'This period shall pass': How Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid's words motivated this limited-edition watch

When the pandemic struck, G Shock Watches Middle East knew it wanted to help raise both money and people’s spirits.

Rather than donate financing or PPE, the watchmaker wished to locate a solution that brought alongside one another UAE humanitarian organisation Crimson Crescent, the regional artwork community watching fans, too.

“The unrest on the globe had caused various issues - for instance, some artists had shed their zeal to create, others lost their resources of income," says Koji Naka, managing director at Casio Middle East. "We wished to come up with an initiative that not only supported emerging talent but encouraged them to transport on creating.”

Such an unprecedented situation, it seemed, expected an unprecedented solution.

G Shock first approached see aficionado, influencer and founder of Arab Watch Lead, Hassan Akhras, to brainstorm a remedy. The resulting idea was to make a watch limited to just 30 bits, with 30 % of proceeds going to the Crimson Crescent. In addition, the strap will be created by a regional artist.

With the world on lockdown and all business being conducted via Zoom, inevitably the theory progressed so that the artists would make the task live over the platform, and the audience would be able to vote on which design they preferred.

IN-MAY, Diaa Allam and Stephany Sanossian were tasked with creating the designs, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's saying, “this time shall complete", as their brief.

Allam, a good self-confessed "Egyptian with an Emirati soul", is a calligrapher and muralist that lives in Ajman. Already popular around the spot for his flowing Arabic lettering, his work has been seen covered around pillars in Abu Dhabi airport terminal, adorning the Ajman Flagpole and also enveloping a Costa espresso cup for Ramadan.

Syrian-Armenian digital artist Sanossian, meanwhile, creates her work by blending photographic imagery to create brand-new and arresting pictures. Merging unexpected elements, her work has included renowned faces such as for example Kylie and Kendall Jenner digitally relocated into an upscale Syrian house get together, or basketball legend Dennis Rodman slam-dunking a ball in the streets of Old Damascus.

“We decided on the theme and the performers got to focus on the designs, taking the idea to life in sort of two art styles: the first in Arabic calligraphy depicting what 'This time shall pass' and the second in digital skill reflecting the Dubai skyline," says Naka.

Before a live Zoom audience, Allam and Sanossian brought their ideas to life. Allam drew free-hand lettering in the huge outline of a wrist watch strap taped to his wall structure, while Sanossian merged and manipulated photos to create the familiar horizon with Burj Khalifa and Emirates Towers.

A lot more than 3,000 persons watched the task unfold, and narrowly voted to select Allam’s design. With just 30 watches available for pre-purchase, all were purchased in just 10 minutes, raising Dh15,000 for charity.

Akhras, founder of the Arab Look at Guide, said some viewers had even texted within their buy before voting ended.

“The idea was to showcase our solidarity in a down economy and our capability to keep creating and innovating," he says.

The finished G Shock watch, when set, will feature a household leather strap, carefully printed with Allam’s lettered style, and a gold-plated face.

"This initiative was an art contest, and the theory behind it had been to motivate performers to be creative, specifically through the lockdown," says Naka. "We take pleasure in collaborating with regional artists and creatives that talk about a similar DNA, be it popular, art, music and athletics. Each collaboration is definitely an all natural partnership."