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THE largest display of precious gems, finished jewellery and luxury watches in the Middle East is set to open in Bahrain tomorrow.

Jewellery Arabia 2009 will be held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister valentines gifts Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIEC).

The event, organised by the Arabian Exhibition Management (AEM), runs until November 21.

More than 600 companies from 30 countries will take part, occupying a total floor area of 18,000 sqm.

Two temporary halls have also been commissioned to extend existing facilities at the BIEC for the fourth year in a row to meet the high demand for space.

Despite the current global economic climate, Jewellery Arabia 2009 has sold out to capacity, said officials.

There was no greater difficulty in selling the space this year than there was in 2008, said AEM publicity co-ordinator Joanne Blundell.

“We sold out the whole space very, very quickly. It was certainly no slower than last year and we still have a lot of companies on the waiting list,” she said.

“The Bahrain show has the best reputation in the Middle East region.

“There are other shows in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but Bahrain’s is the biggest and is key rings as the best.”

Over 40,000 industry experts from Bahrain, the GCC and other parts of the world are expected to converge on the venue, which will feature everything from finished jewellery, watches, clocks and jewellery machinery to semi-precious and precious stones, metals and fine writing instruments.

The expo features pavilions from Brazil, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and Thailand as well as local companies Bahrain Jewellery Centre, Asia Jewellers, Al Mahmood Pearls and Al Zain.

Ms Blundell said that the expo would cover the whole spectrum in relation to jewellery in the market.

“On one side you will have branded products from well-known names and non-branded, specially-designed stuff on the other,” she said.

Ms Blundell said that visitors could spend anything from “a few hundred dollars to millions” at the event.

Since its inception in 1992, Jewellery Arabia also provided international jewellery houses with direct access to important trade buyers and private collectors from around the Middle East region.

Middle East Watches, Jewellery and Pen Awards will also be held alongside the event for the fourth necklaces year.

It will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa tomorrow.

The awards are the culmination of an online public voting system and the analysis of an elite committee comprising watch, jewellery and pen collectors, connoisseurs and aficionados with no direct commercial ties to the industry.

Jewellery Arabia will be open free of charge to trade visitors on presentation of a professional business card, and to people over 16 years by invitation.

It will be open from 4pm to 10pm daily, with an exclusive ladies-only morning being held from 10am to 1pm on Wednesday.

Arabian Exhibition Management is a member of Allworld Exhibitions, a network of exhibition organisers with 35 offices worldwide.