Seven months pregnant and midway through a gruelling whistle-stop tour of Dubai, Valérie Messika could be excused for being slightly out of sorts. Seated in a corner of the Armani Hotel, in a maxi dress that perfectly complements the hotel’s shimmering gold, bronze and beige colour scheme, the founder and creator of Messika Paris is, however, as gracious as can be – all compliments, smiles, ‘merci beaucoups’ and ‘vous êtes très gentils’.
With her pieces now on offer at select Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons stores around the country, Messika is in Dubai to mark the official launch of her diamond jewellery brand in the UAE.
Growing up, Messika imagined that she’d be able to escape the allure of the diamond business. Her father, Andre, a diamond trader who entered the industry in the 1970s, had “struggled to establish himself because it’s a very closed system”. Nonetheless, he carved a niche for himself on Rue La Fayette, the stronghold of Paris’s diamond industry.
“I thought I would have the liberty to say to my father that I wanted to do something else, but he was very clever. Since I was very young, he would come home with these beautiful stones and in some way, I think he brainwashed me!”
Messika started her career in luxury marketing, working for high-end brands such as Chanel, but in 2000, she gave into the entreaties of her father and joined the family business. After a few years spent learning the ropes, visiting important diamond trading hubs such as South Africa and India, she went to her father with a proposition. Why not go beyond trading and design and create diamond jewellery – but with a twist?
“I thought it would be interesting to create diamond jewellery that was suitable for everyday wear. I did a marketing study and saw that there was a niche so I said let’s try to make a cool and casual collection starting from around €500 [Dh2,500].”
Messika relished the idea of building up this new facet of the business, and she still involves herself in every part of the process – from designing the pieces to marketing them, putting together advertising campaigns and designing boxes. “When I joined the diamond business, it was such an ‘old’ business; there was not much in the way of marketing and communications. I realised that there was so much more that could be done.”
In a world where diamonds are still perceived as the very height of luxury, was she surprised by how well people responded to the idea of ‘casual’ diamond jewellery? “I had no idea it would be so easy. Thirteen years ago, people would say, ‘Diamonds are for my wedding ring and that’s it’.
“But when I launched a few simple pieces with diamonds, women realised that they loved the idea of wearing diamonds with jeans. They would say that it was comfortable; it was like putting on make-up – it would brighten up their outfits and their skin.
“In the Middle East it is quite different; jewellery is in the culture. Whereas it’s absolutely not in Europe. For them, jewellery is an expression of wealth and that is sometimes perceived as a bad thing, particularly in France.”
The brand is committed to creating original, well-made staples – the jewellery equivalent of the little black dress. One of Messika’s first collections, Move, consists of three moving diamonds artfully suspended within rings, bracelets and necklaces. The three diamonds represent a touching sentiment: I loved you yesterday, I love you today and I will love you tomorrow.
“We became a little bit famous in France because people remembered the moving diamonds. We were lucky to create something that is still not old-fashioned after seven years. ”
Messika also specialises in lines of diamonds on a metal setting fitted with nano springs – so they can be stretched, twisted and bent, but always spring back into place. “My purpose was to develop almost a diamond tattoo that sits very close to the skin, with a very small gold prong that allows the diamond to shine as much as possible. I wanted something completely stretchable so that when you wear it, you cannot feel it and it fits like a second skin. I also like this because you stretch something that is supposed to be very hard and very precious.”
There are now 60 people working for Messika jewellery, which is offered at 180 points of sale around the world. “There has been huge development over the last 10 years. It’s not that I’m a genius – absolutely not – but I arrived at the right time and identified a need. And now I am not alone in this area; but we had a little bit of advance and also the reputation of my father helped.”
December will be a busy month for Messika. In addition to the arrival of her second child, she is looking forward to the opening of the brand’s first stand-alone store in Paris. And all the while, she will remain true to the two simple pieces of advice her father gave her when she was first starting out: “He told me, ‘If you launch a jewellery brand, never copy anybody. And stay true to our roots – which is diamonds’.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
HEY%20MERCEDES%2C%20WHAT%20CAN%20YOU%20DO%20FOR%20ME%3F
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
RESULT
Arsenal 2
Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'
Eddie Ntkeiah 51'
Portsmouth 0
MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
Muguruza's singles career in stats
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)
Wins / losses 293 / 149
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
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WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Europa League group stage draw
Group A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Astana, Slavia Prague.
Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Young Boys, Partizan Belgrade, Skenderbeu.
Group C: Sporting Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, Istanbul Basaksehir.
Group D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna , Rijeka, AEK Athens.
Group E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta, Apollon Limassol.
Group F: FC Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff Tiraspol, FC Zlin.
Group G: Vitoria Plzen, Steaua Bucarest, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, FC Lugano.
Group H: Arsenal, BATE Borisov, Cologne, Red Star Belgrade.
Group I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria Guimaraes, Konyaspor.
Group J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk, Ostersund.
Group K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte Waregem, Vitesse Arnhem.
Group L: Zenit St Petersburg, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg, Vardar
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
