Time, for watch collector Najah Hussain Al Muntafiq, has always been a matter of discipline. In A. Lange & Söhne, she found a watchmaker whose philosophy mirrors her own, guided by an unflinching commitment to craft. Villa 88 brings together the collector and the muse, united by a shared belief that true luxury is measured consistently, without compromise.
Najah Hussain Al Muntafiq approaches collecting fine watches the same way she has constructed her life. Throughout her experiences, from aviation to consulting to chocolatière craft, she has lived by a deep-rooted respect for time and precision.
“This watch represents what I value in craftsmanship – clarity of design and integrity of construction. The proportions are considered, the dial beautifully resolved, and the movement inside is just as disciplined. Nothing is excessive, yet nothing is overlooked. That harmony appeals to me.”
Long before collecting timepieces became an integral part of her life, Najah was immersed in environments in which precision and preparedness were non-negotiable. She started out as a lead member of the marketing team at Emirates Airlines when it had just launched, back in the 1980s, going on to shape the direction of its earliest phase of global expansion.
“Time was sacred,” she says. “I learnt very quickly that excellence depends on showing up fully, and without short-cuts.” And she continues to bring those same exacting standards to her work as a bespoke artisanal chocolatier and the guiding force behind Coco Jalila.
Over the years, this sensibility has followed her across industries. From consulting to entrepreneurship, Najah’s career has been defined by a willingness to step into unfamiliar territory and learn rigorously from it.
“Learning is the oxygen of life,” she says. “You cannot go to bed without learning one thing every day. It can come from anyone – from your team, from a stranger, from a conversation you didn’t expect. Instinct may guide the first step, but it is knowledge earned patiently that sharpens decision-making over time.”
An avid watch collector since three decades, her affinity for A. Lange & Söhne – Najah is a long-time client of the Maison – is rooted in values. “They produce less than 5,000 watches a year, and are uncompromising about perfection,” she says. “That resonates deeply with how I work.”
And in the watchmaker’s measured approach, she recognizes that real craft takes time – a philosophy reflected in her work at Coco Jalila. For her, deciding to enter the world of chocolate was a deliberate choice.
She spent years learning about ingredients, travelling to understand cacao, oils, and textures before launching the brand. For her, quality is inseparable from origin – hazelnuts from Piedmont, pistachios from Brontë, dates from farmers in the Middle East whose relationship to their land remains crucial.
This respect for process informs her understanding of modern power. “Luxury is understated,” she says. “When you see an A. Lange & Söhne watch on someone, you understand the conversation you’ll have with them. You understand the mindset.”
What she collects and what she creates are bound by one common thread – true luxury reveals itself slowly and immersively, time and again.
“The warmth of rose gold reminds me of sunset during Ramadan – that soft pink light that signals the end of the fast. In Dubai, the sky turns a remarkable shade of pink, and this watch feels like a quiet, beautiful reflection of that moment.”
I don’t acquire watches impulsively. The pieces I choose must resonate deeply with me. After all, whatever we choose becomes, in a way, part of our personal language, signifiers of how we think, live, and choose to express ourselves.”
Founder/Editor in Chief: @asmaalfahim
Deputy Editor: Priyanka Pradhan
Photographer: Žiga Mihelčič
Creative direction and production: Beya Bou-Harb
Makeup: Amanda Kay
Location: The Address Sky View, Dubai
