Extra security measures have been brought in as Bahrain prepares to host the biggest jewellery show in the Middle East later this month

More than 600 exhibitors from 30 countries will take part in the 22nd Jewellery Arabia event, including prestigious Italian designers Bulgari for the first time.

Organisers have promised this year's show will be bigger and better with impressive collections from across Europe, the Middle East and Far East being displayed over an area covering 18,000 sq ft, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The event will take place at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa from November 19 to 23.

"We are expecting it to be truly spectacular. The amount of jewellery on display will make it a dazzling sight and there will be so many different and distinctive styles available," said Arabian Exhibition manager Fawzi Al Shehabi, whose company is organising the show.

He said security had been completely overhauled this year, including the installation of CCTV cameras throughout the venue, following a series of high-profile thefts at the event in previous years.

A Serbian gang stole a BD567,000 Cartier diamond necklace from the Asia Jewellers stand in 2002 and the show was later plagued with a number of smaller thefts in subsequent years, including in 2007 when several items of jewellery, worth a combined total of BD168,000, were taken.

"The security is very tough this year," confirmed Al Shehabi. "We recently held a meeting with Public Security and this year the whole venue is covered by CCTV cameras. I don't think there will be a chance for anyone to take anything from the exhibition this year," he stated.

"However, anything can happen and these sorts of thefts take place all over the world, but security is much tighter than it has ever been in previous years so the chances of it happening are very small this time."

Since its launch in 1992, Jewellery Arabia has established itself as the biggest and most prestigious exhibition of its kind in the region, providing international jewellery houses with unrivalled access to trade buyers and private collectors.

This year's event is expected to attract more than 50,000 people and it will be officially opened during a special ceremony conducted by the Premier on November 19.

The event will run from 4pm to 10pm from November 19 to 22 and from 12pm to 10pm on November 23.

Admission is free, but everyone attending must register online or on site and no children under the age of 16 will be admitted.-TradeArabia News Service