Dubai Watch Week 2025 — Watch Village by the Water

I was at Dubai Watch Week in 2023, and it was good but small. This year? Completely different league. The Seddiqi family built what I can only describe as a watch village — right by the water, directly across from Burj Khalifa. They weren't just hosting a fair. They were making a statement.

Stockholm to Dubai

Out of Stockholm late, landed into Dubai overnight. The Business Bay skyline was already lit by the time we drove through.

Dubai city skyline at night from a hotel window — Burj Khalifa lit up among Business Bay towers

Swedish passport and leather holder at the airport — heading to Dubai

Jimmy Heneidy selfie on the plane to Dubai in Adidas track jacket

Passport in hand, late flight, the city already lit up by the time we drove through.

Sunday into Monday

The Paramount

I stayed at the Paramount Hotel in Business Bay — they gave me a suite where a small family could've lived comfortably. Fantastic views over Burj Khalifa, great pool, top-level service. Dubai just does hotels at another level. I also ran into the Davidoff Brothers — Roy and Sasha from their vintage shop in Geneva — and we went out for dinner. Always a good evening when those guys are in town. And the Menta Watches guys were there too, who I'd end up visiting in Miami a couple of months later.

Looking up between Dubai skyscrapers and palm trees

Hotel gym treadmill with Dubai Business Bay skyline through the windows

Looking down at sneakers on a Paramount hotel gym treadmill mid-run

Paramount Hotel elevator panel — floor 65 lit up

Hotel suite minibar with Nespresso machine and espresso cup

Suite on the 65th. The view changes with every hour.

Monday

Jacob & Co

I came on two assignments. The first was Jacob & Co — content manager duties, photographing their new releases. The second was something new for me: walking the fair as a reporter, meeting brands, building editorial content for this site. Less Instagram, more storytelling.

Jacob and Co Billionaire Rainbow on wrist — multicolor baguette gemstones

Burj Khalifa reflecting in the Dubai Fountain pool on a clear day

Dubai Watch Week signage cut into a golden mesh wall, Burj Khalifa visible behind

Billionaire Rainbow on the wrist. The Burj framing every shot.

Tuesday morning

Pool and Dinner

After the morning shoot, golden hour at the pool. Evenings here run long.

Sunset at Paramount Hotel rooftop pool — loungers and Dubai skyline

Cocktail glass and case on a white table at the Paramount pool — Dubai skyline behind at sunset

Intimate dinner table for two — marble top, linen napkins, ambient lamp

Golden hour. The pool fills up, the evening starts.

Tuesday afternoon

Clips from the Week

The highlights just kept coming. Konstantin Chaykin launched "The Rabbit" — it can sit on a chain around your neck or on your wrist as a watch. More because it can than because it's practical, but that's exactly what I love about what he does. Louis Vuitton showed a collaboration with Votaline that was genuinely impressive, and Frederique Constant presented a limited edition box that showed how far they've come — I really like that team. And the Jacob & Co Billionaire rainbow watch — I managed to create one of my best viral videos ever with that one. A customer experience kind of feel — someone walks into the boutique, gets the watch on their wrist, and you get to see the reaction. It just worked.

Konstantin Chaykin 'Rabbit' watch held above a restaurant table — round face, red eye markers, tongue dial

Hotel view, the viral Billionaire piece going on a wrist, a boutique walk, a night drive through Business Bay.

Wednesday

More Pieces

But the most important moment, looking back? Meeting Collectors Gallery for the first time. I showed up, introduced myself, showed them what I could do. Four months later, they became a client. That's how this business works — you deliver, and things happen.

Konstantin Chaykin watch on the wrist — dark dial with multicolored star markers around the perimeter, moonphase aperture

Independent watchmaker world-time piece on wrist with red rubber strap — globe-style dial with red markers

Jimmy standing with a fellow watch creator in front of the sculptural pointing-hand statue near Burj Khalifa — Dubai skyline behind

Independents lined up, Chaykin on the wrist. Run-ins around the Burj.

Thursday

Heading Home

Overall? One of the best fairs I've been to. I hope they keep flexing like this — they showed the whole industry that you can build something serious outside Switzerland. AP took the prize for best booth, and honestly, it was powerful to see what they'd done. But the whole thing was impressive.