Meet The Emirati Designer Chosen To Honour Sheikh Mohammed With A Custom Dubai World Cup Piece

An emerging Emirati jewellery designer has just been given the official royal stamp of approval by none other than His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

UAE jewellery designer Hamda Qubaisi was commissioned to create a commemorative badge in honour of the Dubai Ruler, marking a landmark 30th anniversary of the Dubai World Cup – one of the most celebrated events in the global horse racing calendar.

The gold piece, set with precisely arranged diamonds and engraved with the Dubai World Cup emblem alongside the UAE ribbon motif, is a tribute to both the prestige of the occasion and the enduring legacy of an event that has helped shape Dubai’s identity on the world stage.

In approaching the design, Hamda herself sought to highlight what horse racing represents within the UAE.

“It is a sport defined by strength, discipline, and elegance, carrying a sense of pride that has become part of the country’s identity,” she tells GRAZIA. “There is a quiet power in it, a rhythm and grace that feels both commanding and refined.”

The result? A sculptural gold badge defined by a perfect circular silhouette, which is a form she chose with deliberate intention.

“It creates a sense of continuity and flow, allowing the diamonds to form a seamless line of light,” she says. “This reflects progression and enduring excellence, which are central to the legacy of the Dubai World Cup.”

First held in 1996 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, the Dubai World Cup was the vision of Sheikh Mohammed, and quickly established itself as one of the most renowned horse races in the world.

Now held annually at the spectacular Meydan Racecourse, the event draws the finest racehorses, trainers, and jockeys from across the globe, alongside a who’s who of international royalty, dignitaries, and style icons.

Beyond the racing, it has become one of the region’s most anticipated fashion and social moments of the year, a night where the worlds of sport, culture, and luxury converge.

Thirty years on, the Dubai World Cup stands as a testament to His Highness’s vision for Dubai as a city that competes and leads on every global stage.

For Hamda, being entrusted with marking that milestone carried a weight she felt deeply.

“Creating this piece in honour of His Highness is a true privilege and one I hold in the highest regard,” she says. “As an Emirati designer, it carries even deeper meaning to design for a leader who has played such a defining role in shaping the UAE into what it is today. It is an expression of respect and admiration, translated through design.”

The commission is a natural extension of the philosophy at the heart of By Hamda Qubaisi Jewellery, the brand she founded with a vision rooted in design and storytelling. Heavily influenced by architectural form, her work translates structure, balance, and proportion into pieces that feel simultaneously sculptural and refined.

“My work is guided by the idea that jewellery should hold meaning beyond its form,” she explains. “Each piece is approached with intention and precision, created to carry a sense of identity, presence, and quiet strength.”

It is a sensibility that made her a fitting choice for a commission of this significance, and one that marks a broader recognition of homegrown Emirati creative talent being platformed on the global stage.