Dubai dwellers of a certain vintage will remember when Al Wasl Road, along with its parallel twin Jumeirah Beach Road, was the very heart of suburban life in the city. Between Al Ghazal, Mercato, a slice of Lime Tree Café carrot cake and a sinful trip to Spinneys, what more could a feisty early 2000s girl-about-town need on a Friday weekend morning? Well, one of those fancy, high-walled Al Wasl villas would have been nice. We imagined cool, lush and luxurious interiors as we sped past in our zippy motors, air conditioning barely keeping up with the summer heat. What loveliness lay within those mysterious mansions, we wondered. Well now we need wonder no more. Just a little over a year ago, a little slice of that imaginary heaven opened its doors right on Al Wasl Road, and it’s everything we wanted and then some. “When you walk through the doors of Bayt Damas you can expect to be surprised, then enchanted,” says Luc Perramond, Chairman and CEO of Damas Jewellery, and the man who dreamed up this new concept. “It’s a very special place which was designed to feel like home — the meaning of Bayt in Arabic.”
The villa’s main floor hosts the Damas Room’s collections — exclusive to Bayt — and the Graff Salon with its exquisite gems. The villa’s lower level houses an exhibition area presenting pop-ups from young international designers as well as iconic brands Kalista, Alif, Lace, Dome, and GAIA. There is also a space dedicated to Elie Saab watches and accessories. The first floor library is replete with a collection of Assouline books, sitting alongside a space for Italian designer FOPE’s flexible woven gold bracelets and the Fabergé Room’s instantly-recognisable objets d’art. Then there’s the third floor Damas Café for a luxe pit stop, and further salons for Djula, Mikimoto and Sabyasachi creations — a truly international selection of jewellery. “Soon we will unveil a new room dedicated to ‘pre-loved’ luxury accessories too,” says Perramond with a twinkle in his eye. “It’s going to be magic.”
So how did this oasis of opulence in the heart of the city come into being? “When I joined Damas, I knew that we had to innovate in our retail approach to strengthen our leadership in the region and to make a statement,” says Perramond. “All the luxury brands here were operating with flagship stores in malls in a very traditional manner. At the same time, there was a mall ‘fatigue’ among our customers and with the pandemic, there was an increased need for privacy and bespoke service. “I wanted to create a unique luxury lifestyle destination in the heart of Jumeirah where we could offer an unparalleled experience: intimate, personalised, enchanting. When I ran across an ad for this extraordinary villa on Al Wasl Road, I visited it immediately and I knew right away that it was the ideal location for Bayt Damas.”
And after taking six months to make the dream reality, the four floors and 2000 square metres of Bayt Damas were ready to open. With each room dedicated to a different brand, reflected in their décor and unique design language, this is the only luxury house in the Middle East offering such a unique and memorable experience. “Bayt Damas was very well received by our loyal clients and they have all, without exception, enjoyed their visits,” says Perramond. “Luxury customers in the region have a very open mind and are constantly looking for new things to discover. They also want to learn and be exposed to new concepts and ideas. To this end, we have organised special events at Bayt where we bring amazing guest speakers in the fields of art, fashion, women’s empowerment, jewellery craftsmanship and the world of education.” So much more than just a jewellery store, this house of wonders is home to a sense of creation and beauty that goes beyond mere possessions. What a thrill to be able to call such a wondrous place home — even if only for a little while. Explore the collections
Read Next: Prada Has Released A 100% Recycled Gold Jewellery Line
