Established in 1950, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, of humble beginnings, is today the leading luxury watch retailer in the UAE, with its origins and base in Dubai. The core business, set up by Ahmed Qassim Seddiqi in 1950 was started with a single brand in the portfolio, West End Watch Co. Initially, he began by purchasing small quantities of West End Watch Co watches from Bahrain, India and Kuwait and then sold them from his cabinet, making a little profit with each one. Slowly, he increased the volume of pieces until he opened his shop in the old souk. The first Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons shop was located in Bur Dubai. As the business grew, their retail presence expanded from a single shop in Dubai’s souk to a formidable network of elegant boutiques.
Over the years, the passion resulted in the evolution of the portfolio with new brands being added, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe. Along the way, a letter from His Highness Sheikh Rashid, the ruler of Dubai at that time, went to Rolex providing a reference that Ahmed Seddiqi was a well-known family and that he came recommend to hold and carry the brand in the UAE. hmed Qasim Seddiqi furthered the business through exclusive franchise agreements with many of the world’s leading Swiss watch brands. The story of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons is fairly well documented and can be read about via the links below.
For Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the relationship [with West End] stemmed from the founder's, (AQ Seddiqi) passion for watches. He used to receive watches from Kuwait and would show them to his friends and neighbours. This eventually led to people purchasing these watches from him and that’s how the relationship with the brand blossomed. Today, as the second-, third- and fourth-generation family members have joined the business and possess a heartfelt connection to the brand since it symbolises the beginning of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and how the business developed over the years. Trading with West End Watch Co. was one of the stepping stones to Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons becoming the leading watch retailer in the UAE.
In 2021 Seddiqi & Sons unveiled over 35 special edition watches in an impressive commemorative collection, designed specifically to mark their 50th birthday golden jubilee in UAE. These pieces were showcased Dubai Watch Week 2021/22. Among this special collection to feature was a West End Watch Co piece. An exclusive Sowar model with custom arabic numericals and custom day date discs.
https://campdenfb.com/article/osama-ibrahim-seddiqi-seddiqi-holding-dubai-interview
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