude Biver, CEO, Hublot, will present the new Alinghi limited edition watch on 17 January 2010 at a reception at the Swissotel Metropole in Geneva. Present on the occasion will be Ernesto Bertarelli, Swiss Italian bio technology billionaire and founder of the yachting syndicate Team Alinghi in 2000. The occasion will also mark the 30^th Anniversary of the founding of the Hublot brand.

Omega was the title sponsor of the recently concluded, week long Omega Dubai Ladies Classic that as held at the Emirates Gold Club from 6 to 12 December 2009. Furthermore, the tournament will carry the Swiss timepiece makers title for the next five years according to a recent deal with Golf in Dubai, the promoter and organizer of the event. According to the same agreement, Omega will also retain its five 0year title sponsorship of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. In both tournaments, the brand will be the Official Time keeper. South Koreas In Kyung Kim claimed victory in this tournament with a strong performance and was awarded the prize money of Euro 500,000 and was presented an Omega Constellation made in 18 carat gold, paved with 28 diamonds by Raynald Aeschlimann, company Vice President.

The Versace Group celebrated the recent openings of its three new Versace boutiques—an impressive 600 sq. m. flagship, a Versace fine jewellery boutique and a Versace Home boutique at a triple inauguration event held at The Dubai Mall. The Guest of Honour was Santo Versace with the evening attracting personalities from the world of business, fashion, entertainment and high society. Each boutique hosted special celebrations to mark this auspicious occasion. The Versace flagship is the largest to date in the Middle East. The 200 sq. m. Versace Jewellery boutique an eclectic mix of the brands jewellery and watches collections including the early Gianni Versace watches and Versace Tiara.

IWC Schaffhausen celebrated the recent opening of its worlds first Flagship Boutique in Hong Kong. Friends of the brand such as French football legend Zinedine Zizou Zidane, Korean pop star Rain and Taiwanese singer & producer David Tao joined IWCs CEO Georges Kern and Etienne de Gramont, Managing Director, IWC North East Asia for a fun filled evening held at the brands boutique located in 1881 Heritage, a new development in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. The new boutique is designed to give watch lovers a unique insight into the world of IWC Schaffhausen with displays of an extensive selection of the brands timepieces and exclusively available at the Flagship Boutique.

In the prestigious setting of the Salon Empire in the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, the first Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 TM Grande Sonnerie Westminster Carillon was recently delivered. It was the culmination of a project that began in 2004. The Aeternitas Mega 4 TM, the worlds most complicated wrist watch with 36 complications and composed of 1483 individual components and priced at USD $ 2.7 million, one of the most expensive watches ever made, was collected by a passionate US watch collector from Colorado. The watch was presented to the buyer by Franck Muller and Vartan Sirmakes, co founders of Franck Muller Manufacture.

Graham of London will retain its title of official timing partner for the MercedesGP Formula One Team for the coming seasons. As reported in the media, Daimler Ag and their partner Aabar Investments have taken a majority shareholding in the Brawn GP Formula One team to become the Mercedes GP. To commemorate the takeover and celebrate a season of accomplishments, BrawnGP limited edition timepieces for worldwide collectors will be launched by Graham.

Hollywood actress Brooke Shields wore Judith Ripka jewels to the second annual Godiva Decadence Suite launch at the Bryant Park Hotel in New York. Brooke wore pave pear earrings in 18 carat gold and diamonds.

Hublots partnership with the American skier Bode Miller is being sealed with the recent launch of the Bode Bang in New York, in the presence of the legendary champion of the skiing world. A chance meeting of the champion with the brands CEO, Jean Claude Biver led to immediate mutual understanding and sealed a new partnership. The case of this 44.5 mm Bode Bang is made in sandblasted black ceramic while the crown is in steel black PVD with natural black rubber insert. The model is water resistant to 100 metres, has a power reserve of 42 hours and is produced in a limited edition version of 250 numbered pieces.

1806 established Swiss watch brand Louis Moinet has launched Tempograph—a world first, thanks to all new technology. The patent pending 47 mm Tempograph original technology is contained in the first and only 10 second retrograde complication activated by a visible cam mechanism. The cam is composed of six teeth and performs one rotation per minute. It releases a titanium lever adjusted to one hundredth of a gram. The complication movement is made up of 125 parts. The model is water resistant to 30 metres with a power reserve of 42 hours. It is produced in 5 limited editions of 60 watches each.

Swiss watch brand Vulcain, acknowledged for its expertise in the exquisite art of the cloisonné enamel technique, has enriched its range by unveiling the GMT Panthers Limited Edition and the GMT The Pandas Limited Edition models. The former comes in two versions—one features an 18 carat rose gold case with a guilloche flame red dial base and the other an 18 carat white gold case with a guilloche flame blue dial base. The GMT The Pandas is produced in a limited edition of 30 in rose gold and 30 in white gold. Both these limited edition models, water resistant to 100 metres, are equipped with a twin barrel, mechanical hand wound movement and a 42 hour power reserve.

On the occasion of the publication of its new book, The Poetry of Time, Van Cleef & Arpels is organizing a prestigious exhibition covering almost a century of watch making creations, exclusively for Art Dubai. Van Cleef & Arpels contemporary creations express the union of jewellery and high watch making. For the French luxury fashion brand, time is the synonym of poetry. Technical mastery, a taste for innovation and bold creativity will be revealed at this Art Dubai exhibition, details of which will be announced later. The hardcover book includes contributions from world renowned experts in the field of horology including Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie President Franco Cologni and philosopher Michael Serres.