Italian Jewelry in Sharjah: 50 Companies on Display
Through October 4, the Italian Pavilion organized by Artex will showcase creations from seven regions at the Watch & Jewellery Middle East Show. A meeting of manufacturing culture and the international market.
The value of a piece of jewelry extends beyond the materials from which it is made. It is expressed through design, craftsmanship, and the ability to transform tradition into a contemporary object. It is this heritage of expertise and identity that fifty Italian companies are bringing to Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, for the 58th edition of the Watch & Jewellery Middle East Show, running through October 4.
The Italian Pavilion, organized and coordinated by Artex, brings together companies from Piedmont, Campania, Tuscany, Veneto, Lombardy, Lazio, and the Marche. This geographical spread reflects the diversity of Italy’s jewelry industry: companies with distinct histories and creative styles, united by the quality of their craftsmanship and the recognized value of “Made in Italy.”
A Pavilion Built Over Time
The Italian presence spans 696 square meters, divided among 58 booths, with over 60 square meters of lounge space dedicated to welcoming clients and visitors. A space designed to showcase collections, meet industry professionals, and foster business relationships.
Artex has been managing the pavilion for over forty editions, as part of a collaboration with Expo Centre and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce that has been ongoing for more than twenty years.
According to Sara Biagiotti, a member of Artex’s management team and curator of the pavilion, the Italian area is now the second-largest exhibition space at the fair in terms of size. This achievement has been made possible by the growth in the number of participating companies and the quality of their offerings.
The opening ceremony on September 30 was attended by representatives of Emirati and Italian institutions, including Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Governor of Sharjah; Edoardo Napoli, Italian Consul General in Dubai; and Valerio Soldani, Director of ICE Dubai.
Seven Regions, Many Identities
Piedmont leads the way with sixteen companies, most of which are based in Valenza and the Alessandria area. Campania follows with thirteen companies from Naples, Marcianise, Torre del Greco, and Afragola.
Tuscany is represented by seven companies: Baloo Gioielli Firenze, Fabio Fanfani Gioielli, Epoca Jewels, Noi Gioielli Firenze – Since 1873, FerriFirenze, Tavanti, and Novecentonovantanove. This representation connects Florence and Sesto Fiorentino with Pontedera and Arezzo, bringing a significant portion of the region’s diverse production to the Emirates.
Rounding out the pavilion are five companies from Veneto, four from Lombardy, three from Lazio, and two from the Marche. Taken together, these participants showcase an industry whose strength also stems from the widespread expertise across these regions.
For international visitors, the Italian Pavilion thus offers the opportunity to discover different interpretations of jewelry and to meet directly with the companies that create them.
The UAE: A Strategic Market
The event’s scale underscores its importance: 30,000 square meters of exhibition space and industry professionals from 23 countries. According to data released by Artex, the previous edition welcomed over 96,000 visitors.
Export figures also highlight the importance of the Emirati market for Italian companies. Artex reports that in 2025, the value of Italian jewelry exports to the United Arab Emirates reached 1.37 billion euros, representing a 12.6% increase compared to the previous year.
This trend, Biagiotti notes, confirms the continued appreciation for “Made in Italy” products even amid very high gold prices. Participation in the trade show thus becomes an opportunity to strengthen relationships, present new collections, and gain insight into the evolution of local demand.
Craftsmanship Becomes a Connection
In Sharjah, Italian jewelry brings with it a cultural dimension as well as a commercial one. Behind every collection lie aesthetic choices, technical expertise, and corporate histories that help make the product instantly recognizable.
The international challenge lies in the ability to communicate this value: explaining a craftsmanship technique, recounting the origin of a project, and making clear what sets a creation apart.
The fifty companies brought together by Artex represent just as many ways of interpreting this challenge. Their encounter with the Emirati public demonstrates how Italian excellence can find new audiences while maintaining a concrete connection to the places and skills from which it originates.
