The sixth edition of Gemgenève will take place for the first time in Hall 1 of PalaExpo, with 13,000 sqm of exhibition space from Thursday 11 May to Sunday 14 May 2023.
GemGenève is a prestigious jewelry and gemstone trade show held in Geneva, Switzerland. The event is focused on bringing together some of the world’s finest and most innovative jewelry designers, gemstone dealers and other industry professionals to showcase their latest creations and engage in business. The first GemGenève event took place in 2018 and since then, it has become an important platform for the global jewelry and gemstone industry. It attracts visitors from all over the world, including collectors, buyers, and enthusiasts. Since then, it has grown in popularity and prestige. This must-attend show was found by two dealers in jewels and precious stones, Ronny Totah and Thomas Faerber: GemGenève was conceived and created by exhibitors, for exhibitors.
Thomas Faerber and Ronny Totah, Co-founders
“At GemGenève, we place a strong emphasis on culture, young people, training, passing on knowledge and above all, our passion for every aspect of jewellery-making”stated Ronny Totah, Co-founder of GemGenève. The show features a wide variety of jewelry and gemstones, ranging from rare and high-end pieces to more affordable designs. Exhibitors at GemGenève are carefully selected to ensure high quality and creativity. In addition to the exhibits, the show also offers a series of talks, conferences and workshops on various topics related to the jewelry and gemstone industry. These events provide an opportunity for professionals to network, exchange ideas and learn from one another. “With GemGenève, we’re sharing and communicating our knowledge. We’re committed to spreading the word and heightening awareness in the public – informed or otherwise –, to encouraging new generations to learn and discover new things. We’re simply spreading our passion for the world of jewellery and precious stones.” Said Ida Faerber and Nadège Totah, of GemGenève.
EXHIBITORS – 187 jewelry dealers from 20 countries will showcase their pieces and collections. This is a record number ever to be present at GemGenève. If we also consider the schools, designers, laboratories and other cultural partners such as museums, the total number of exhibitors is expected to be over 210.
MAH (MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY) – Exhibition director Mathieu Dekeukelaire aims to establish long-term relationships with museums and cultural institutions in order to promote all aspects of jewelry heritage in every possible way. After the fabulous Fabergé exhibition of last November, GemGenève will be hosting an unprecedented off-site exhibition dedicated to automata, music and other objets d’art from the collections of Geneva Museum of Art and History.
Box with compartments, with automaton and watch, Geneva circa 1800 MAH
Automaton and music clock, Guangzhou (Chine), London, ca.1800. MAH
THE VILLA OF LOST ARTS – The Show will introduce for the first time a new initiative the Villa of Lost Arts, a collective workspace organised with the support of Geneva-based jeweler Herbert Horovitz to highlight traditional know-how and fine craftsmanship. This is a rare opportunity to attend a succession of Métiers d’Art, craftsmen and artisans, showing their skills, such as polishing, engraving, stone-cutting, enameling, lapidarists, small ironware gilding, gold beating, from behind the scenes of the world of jewelry.
DESIGNERS’ VILLAGE – As in every edition, wide space will be given to designers, including Emerging Talents and New Designers. Their creations offer a fascinating glimpse into a variety of ideas, innovation and inventiveness highlighting their individuality. This section is curated by Nadège Totah who told me: “It’s hard to describe my selection criteria relating to this particular section. One of the aspects I consider is the emotions that their creations evoke. I’m not looking for perfection but for something different that catches my interest concerning their designers’ pieces and history. It’s a selection made with my heart.” The Emerging Talents showcased are: Aso Leon, an award-winning jewelry artist in China. He began to use titanium in 2005 and applied it to high jewelry, after since he was called the Prince of Titanium in the Chinese jewelry industry, Denise Cassou Couture Jewelry, Fred Fa, Rekami Stworzone by Iwona Tamborska, Rites of Passage by Teresa Escudero and the talented jewelry artist Wallis Hong.
Aso Leon earrings
Black Castle ring by Iwona Tamborska
Ocean Ring by Rites of Passage Teresa Escudero
Urchin ring, Wallis Hong
Among the New Designers, Gemgenève will host Austy Lee Art Jewellery from Hong Kong, a brand of High Jewelry which takes its inspiration from an eclectic range of themes blending pop-punk, psychedelic culture, religion, antiquity and fashion; the Chinese jewelry brand A.win.Siu, Serendipity Jewelry, Marija Iva Jewelry and Tenzo.
Austy Lee earrings
A.Win.Siu
Marija Iva Jewelry
STRONG AND PRECIOUS – As in the two previous editions, Strong & Precious space will present famous Ukrainian designers curated by Olga Oleksenko. Since the beginning of the war, this art project has aimed at displaying Ukraine as a country with great potential in jewelry and design.
DESIGNER VIVARIUM – The illustrious art and jewelry historian, journalist and author Vivienne Becker will be back this year to present the work of independent jewelry designers in her Designer Vivarium, first introduced in 2018. The selected designers are distinguished by specific qualities, namely a strong design concept, sophistication in craftsmanship and use of materials. Vivienne is a real talent scout and she spots the designers when they are relatively unknown. The chosen are Natasha Wightman who unveils her first NVW collection at GemGenève; Leen Heyne, a Dutch goldsmith and jeweller; the designer-jeweller Lia Lam, Oushaba and Elena Okutova who returns to this edition again.
Leen Heyne, Vivarium
Peony ring by Elena Okutova, Vivarium
FOCUS ON THE 187 PROFESSIONAL DEALERS – The majority of the exhibitors come from the US, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Germany. US exhibitors count for a full quarter of the participants in terms of participation. Next come those from Switzerland, Hong Kong, Germany, Israel, Belgium, Thailand, India, and France, followed by firms from the UK, Italy, the UAE, Sri Lanka and Singapore, and last but by no means least Russia, Poland, Austria, Japan, Spain and China. As Ronny Totah pointed out: “As we welcome more dealers to GemGenève for this edition, we’ve also given careful thought to exhibition traffic. The challenge is to preserve the balance between our DNA – passing on our passion to emerging designers and schools, a diverse cultural programme, and the desire to remain a human-sized event – and the quality of exhibitors and merchandise on display whilst making sure the visitor experience is as streamlined as possible “.
Enzo Liverino
Cartier Paris 1962 black pearl and coral bracelet, Faerber collection
Fuli Gemstones, Mark Nuell
Heinz Mayer bracelet
Cesari & Rinaldi Gemmai Futurgem
Golay Fils & Stahl
CULTURAL PROGRAM – The cultural program at Gemgenève is extremely varied and one of the pillars of this show that since its beginnings has put its emphasis on culture and collaboration with goldsmiths’ schools, students and non-profit organisations. In particular, this year the program will be enriched by automata demonstrations and music sessions. In further developing the partnership between GemGenève and the Grand Theatre of Geneva (GTG), the two institutions have joined forces with Geneva’s Higher School of Music (Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève, HEM) to stage a number of musical after-work events during the exhibition. The Singapore Gem Museum returns to Gemgenève taking over the Village des Savoirs with an exhibition of precious stones in order to make gemology accessible to everyone, thanks to a program of exhibitions and scientific ateliers in a fun, interactive atmosphere.
GOUACHE JEWELRY COMPETITION – For the second time there will be the gouache jewelry contest for schools offering Swiss “federal certificate of proficiency” (CFC) qualifications on the theme: “Nothing is lost, everything is transformed”. Fuli Gemstones in partnership with the technical school of French-speaking Switzerland (CFP Arts Genève), Ecole Technique de la Vallée de Joux (ETVJ), CPNE Pôle Arts Appliqués and ASMEBI will support a gouache competition. This competition has the pedagogical objective of making students reflect on current issues on how to transcribe them in their drawings and designs.
Fuli Gemstones will provide students with small, olive-coloured peridots whose unusual cut will be one of the challenges of this contest. Fuli Gemstones seeks to provide a constant and fully traceable supply of peridots from mines that comply with safety standards, backed by active, global marketing and initiatives to raise awareness of the brand.
- CFC Visitors’ Choice Award
- ASMEBI award for the CFC project
- Foundation Eric Horovitz Award
Also, the talks and panel discussions will be very interesting and varied with eminent speakers and lecturers. Enjoy the program at this link: gemgeneve.com/programme
Katerina Perez 10th Anniversary. To mark this occasion Katerina Perez will be in conversation with Donatella Zappieri on how jewelry has evolved in the last 10 years
GEMGENÈVE x LITTERATURE – In this edition, renowned authors are invited by Gemgenève to present, autograph and discuss their books:
Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry by Mélanie Grant
Sapphire: a Celebration of Colour by Joanna Hardy
Clasps, 4’000 years of fasteners in Jewellery by Anna Tabakhova
Bijoux, l’orfèvre et le peintre by Brigitte Serre-Bourret
The Secret Teachings of Gemcutting by Justin K. Prim
Daniel Brush: Jewels Sculpture – Vivienne Becker
With an impressive lineup of exhibitors and an exciting range of events planned, the upcoming Gemgenève jewelry show is set to be a must-attend event for anyone with an interest in exquisite gems, outstanding jewelry and extraordinary cultural events.
Discover even more @ GEMGENEVE 2023
Article edit by Laura Astrologo Porché
Instagram: @journaldesbijoux
