ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 2 March 2013 20 Rabial II 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5626 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Qatar Foundation social media channels hacked DOHA: Qatar Foundation’s social media channels were hacked yesterday in cyberattacks by supporters of the Syrian regime. In the cyberattacks that began at around 10am and lasted till 3pm, derogatory com- ments and images about the country were posted through QF’s accounts on Facebook and Twitter. ‘Victor Battalion — Syrian Electronic Army’ claimed responsibility for the attacks. “They (accounts) will be fully operational again in the near future. In the meantime, we thank our online community for their patience and support,” Qatar Foundation said in a statement. While the QF Twitter account was restored, the Facebook account was still down last evening. Full story on page 4 US budget crisis begins after fiscal talks fail WASHINGTON: The US government stumbled headlong yesterday toward wide-ranging spending cuts that threaten to hinder the economic recovery, after President Barack Obama and congres- sional leaders failed to find an alternative budget plan. Put in place during a bout of deficit- reduction fever in 2011, the automatic cuts can only be halted by agreement between Congress and the White House. A deal proved elusive in talks at the White House yesterday as expected, mean- ing that government agencies will now begin A SHOW OF to hack a total of $85 billion from their budgets between Saturday and October 1. Financial markets in New York shrugged off the stalemate in Washington. Syria risks ‘dissolution’, says UN chief Ban Ki-moon GENEVA: Syria will fall apart if its gov- ernment and rebels keep fighting instead of seeking a negotiated peace, United WEALTH Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday, just two weeks away from the second anniversary of the uprising against President Bashar Al Assad. Syria and ally Russia denounced a US THE ISSUE pledge to provide direct non-lethal aid to rebel fighters, saying it will fuel more violence in the two-year conflict, which The 10th Doha Jewellery and year’s show. One of them is a QR100m diamond into a tiara and matching brooches. Created claimed dozens more lives yesterday. US necklace of over a hundred carats in total. in 1947 for the late king of Egypt, the tiara is Abraham Augusthy Secretary of State John Kerry discussed Watches Exhibition is a stunning The necklace has diamonds totalling 70 car- priced at around $900,000. the crisis with Turkish leaders in Ankara. showcase of the rarest and most ats on the chain and a 33-carat diamond as the Garrard, one of the oldest jewelers in the Design: See also page 8 expensive objects to adorn one’s pendant. There are also matching pear-shaped world, is showing for the first time in Qatar earrings with 40 carats of flawless diamonds of an emerald necklace, the most expensive in Anti-EU party humiliates wrists, neck, ears and fingers. the best colour and clarity. their collection at this year’s show. Worth over A pair of necklace and earrings made of QR8m, the necklace features 76 carats of fine British PM in election he unveiling of the world’s largest Colombian emeralds worth QR75m is another untreated Colombian emeralds. EASTLEIGH: Prime Minister David internally flawless diamond by inter- attraction at the Graff pavilion. According to A diamond and emerald set specially cre- Cameron’s Conservative Party was nationally known jeweller and watch- Clive Golanski of Graff, the jewellery set was ated for the exhibition, a tiara with some beaten into third place in a vote in south- Tmaker Mouawad headlined the show. rare in terms of the size, shape and colour of detachable parts convertible to earrings and Qassim Rahmatullah ern England by a party that wants Britain Called the ‘Incomparable Diamond’, the the emeralds. pendant and a limited edition collection cel- Pics: to leave the European Union, prompting jewel was found by a little girl in a pile of kim- The highlight at the Christie’s stand is a 1922 ebrating ten years of the company’s iconic some lawmakers in his party to question berlite in Congo 33 years ago. It made a long necklace set with 100k old mine emeralds from ‘Wings’ collection are other amazing pieces his leadership credentials. journey through various hands and museums Colombia. Worth $7m, the necklace stands in the Garrard stand. The UK Independence Party has no MPs before it was shown here as the pendant in out for its rarity — it is impossible to create Among luxury watches, Patek Phillipe has but came second in Thursday’s election for Mouawad’s latest masterpiece, the ‘Mouawad another such piece as the materials don’t exist some of the most expensive at the show, with the parliamentary seat in Eastleigh, win- L’Incomparable diamond necklace’ featuring anymore, said Julien-Vincent Brunie, interna- pieces whose prices range between QR5m and ning its biggest share of the vote ever. To PAGE91 diamonds totalling 6 635.40 carats in weight. tional director, private sales. QR6m. They were sealed and not displayed at compound Cameron’s misery, the Liberal Graff, a London-based jeweller known for its Another highlight among a hundred pieces the stand for they had already got buyers, who Democrat party, the junior partner in his rare diamonds and unique designs, is showcas- displayed at the Christie’s stand is a Boucheron are the only ones who can unseal the watch. governing coalition, took first place. ing some of the most expensive items at this diamond set comprising a necklace convertible Continued on page 2 See also page 9 AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 MARCH 2, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Pics: Qassim Rahmatullah A Graff diamond necklace Patek Phillipe timepiece worth QR5m Breitling for Bentley diamond-stud- A necklace and earrings made of A golden falcon at the exhibition worth QR100m ded watch worth QR1.16m Colombian emeralds worth QR75m at the Graff stand Stunning sales at luxury show Exhibitors at jewellery and watches expo say Qatar one of the best markets in the world BY RAYNALD C RIVERA jewellery and they are always excited about new n its 10th edition, the Doha Jewellery and things. They contact us on the been successful in Watches Exhibition (DJWE 2013) has new styles we have each year, this exhibition. It has attracted a record number of interna- on what’s in fashion, which also always been strong in Leading brands show Itional brands, demonstrating its strength, helps us with our next designs.” terms of purchases in rarest pieces the strong market for jewellery here and the It is Graff’s ninth year in the relation to the country’s pop- dynamism of the country’s economy. expo, and Golanski said each year had ulation,” said El Sakkaf, adding Said to be the third largest jewellery and seen growth in terms of the number they had many buyers here who Continued from page 1 watches show globally, DJWE this year saw a and quality of pieces on show, and sales. purchased important pieces. herif El Sakkaf, Public Relations, 15 percent increase over last year in the number “Every year it gets better and better, “I don’t think there’s a single Middle East, Patek Philippe, said of international brands on display. More than but it’s very difficult to say which year is the market in the world that can focus Sthey had brought a wide variety 530 brands of the finest jewellery and timepieces best because prices of diamonds change. Also, on spending money in such a short time. of watches to the expo, but the most from 24 countries are being showcased at the we tend to bring bigger and better pieces. This I don’t think there’s any other exhibition expensive ones were pre-ordered. show, which concludes tomorrow. year, we have probably 25 percent more items that can match this,” said El Sakkaf, who “The intricacy of the mechanism and For a decade now, the annual show has been that we brought than the previous year,” he said. has more than 20 years of experience in the the time it takes for the master watch- drawing thousands of visitors from Qatar as well Undeniably, Graff is doing well at the watch industry. maker to make the piece is the reason as neighbouring countries. The expo is looked exhibition, with a fantastic response from Qatar, he said, was now one of the fast- why it costs more than a million dol- forward to in the Qatari community by those buyers. est moving economies in the world, having lars,” explained El Sakkaf. preparing for weddings. “Normally, the exhibition builds up towards seen unprecedented development over the A watch which took more than a year Last year, the total worth of the items the end because people would come during past 10 years. to make had over a thousand compo- on display crossed $1bn, and this year the the weekend. But now we had very promising Ammar Radwan, Floor Brand Manager, nents and a lot of complex mechanisms, nearly 15,000-square metre space at the Doha transactions even in the first two days of the Watches, Blue Salon, shared the same view, he said. Exhibition Centre has gathered some of the best show,” he said. saying the local market had been doing “In the year 2000, we launched a known names in the industry, including new Kseniya Goryainova, sales executive at very well and an even better future was pocket clock called Caliber 2000 cel- participants Christie’s and Matis, who aim to Garrard, one of the oldest jewellers in the world, expected.