Thousands of exquisite pieces on show

Jewellery Arabia 2017 was inaugurated under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre yesterday.

The 26th exhibition is showcasing tens of thousands of exquisite pieces to private buyers, as well as wholesalers, manufacturers, traders and retailers.

The exhibition is open free of charge to members of the public. Show organisers UBM AEM anticipate around 50,000 visitors will descend on the 21,000sqm treasure trove over the course of five days.

Visitors will be welcomed by around 600 local, regional and international exhibitors who will be launching brand new product lines, displaying their latest collections and introducing limited edition pieces exclusively at the show.

Famous exhibitor names include Chopard, Audemars Piguet Moyen-Orient Sal, Hublot Sa, Schreiner Fine Jewellery, De Grisogono, Al Zain and Al Mahmood Pearls.

Amongst the highlights will be high end German jewellery manufacturer Heinz Mayer celebrating 10 consecutive years of participating at the show by unveiling a special piece.

To mark the special occasion, it is offering a ‘strictly limited bracelet and strictly limited necklace’, both with the Bahraini emblem attached to them, at what it describes as ‘very favourable prices’.

“We started somewhere in the backyard of Hall 1 and moved around a couple of times, before we eventually were appropriately positioned in the middle of Hall 1, right on the boulevard,”  Frank Mayer, who owns the company together with his brother Stefan, recalled.

“A tremendous amount of exhibitors came and went over these years, but we are a very traditional company and always believed in the market. We therefore kept loyal to the exhibition and were strongly rewarded for our loyalty through the years!”

Newcomers to the show include New York fine jewellery brand MARLI displaying its Avant, Chelsea, Avenues, Cleo, Coco, Deco, Ipsilo and Rock Candy collections.

“I am delighted to unveil fun, youthful styles for our best-selling collections,” says Maral Artinian, founder, designer and curator of the Marli NYC brand. “At Marli, we take a modern approach to jewelry as a fashion and lifestyle necessity. I want to offer today’s women unique ways to express their individuality and to feel confident, knowing that they look their very best. Confidence is power at every age. When a woman knows she looks great, she’s unstoppable.”

And Sartoro will be unveiling its Peacock Collection which it describes as ‘an artistic organza of eye-catching feathers, chromatic tributes and ingrained jewellery mastery’.

Sartoro was founded by Armenian brothers Arto and Saro Artinian and is the signature brand of the second generation family jewellery company now based in Bangkok.

Since 1997, Artinian has built a consistent reputation as a bespoke and private label jeweller for royal houses as well as high society in the Middle East, North America and Asia.

“Inspired by the enchanting peacock feathers, the collection aims to epitomise the sheer elegance of wilderness and the ensuing complexity of feminine attraction and sophistication, complimenting the lifestyle expectations of today’s socially vibrant and Nouveau, style culture,” the brothers say.

Bahraini jewellery design house, Devji Aurum, one of the exhibition’s founder brands, is showcasing more than 700 options in bridal sets. Following last year’s success, its Ruhi Collection featuring gold, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies is once more a highlight of its showcased jewellery.

Complementing the iconic brands are national groups from leading jewellery export countries. They include large returning delegations of retailers, designers and manufacturers from Hong Kong, India, Singapore and Thailand.

Aside from perusing stunning jewellery and watch collections, visitors can also enjoy social media influencer meet-and-greets throughout the show, as well as free-to-attend daily jewellery education seminars led by one of the world’s foremost authorities on gemmology, the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA).

“Jewellery Arabia 2017 is a vibrant platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest products in the dynamic Middle East market. This well-established exhibition offers consumers and trade visitors alike a once-a-year opportunity to browse the largest selection of jewellery and watches in the Middle East, stay abreast of trends, discover new designers and source one off pieces in a unique atmosphere. With pieces to suit all budgets, there is something for everyone at the show,” said Fawzi Al Shehabi, UBM AEM director of sales and marketing.

The exhibition is open from 4pm to 10pm until November 24 and from noon to 10pm on November 25. For more information, visit www.jewelleryarabia.com