Selected luxury brands and services from abroad selection of luxury categories attracted a highly discerning and select group of VIP guests at the fifth World Luxury Expo in Riyadh. The highly anticipated three day event was hosted at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton from 28-30 January 2014 and was title sponsored by American Express and held in association with The Saudi Investment Bank.
On the first day of the event, HRH Prince Khalid bin Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Alfaisal was assisted by young Shaekha Al Saleh in officially inaugurating the American Express World Luxury Expo to an audience of VIP guests and other dignitaries. To set the tone, on arrival invited guests were welcomed to a grand display of a Rolls-Royce Phantom 2014, valued at $570,000. For the admirers of oriental perfumes, Saad Bashammakh presented oud fragrances made of the rarest Agarwood; the oud on display at the Expo was valued at $267,000 per kilogram.
Another highlight was a 19-carat highest quality, fancy diamond with emerald cut pendant worth $1.89 million, showcased by Yessayan Diamonds. The “Porta” key – an article of everyday use – was transformed into a piece of jewellery with an individual and sophisticated design, making it a valuable item that reflects the personality of its owner.
The most luxurious and expensive, limited edition jewelled keys made from gold, platinum and studded with diamonds, had been flown in especially from Germany for the Expo. Showcased by “Porta”, the keys were individually crafted by CES, a German manufacturer with a rich heritage dating back to 1840. Only 99 pieces of this special range of keys have been crafted.
Nizar Abou Hassan, Director Premium Products Management, American Express Saudi Arabia Limited, said “Our promise to deliver service excellence and world class experiences are showcased in our renewed commitment to supporting the World Luxury Expo in 2014. The dedicated Cardmember’s access lane along with the American Express Salon Prive’ offered new and exclusive experiences to our Cardmembers and guests.”
As part of their unique experiences offering, American Express cardmembers were invited to test drive the latest Ferrari on the streets of Riyadh alongside a Formula 1 instructor.
Following the successful event in Riyadh, World Luxury Expo will now continue to Jeddah from 14-16 March 2014 at the serene Park Hyatt. This event is title sponsored by The Saudi Investment Bank.
