Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Qannati Objet d’Art, in collaboration with Bahrain Polytechnic, welcomed one of Switzerland’s most respected horological educators, Pierre Christe, for a week-long training residency at Qannati Lab this month.
The partnership between Swiss expertise and Gulf innovation is ‘the region’s first hands-on horology programme’, Qannati Objet d’Art said in a statement.
Hosted within Bahrain Polytechnic’s campus, Qannati Lab is the first hands-on watchmaking education and production facility in the Gulf.
The residency by Pierre, who is renowned for his work as a certified trainer at the Fondation Haute Horlogerie and instructor at WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Programme), offered Bahraini students the opportunity to learn under Swiss-level mastery in movement assembly, polishing, and fine finishing.
“We are honoured to host a figure of Pierre’s standing,” Qannati Objet d’Art founder Mahmood Qannati, who established the brand seven years ago, said ahead of the programme.
“His residency symbolises a new era for horological education in the region. This partnership brings global craftsmanship to local talent and reinforces our ambition to position the GCC as a future hub for high-end watchmaking,” he added.
Founded in Geneva, Fondation Haute Horlogerie is the global reference in fine watchmaking. Its mission is to safeguard and promote the art, history, and values of haute horlogerie through education, certification, and expert training worldwide.
Qannati Objet d’Art creates bespoke wearable art inspired by Mesopotamian heritage and modern craftsmanship. Its educational arm, Qannati Lab, pioneers horology training in the GCC, with a long-term vision to establish the region as a centre for high-end watchmaking.
Bahrain Polytechnic has played a critical role in enabling Qannati Lab’s success, providing space, academic infrastructure, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with engineering, business, and design departments.
The Polytechnic sees this as a step towards contributing to Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, supporting creative industries as a driver of non-oil growth and regional innovation.
“At Bahrain Polytechnic, our mandate is to prepare a new generation of creative, technically skilled graduates who can contribute to Bahrain’s economic transformation. This collaboration reflects our commitment to aligning education with future-focused industries – luxury design and watchmaking included,” Bahrain Polytechnic chief executive professor Ciarán Ó Catháin noted.
