Japan's jewellery dealers gather this week for the country's largest exhibition and fair from January 23rd to 26th at Tokyo Big Sight.  The 24th International Jewellery Tokyo this year sees a doubling of the size of the France pavilion as the theme country, showcasing some of the world's finest jewellery and watches. ArtInfo takes a peak at what to expect.

Some 1,050 companies will be joining International Jewellery Tokyo this year, with an estimated 35,000 buyers set to join. According to last year's visitor profile, around half of the attendants came from the retail sector, with just over 5,000 importers and exporters attending, as well as 2,800 manufacturers and 4,000 designers.  While the Japanese jewellery market - the world's 3rd largest, valued at USD 11.46 billion - slumped in 2011, it rebounded last year and is expected to increase significantly in the coming years to nearly USD 14 billion.

With a reception party planned on Thursday 24th, International Jewellery Tokyo's second day is the highlight, when it will welcome a raft of special guests for the Best Jewellery Wearer Awards, given out across men and women, old and young. Actresses Ayame Goriki, Nanako Matsushima and Hiromi Nagasaku will pick up the award for ladies in their 20s, 30s and 40s, while 46 year-old actor Noriyuki Higashiyama has been pre-announced as the overall male winner. Special guests will include artistic gymnast and London Olympic Gold Medalist Kohei Uchimura, and Korean K-Pop group KARA, who will each receive a Special Award.

According to Etre Design LLC of the USA last year, "[it] was our 5th time at IJT, and we received a better response than any ever before. Our stainless collection was popular and about 2,000 pieces were sold. We met 5 key buyers from Italy and Korea, and 50 buyers from all over Japan."

Amongst 30 countries that will host their own pavilions, key exhibitors will include Italy, showcasing local-style gold, platinum and silver with unique cameos and corals via Elio Ruschena Goldsmith, Cellini Firenze and Marco Cuppari Jewels.

Germany will be presenting a wide range of gemstones, diamonds, clasps and watches with many exhibitors joining for the first time. Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Morocco meanwhile will be exhibiting some of the more unusual and eccentric items.

The focus will be on France though, whose pavilion will host renowned jewellers Cookson Clal and Caplain St Andre., necklaces, rings and bracelets from Loiseau Kebadjian, platinum rings from Lucien Pfertzel and present a white gold ring made from light amethyst and topaz from Isabelle Langlois. New collections will be presented by Bellon Createur with variations in heart and star shapes using 18k gold and diamonds, and by Commelin, including a rose window pendant based on the stained glass of the Notre Dame de Chartes cathedral.

2013 marks the 40th anniversary of French jewellery presence in Japan and it has joined the IJT since its founding in 1990.