Qataris still deeply in love with natural pearls

By Nasser Elghanem in Doha
For Al-Shorfa.com
2010-02-15

[Julian Finney/Getty Images] Visitors often seek out pearl shops in the old souk in Doha.

When cultured pearls appeared on the market in the mid 20th century, they stole some of the lustre from natural pearls made famous in Qatar.

However, citizens of Qatar remain loyal to natural pearls, praising them for their unique characteristics. Rashid bin Nasir al-Dosary, one of the oldest pearl-fishers, said that "natural pearls have a lasting attraction that cultured pearls cannot rival."

Al Dosary, 83, told Al-Shorfa that "the discovery of cultured pearls was a blow to our work, and we suffered economically for years, but with time there has been a clear return to natural pearls. Today, there is a trend towards natural pearls because they are simply more beautiful. In the past, when it was abandoned, the main reason was its high price. But now, there is much more liquidity which helps to draw people to this type [of pearl] despite being very expensive."

There are many natural pearl shops in Qatar. Doha has become a destination for those who want to acquire one of these rare types of pearls, explains Ahmed bin Jumuah, who works at a pearl shop. He told Al-Shorfa that "Qatar is known as one of the few countries in the world that produces pearls, and although the people of the country have abandoned this old industry after the discovery of oil, there are still many Qatari families who have acquired many of the purest types of natural pearls."

Al Dosary reminisces about his past saying, "The diving trips begin in spring with a short journey called ‘Khanjiyyah’ which lasts for a month. Immediately following that is the main diving season, which is called the 'Od', or the ‘big dive'. This trip continues for four months and 10 days and is called ‘al Dashsha’ or ‘al Rakbah’. The end of the trip when the boats return to shore is called ‘al Qofal", which is meant as a welcoming ceremony that is held all along the shores of the Gulf. Women and children take part in the celebration, expressing their joy at the return of the boats after a long absence. This word, which means 'the return', is used to describe the end of the diving season."

One of the best-known pearl collectors in the country is Hussein Al Fardaan, a Qatari businessman, who has in his collection about one million of the most beautiful pearls in the world. Some have been used to make gold jewellery studded with pearls. All of his collection is kept in his mansion on the ‘Pearl of Qatar’, an artificial island near Doha.

As part of the celebration of Doha as the Arab Capital of Culture, Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad, the wife of the Emir of Qatar, inaugurated the Pearl Exhibition on January 29th, which features many of the rarest pearls in the world. The exhibition will continue until June 5th.

"The Museum Authority is organizing this unique pearl exhibition in honour of our forefathers' sacrifices, who were heavily engaged in developing the art of jewellery designs, haute-couture and precious objects through their role in pearl diving and exporting it to every corner of the world," Sheikh Hasan Bin Mohamed Al Thani, chairman of the board of trustees of the Qatar Museum Authority, told Al Sharq newspaper.

He added that the period of preparation for the exhibition, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East and the largest in the world, had taken a whole year.

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