2021 is a very important year for the UAE as it marks its 50th anniversary since its inception.
To celebrate this milestone, many brands decided to create special editions in a very limited quantity for the UAE market.
Richemont Group had its fair share of the special editions this year with brands such as Cartier, Panerai, Montblanc and Roger Dubuis, each releasing a very unique model to celebrate this Jubilee.
Cartier released a 100 pieces limited edition Santos Dumont in Platinum with Indian numerals as well as a Panthere in Rose Gold with Mother of Pearl dial for ladies leading the way in terms of localising its offering to the region and catering for both men and women.
The group that has really put all its efforts into creating something unique for their country and celebrating with over 26 special editions released until today from brands spanning from Victorinox to Debethune and many other brands is of course the Seddiqi Group.
They have literally collaborated with every brand they own the distribution rights for to create special editions that could be as small as 5 pieces and as large as 200 pieces. Let’s have a look at all the watches released and we will tell you our top 5 among them
https://seddiqi.com/curators-journal/50-years-crafting-future-uae/
As far as we know, there are a still more editions that are being released as we speak, but for now let us pick the top 5 watches that we admired the most.
1. Furlan Marri Havana green
The watch has been unveiled during the Dubai Watch Week in a closed event with the founders of the brand. There are only 100 watches made from this model and all sold out already. The color combination of the watch was so catching that the demand was tremendous – a kind of turquoise green dial with havana brown subdials on a steel case.Very lively colors combined with a matching leather strap – same Mecca quartz movement as before.
https://furlanmarri.com/collections/all-wristwatches
2. Debthune UAE HAWK
One of the most desirable watches today and a very strong independent brand carving its way into the collector’s hearts and wrists. The “UAE Hawk” settled on the colour that are directly inspired by national shades including a distinctive “50” in italic on the dial. The timepiece is completed with an engraved “Year of the Fiftieth” logo in the case back a tribute to the Spirit of the Union. Limited to only 10 pieces and selectively allocated to local watch collectors.
3. Ressence Type 1 DX2
This is the second time Ressence released a special edition for the UAE and this time they chose the Type 1 model with a beautiful Mashrabya pattern on the full dial. It is only limited to 25 pieces – CHF 22,500 all sold out. The design of the geometric patterns has a mesmerising effect with the light and shades as the dial completes its 360 degrees turn.
4. Greubel Forsey UAE Jubilee
The Balancier S – the Ether released in a very limited edition of 5 pieces only for the UAE 50th anniversary. The watch comes in carbon with a large titanium bridge suspending the gear train high above the movement. The blue colors chosen are the typical shade of blue that we have witnessed in previous Seddiqi Editions from Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet and others – a unique shade that they used to call Yas Marina Blue referring back to the first time the color was chosen in an Richard Mille Special Edition for Yas Marina F1.
5. Frederique Constant PC 50th anniversary
Frederique Constant have been upping their game lately with the introduction of several inhouse movements with complications and innovations. For the 50th anniversary they chose to use the perpetual calendar in 41mm titatnium case , bold numerals and the Yas marina blue dial. The open case back comes engraved with the Year of the Fiftieth logo – Limited to 50 pieces only.
Now that we have chosen our top 5, how about you do the same! which watches did you fancy the most and what made you like them more than other?
