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Jewellery 07 The next generation Mr. Mohammed Al Zain CEO of Al Zain jewellery
How important is family legacy to Al Zain Jewellery? We are the fourth generation of Al Zain family members to become part of the business. Our legacy is our backbone, our strength, and our foundation. We carry forward an innate passion and experiences of our forefathers, passed down to us through generations. Continuing the legacy of success, Al Zain’s management is a dynamic team of great professionals in their respective fields.
Your company began working mostly with pearls – how much are pearls used in your designs today?
aesthetics, details and innovation, we work closely to ensure that the Al Zain manufactures the best quality luxury pieces. We thrive to ensure the brand’s name continues to flourish on both local and global scale, all the while keeping true to the essence of our core values.
We have beautiful collections with pearls. The variety is rich – from single piece pearl earrings to layered pearl necklaces and beautiful rich sets. The Maharajah Collection for example features precious stones with pearls, and is inspired by the great rulers of India. We are happy to introduce this unique collection, along with Petals and Pearls, for example, which is more delicate and artistic. We of course also have our ongoing high end pearl collections, which are in constant development. Each collection carries its own beauty and individuality, however pearls remain our signature.
Can you give an overview of your creation process – from designing each piece to presenting it in store?
Can you tell us more about the expansion of Al Zain and your factories in Bahrain?
It all starts on the drawing board with our team of dedicated designers, envisioning and developing new concepts. My mother and father are closely involved in the design selection and details, as they have a precise knowledge of what our customer favour. We are happy to rely on teams of professionals, selecting the highest quality diamonds and coloured stones to guarantee durability and customer satisfaction. Al Zain masterpieces have all been manufactured in our Bahraini based factory, all carefully crafted and many meticulously handcrafted. We are proud to have the best people working with us, ensuring the quality we offer. Once our new collections are ready we distribute them to the boutiques, handling with great care and appreciation.
We produce every single piece of jewellery in our factories, 90% of our items are made in Bahrain and 10% are outsourced, however they are always finished in Bahrain. Our factories are located in Manama and we are currently in the process of expanding them, so we can increase capacity by another 50 people. We are currently looking for opportunities to expand the factory to about 500 people; at the moment we have about 200, hopefully by the end of 2017 this will increase. We are also opening another store in Jeddah by the end of 2017, which means we will have 2 stores there, as well as another store in Riyadh by 2017.
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Interview with Mohammed Al Zain Al Zain Jewellery was founded in 1930, can you tell us a bit more about how the company came to be? Back in the 1930s the Kingdom’s economy was predominantly dependent on farming, fishing and pearl diving. Since these times our Bahraini pearls have been widely believed to be the best in the world. The founding father of the Al Zain family, Hassan Al Zain, became part of the pearling industry by trading pearls. Soon his son Abdulla AL Zain joined his father’s business, and his involvement and passion led to a greater success. He has a keen eye for elegance, combined with his business-savvy mind. His creativity and affinity for pearls led to Al-Zain Jewellers becoming renowned as one of the first to incorporate pearls into jewellery. Watches, source from the horology capitals such as Switzerland and Italy, were then added to the brand as the business expanded. The launch of the flagship store in the 1950s in Khobar marked the beginning of our journey of expansion around the GCC. Following the path carved by their elders, Abdulla Al Zain’s sons, my father, and their old-time friend Mohammed Hassan, continued the family business, successfully changing the primary store location from Tigar Road in the old Manama Souq to Yateem Centre. What started off with only a few employees saw immense growth at the hands of Nabeel Al Zain, as he worked tirelessly to lead the family business into the lucrative company it is today. His enthusiasm towards a fast-paced expansion across the GCC soon became a reality. As the business expanded further, Nabeel’s wife and my mother Samar Al Gosaibi, myself, and my siblings, Faisal and Noora, also joined his side. Our shared passion set the foundations of Al Zain Jewellery, as it is today. Through integrity and a great emphasis on
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Al Zain has a uniquely Bahraini identity. What elements of Bahraini life do you think are most strongly reflected through your brand? We respect our heritage and culture and we strive to promote Bahrain worldwide and carry our spirit through the brand. We specifically design collections dedicated to this – calligraphy, Arab Deco, Dilmun Seal, Natural Pearl and Heritage collections for example.
What distinguishes Al Zain from other jewellery brands? We look greatly into each detail, striving for excellence and innovation, through impeccable craftsmanship. Our collections vary from classic and traditional to contemporary and exquisite high-end jewellery, to suit our valued customers’ preferences. We find great delight in designing and manufacturing intricate pieces, which are unique and exclusive. Inspired by our customers, our heritage and our visions for the future, Al Zain’s creations are constantly evolving, blossoming and celebrating the very best of life’s special moments.
01/09/2016 15:01