Saudi Gazette A woman's jewelry gives the final and perfect touch to make her dazzling look. It is her personal treasure, usually a gift from someone who loves her or something which has been passed on from generation to generation; a precious memory that lasts forever. Dana Al Alami, a smart Saudi woman recently opened a jewelry shop, where she designs and sells jewelry that are meticulously handmade and perfectly crafted to give her customers those exquisite necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings that they had always dreamed of. She also takes old pieces of jewelry that have lost their previous luster and turns them into modern, attractive, and shiny ornaments. She knew and understood that jewelry holds both, emotional and economic value for women, hence, she stepped into the world of jewelery designing. “Although I graduated from King Saud University with a degree in computer science, I had a fierce passion for drawing and designing jewelry. I immersed myself into learning more and more about this art. For the past three years I have been designing jewelry merely as a hobby,but it soon caught the attention of many interested women,” said Al Alami. To practice her hobby on a larger scale and to cater to women who wanted unique pieces of jewelry she soon became a business woman, too. She imagines, draws, and then supervises the welders in her shop to mold the pieces perfectly. She has firmly established herself as a successful Saudi jewelry designer after overcoming many challenges, and is now the first successful Saudi woman jewelry designer. She aspires to be known internationally in the world of silver, gold, jewels and gems. “I was able to overcome challenges and break barriers due to my mother's prayers and my husband's strong support. In the beginning, the most difficult part was marketing the products that I had personally designed and made. Participating in a countless number of exhibitions opened the door for me and got me the publicity and exposure that I needed. In addition, one of my best tool to advertise was word of mouth. My jewelry designs were sought after by family, relatives, friends, and in turn, their different friends and acquaintances found out about me. The social media like Facebook and Twitter is also an excellent way to spread the word for all entrepreneurs,” said Al Alami. Al Alami's next step is to participate in international exhibitions for jewelry. With exquisite taste and lots of expertise, Dana Al Alami draws and plays with the gold, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds to give a girl the jewelry that will be her best friend for years. __
