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On November 21, Vogue Business partnered with Dubai Design District (d3), the global creative ecosystem from TECOM Group, to host an executive lunch devoted to its latest Watch Index during Dubai Watch Week. The event, which took place at MiMi Mei Fair Dubai, just a stone’s throw from the international watch showcase at Burj Park, welcomed several leaders from luxury watch brands, as well as collectors and commentators alike. And it was followed a week later by a co-hosted webinar on November 25, diving deeper into the findings.
Yasmeen Sami, director of brand strategy and partnerships at d3, kick-started the event by highlighting that both the research and the event reflect d3’s commitment to hard luxury brands operating in the region. “This marks a significant milestone in the strategic partnership we have established between d3 and Vogue Business to develop this in-depth research,” Sami said. “The report is part of our commitment to providing brands and creative partners with high-quality insights to support their strategic initiatives and growth in our region.” She also emphasized the rapid transformation of the luxury watch industry across the Middle East, adding that, according to the Watch Index 2025, the Middle East is the only region where purchase penetration for luxury watches is led by female consumers.
Sami continued to showcase some of the key trends that have emerged this year, including how ultra-luxury watch brands are developing cultural cachet through participation in various subcultures such as sport. She highlighted a recent activation Jaeger Le-Coultre, which enabled the brand to communicate the origin story of the Reverso design, which was developed for Polo players in the 1930s. “It shows that these cultural opportunities are not just important for brand awareness, but even have a profound impact on product innovation,” Sami said.
Then, Vogue Business head of custom insights Anusha Couttigane took guests through the key findings of the report. Amid a backdrop of slow Swiss exports, tariff concerns and increased manufacturing costs, luxury watch consumers are exhibiting considerable resilience. The research, which included a consumer survey of seven markets, shows that the majority of luxury watch consumers don’t plan to change the way they shop if price hikes persist. “We often see this in times of economic headwinds, as luxury watches are perceived as a category that holds value, outlasts trends and even appreciates. So shoppers view it as investible during times of economic uncertainty,” Couttigane explained.
She added: “As we see more female shoppers engage with the category, this becomes more true. While female shoppers are acquiring higher disposable incomes, there is still a gap in financial literacy and we often see women investing in tangible assets that they can understand better compared to stocks and shares.”
Echoing Sami’s point about how luxury watch brands are harnessing cultural collateral to illuminate brand stories, Couttigane shared examples from Cartier and Vacheron Constantin, which have not only created exhibitions, but have hosted them in spaces like London’s V&A and the Louvre in Paris. By exhibiting in spaces recognized as cultural authorities, brands are elevating their status as belonging to the world of master craftsmanship. Couttigane also shared data revealing a strong correlation between brands that have created such experiences and a rise in the perception of both hard metrics such as quality and design and softer measures such as brand trust and heritage.
The presentation ended with a quick-fire Q&A, where energetic conversations focused on the resale opportunity, brand storytelling and competition from smart watches. For Sami, there is still ample opportunity for luxury watch brands to educate shoppers on brand stories and heritage. She highlighted the role of physical environments in crafting immersive experiences where brands can attract new customers and engage with sports culture and entertainment to tap into younger generations. This also emerged as an important topic of interest during the webinar one week later, where audience members had several questions about the cultural activations being pursued by brands, as well as their experience strategies.
Anusha also touched on the digital opportunity, particularly across authentication and digital product passports (DPPs). She noted that investment in connected digital features, for example DPPs that incorporate incentives and loyalty features, are a larger strategic focus for high-end watchmakers than smartwatches. Finally, Sami highlighted the unique gifting traditions of the Middle East, where self-gifting and cultural occasions attract the same level of purchase intent as romantic celebrations. She noted the prevalence of corporate gifting, referencing the popularity of luxury watches as staff incentives. These additional moments and milestones in the Gulf region are important purchase drivers for brand leaders to be aware of, especially in light of smartwatch competition and varied growth patterns in other markets.
