Some of the rarest and finest amber belonging to prominent local collectors are on show for connoisseurs and enthusiasts to see at the second Katara International Amber Exhibition which opened yesterday at Katara Cultural Village.
Qatar’s first and only amber exhibition, the four-day event is said to be the second largest international exhibition on amber ore next to the exhibition in Poland.
With more than 90 exhibitors from 13 countries, the event has seen an increase in participation and expansion compared to its inaugural edition.
Among the distinguished participants at the event is Sheikh Talal bin Khalifa bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, whose pavilion includes rare ambers from various countries such as Germany, Poland and India.
Sheikh Talal bin Khalifa said the pavilion showcases his collections he had gathered over the years, among the notable ones were some ancient and rare beads that can’t anymore be found today.
He lauded Katara for organising the exhibition as it provides amber amateur collectors an opportunity to view the exhibits of various objects made from amber as well as materials from various sources.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Thani, another participating amber collector, said that he was impressed by the success of the second edition. There are companies that had to register and wait to obtain a space in the exhibition, which is one of the most successful exhibitions, he said.
He pointed out that his pavilion in the exhibition includes rare stones from the Baltic Sea, Ukraine Russia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Denmark among others.
“I’ve been a collector for 12 or 13 years now. I started with misbaha (prayer beads) and then I turned to collecting amber stones then make beads out of them with manufacturers who make them by hand,” he told the local media, adding every misbaha are made from a single amber stone.
He explained that amber stones are designed at specialised workshops in Doha and converted into beads and for other uses such as handles of sticks, and previously included in women’s jewellery, but in the Gulf in general the interest is focused on amber lamps.
The exhibition also features stunning artworks made from amber which are among the crowd-pullers at the show.
Amber is fossilised resin originating from trees and the seas and the process of their formation takes thousands of years. Amber found in the Arab world is called Kahraman and beads made of natural and authentic
Kahraman amber has been famous among the Arabs since ancient times.
Amber has a cultural significance in the GCC region specially when it comes to Islamic prayer beads since ancient times.
In support of this important industry, Katara earlier announced it would set up a permanent amber centre at its premises. The centre will be officially launched on Saturday, the last day of the exhibition, and will be an important meeting point for amber traders, collectors and enthusiasts.
The exhibition is open until Saturday from 9 am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm.
