ou may have already seen Ali Mudara at the last Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, where he was a member of the jury. Born in Bahrain in 1984, he always wanted to work in finance and decided to study banking, finance and risk management in Australia. He then worked as a trader for Crédit Agricole from 2007 to 2017. But as he recalls: “At first, I was excited by the intense life of a trader, but I quickly grew tired of it. Watch blogs were booming at the time, and I found myself reading them every day. In fact, I had always been bitten by the watchmaking bug.”

Ali Mudara, founder of PRJKT8

He shares his memories to explain where this passion comes from: “My father always loved watches. He would buy them and swap them with his friends. He would leave the house with one watch and come back with another. I was fascinated.” But this passion actually goes back further: “My great-grandfather had a watch and clock shop in Bahrain in the 1950s and 60s. I remember winding his clock with that special key and the distinctive ding-dong it made at the strike of the hour.”

While still working in finance, Instagram, which appeared in 2012, drew him even further into watchmaking. He remembers discovering the Zurich-based brand SevenFriday, buying his first model... and quickly becoming a reseller for the brand. “At first, it was a fun side project, but it quickly took on a whole new dimension,” he explains. “By 2016 I had opened a shop selling SevenFriday and HYT watches. Other brands joined the selection, such as MCT, Linde Werdelin and Ressence.”

It was time to make a choice: “In 2017 I decided to leave my job in banking and devote myself entirely to developing my store, PROJKT8. In 2018 my brother Husain, who had solid experience in brand building and marketing, joined me. Since then, we have been growing steadily and are now the specialists in independent watchmakers in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

PRJKT8 partnered with Parmigiani Fleurier on a special edition of the Tonda PF Skeleton, limited to just 8 pieces worldwide. The watch showcases flame-blued indices and hands, set against the open-worked PF777 movement in a 40mm stainless steel case with a platinum bezel and skeletonised dial.

Why choose to work exclusively with independent watchmakers? “First of all, most of the big brands already have long-standing partners, and we’re not in the business of competing with them. We sell watches that we would buy ourselves. We try to bring the love these watches have been created with to the people in the market who share that love. It is very purposeful to make these passions connect. We feel we are part of this movement of sharing the passion.”

About the GPHG Academy

Created in 2020, the Academy of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) now has more than 1,000 members, accomplished men and women who believe in the shared destiny of the watchmaking community. As experienced and significant players in the main sectors linked to the watch industry, Academy members take part in the various stages of the GPHG by nominating candidates and then selecting the winners alongside the Jury.