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Jeddah: Saudi Arabia’s jewellery industry must partner with India’s established gemstone and craftsmanship sector to meet the Kingdom’s ambitious luxury market goals, Princess Nourah Al-Faisal said on Friday.

The designer and founder of Noon Jewels, who has been creating jewellery for over 30 years, said Indian suppliers are essential to Saudi designers looking to compete globally.

“I can tell you that almost all of my suppliers, 100 per cent of my suppliers are all Indian suppliers,” Al-Faisal told PTI on the sidelines of the SAJEX in Jeddah. SAJEX 2025 is the B2B jewellery exhibition, bringing together the finest jewellers, designers, manufacturers, and industry leaders from around the world.

“If you are a jeweler, aspiring or otherwise, I think that there is no way you can get away from working with an industry that is so established, that is so prolific, and that is undeniably ahead of everyone else in the world.”

Al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia lacks the necessary infrastructure for a fully independent jewellery industry and needs experienced partners to develop its capabilities. The Kingdom’s young, creative workforce represents significant potential, she added.

“We have many, many young people. We are youth-dominated. They are extremely talented,” she said. “The creative industry is the future in Saudi Arabia, as it is everywhere else in the world.”

The designer pushed back against suggestions that luxury demand in Saudi Arabia is nascent, arguing the Kingdom has “long had a demand for luxury” and “a very refined taste.”

Events like SAJEX, organised by Indian apex body Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), bring luxury goods directly to Saudi consumers rather than forcing them to travel to traditional hubs like Hong Kong, she said, while giving young designers access to suppliers and industry partnerships.

On technology’s role in jewellery design, Al-Faisal said artificial intelligence and other innovations are “tools that enable us to do a lot,” noting that technology has been integral to the industry since computer-aided design emerged.

She acknowledged regulatory challenges around imports and exports but praised the government’s efforts to support local industry development through events and policy adjustments.

Sustainability, a core component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform program, offers the Kingdom an opportunity to avoid mistakes made by more established jewellery markets, Al-Faisal said.

“Sometimes when you’re late to the game, it’s actually a blessing,” she said.

The 10-year-old Noon Jewels brand exhibits internationally, and Al-Faisal expressed interest in expanding to India’s market.