Sharjah Pearls Exhibition To Host Educational Evenings Connecting Heritage And Modern Science

Sharjah Pearl Evenings is scheduled at Expo Centre Sharjah from 29th to 31st January, offering visitors a focused look at the natural pearl industry and its heritage. The event forms part of the second Sharjah Pearls Exhibition, organised under the wider seventh Jewels of Emirates Show framework.

The programme is jointly organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Suwaidi Pearls. Organisers aim to connect scientific research with seafaring traditions, highlighting natural pearls as a key element in the UAE’s economic story and cultural identity, and strengthening Sharjah’s role in regional gemstone activities.

Across three days, Sharjah Pearl Evenings will combine expert talks, technical sessions and heritage storytelling. Activities are hosted mainly in the VIP Hall at Expo Centre Sharjah and at the Sharjah Pearls Platform. The schedule brings together international gemologists, local specialists and experienced divers to address both the commercial and cultural aspects of pearls.

During the first two days, Sharjah Pearl Evenings will welcome specialists from the Gemological Institute of America. These GIA experts will lead a technical session titled "Pearl Examination" in the VIP Hall. Discussions will cover current international criteria for evaluating natural pearls, classification methods, and how scientific testing supports transparent trading practices across global markets.

The agenda also includes a professional storytelling session called "Stories from the Era of Pearl Diving." This segment will present historical accounts of diving expeditions and trade journeys. Narratives will explore working conditions, traditional tools, and trade routes, with the goal of preserving specialist knowledge and passing these skills to younger generations in the Gulf region.

The closing day on 31st January will centre on a session at the "Sharjah Pearls Platform" titled "The Pearl Diver Who Became a Trader." Ahmed Matar, founder of Bahrain’s Seera Pearls, will recount a career that began in deep-sea diving and developed into pearl trading across the Arabian Gulf, showing the close relationship between livelihoods and the sea.

Sharjah Pearl Evenings knowledge exchange and jewellery design

Mona Al Suwaidi, Director of the Executive Office of SCCI’s Chairman and in charge of the Emirati Goldsmiths Platform, explained that Sharjah Pearl Evenings is designed to support Emirati jewellery designers with specialist expertise and practical exposure to pearl work, linking creative design with accurate grading and sourcing knowledge.

"The initiative fosters a professional environment that merges heritage craftsmanship with modern design, enhancing Sharjah’s position as a regional gemstone hub while promoting the long-term sustainability of heritage professions, particularly in integrating pearls into contemporary jewelry designs," she added.

For his part, Abdulla Rashed Al Suwaidi, Founder of Suwaidi Pearls, said that Sharjah Pearl Evenings provides an immersive route into the UAE’s maritime past. Al Suwaidi noted that contributions from figures such as diver Ahmed Matar and the GIA team help align historic diving practice with current industry standards and technology.

Al Suwaidi underlined that pearls represent both gemstones and a legacy of Emirati craftsmanship. He stressed that this heritage can gain new momentum through a modern framework that combines scientific analysis with hands-on experience, supporting sustainable jewellery design and maintaining the relevance of traditional pearl skills for future generations.

With inputs from WAM