The seventh edition of GemGenève will take place in Hall 6 at Palexpo in Geneva from November 2 to 5, 2023. The founders of Gemgenève, Thomas Faerber and Ronny Totah, proudly announce that the show will host 148 jewelry dealers coming from 18 countries. 175 exhibitors are expected to participate including cultural partners, laboratories, schools and designers.
Co-founders Ronny Totah and Thomas Faerber
Some key features from previous GemGenève editions will now become annual events, such as the Designer Vivarium, the partnership with HEAD and the Grand Theatre of Geneva, which will be scheduled at spring editions going forward. Meanwhile, the Donna Jewel project with students from Galdus School and CREA EYES with Donatella Zappieri will become autumn fixtures in the future. Indeed, GemGenève, November 2023 will unveil remarkable surprises. The show provides a comprehensive journey into the world of jewelry, showcasing precious stones, rare and unique gems, pearls and antique jewelry, encompassing both historical and modern creations.
Mathieu Dekeukelaire, Director of the tradeshow, explains: “GemGenève is an event that aspires to enhance every aspect of jewellery heritage by showcasing not only high-quality items, but also exhibitors’ experience and the creativity of designers and students, as well as all the specialist knowledge of the historians, experts, authors, and curators with whom we’re fortunate to be working. It’s a pleasure to be in partnership with these women and men and I’m delighted that with their help, we’re able to stage a new cultural programme for each edition of the event.”
Mathieu Dekeukelaire, Director of Gemgenève
FOCUS ON THE PROFESSIONAL PARTICIPANTS
The 148 professional dealers come from various countries, including the US, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Israel. When it comes to participation, American exhibitors continue to dominate, accounting for nearly a quarter (21%) of all participants. Following closely are exhibitors from Switzerland, Hong Kong, Israel, Belgium, Thailand, Germany, France, India, and Italy, with firms from Sri Lanka, Japan, Brazil, and Austria also making a notable presence.
Each new edition of GemGenève promises a whole new experience, one of its key strengths. As Ronny Totah points out, “This edition is designed to be more intimate yet just as content rich as in May 2023, with new surprises in store too. We are pride in giving each edition a unique, personalized look that leaves a lasting impression on our visitors and exhibitors. Our team’s capacity to do so is one of our winning assets.”
Among the 148 professional exhibitors, 33 will be returning for the seventh time, while over 14 of them will be newcomers. These newcomers include firms like Arihant Star Limited (Hong Kong), Maison Kwan Limited (Hong Kong), Plum Colors Ltd (Thailand), Vama Creation Co Ltd (Thailand), Evergem (Israel), Esmeralda Gems Inc. (USA), Brazil Paraiba Mine (Brazil), and Avani Gem (France), among others.
Arihant Star Ltd.
Faerber collection
Golay Fils & Stahl
Rachminov Diamonds 1891
Led by Nadège Totah and Audrey Fontanille, the GemGenève team offers exhibitors tailor-made booths with a strong emphasis on optimizing lighting to enhance the showcased items. Since May 2022, the team has introduced the services of a top-tier concierge, Pierre-Paul Monnet, who has been impressing exhibitors with his comprehensive range of essential services www.pawelconcierge.com.
Organizers Ida Faerber and Nadège Totah
Designer Village
GemGenève will host nine exceptionally talented designers carefully selected by Nadège Totah. This remarkable group comprises five Emerging Talents and four New Designers, who will enjoy heightened exposure within the Designer Village at the show. The artistic creations on display provide a captivating glimpse into a world brimming with an array of innovative ideas and diverse sources of inspiration. Each artist’s work embodies a distinct personality. Despite the varying styles and techniques, these artists share a common thread: their belief in the profound meaning of jewelry that transcends its mere decorative function. Above all else, precious gemstones have, throughout history, served as talismans, offering protection and bestowing good fortune. These amulets are cherished and kept close, serving as constant reminders to live in harmony with our mind, body, and spirit.
Nadège Totah explains: “I’ve always been fascinated by young talents and their creativity. I don’t see myself as being very creative and since I’m not a jewellery historian either, I have the advantage of being able to make a completely independent selection of artists. This means I do not select these emerging talents based on the level of accomplishment of their work; instead, I’m looking more for work that embodies feeling and a story: pieces that speak to the heart. As a result, there’s not necessarily a common theme or similarities between the various artists I choose. Above all, I’m interested in understanding these talents’ individual histories to gain a greater understanding of their works.”
Emerging talents
Capucine H, France
A French jewelry designer aims at raising our awareness about the Earth’s delicate state through her creative work. Collaborating closely with scientists, she even ventures to some of the world’s most remote locations to comprehend the pressing issues and incorporate them into her jewelry, each piece carrying its own narrative. Each jewel is meticulously crafted by Capucine H, serving as an invitation to engage in the vital dialogue about the imperative to safeguard our planet.
Capucine H. France
Celeste Wu, China
In 2009, while residing in Paris, Celeste Wu discovered that her truest form of artistic expression lay in the creation of jewelry. Over the past fifteen years, this Chinese-born artist has poured her heart and soul into her chosen craft. Through her jewelry, Celeste aspires to share joy and happiness, igniting inspiration in others, encouraging them to dream and find light amidst life’s myriad circumstances. Recently, Celeste and her team embarked on a nine-month-long creative journey to craft an extraordinary piece of fine jewelry titled “Moon Fairy & Rose”. This artwork is set to make its world debut at GemGenève in November 2023, marking an avant-première of unparalleled magnificence.
Celeste Hu
Villa Milano, Italy
Alice Villa, fifth generation of her family’s eponymous jewelry company, now stands as the proprietor and driving creative force behind Villa Milano. With a financial education, extensive experience, a creative spirit and a profound connection to her family’s heritage, Alice assumed the reins of leadership four years ago, officially taking the helm of the company. Since 2018, she has skillfully steered Villa Milano with this vision: to cultivate the family enterprise and propel its expansion on the global stage.
Villa Milano
Shavarsh Hakobian, Armenia
Shavarsh Hakobian is based in Yerevan, Armenia. He has always been inspired by the desire to experiment with unconventional materials including wood, leather, fabric, tusks and butterfly wings, combining them with precious metals and stones. Each jewel created by Shavarsh reveals a natural balance between daring shapes and a host of details. As the designer explains, “when I’m creating a piece of jewellery, anything and everything around me can be a source of inspiration: an engaging piece of music, a butterfly alighting on a flower, a detail on a building, or the workings of a watch”.
Shavarsh Hakobian
YOURA Jewelry, Saudi Arabia
YOURA Jewelry is a fine jewellery brand based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Its name means “to be seen” ( يورا).
Youra Jewelry
New Designers
JMG Designer, Thailand
José María Goñi is a jewelry artist with a Franco-Chilean background. His early years were spent in Chile and his deep passion for jewelry led him on a journey through the USA, Argentina and France. These countries became the places where he studied, experimented and discovered his inspiration. Since his childhood, José María Goñi has been captivated by the sparkle of the most precious gemstones. José María Goñi was introduced to the world of luxury very early. His grandmother, Harriete Hou Carrier, possessed an impressive collection of European jewels that served as his original source of inspiration. His grandfather, Emilio Tutera, who owned gold mines, instilled in him a particular appreciation for precious stones and metals. With a degree in textile design from the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires, José Maria further honed his skills through specialized studies in art and geology. As a multi-talented and creative artist, he has accumulated all the knowledge necessary to craft highly intricate pieces. He established his own studio in Bangkok, where he meticulously handcrafts each of his exclusive creations.
José Maria Goñi
Elke Berr Créations, Switzerland
Geneva-born Elke Berr has been exploring mines worldwide since the age of 24 in pursuit of exceptional gemstones. Her journeys to the mining sites, amidst the raw materials, serve as the primary source of inspiration for her creations. While her expertise is centered around diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, she also enjoys working with exquisite gemstones and introducing her followers to lesser-known collector gems, such as spinels and Paraiba tourmalines. Elke Berr is a multi-faceted professional, excelling as a gemmologist, designer and educator. In 2003, she introduced her own line of fine jewelry, Rock’n Roses, alongside her custom pieces, catering to a select niche clientele.
Elke Berr Créations
Diva Jewels, India
Diva Jewels specializes in crafting timeless jewelry that exudes elegance and sophistication. This family-owned business, established by the visionary Mukesh Mehta, father of Rishi, in 1995, distinguishes itself as one of the few establishments that offer both bespoke jewelry design and sales under one roof. Every distinctive creation by the company is handcrafted using brilliant-cut diamonds and rare gemstones. Diva’s unique approach ensures that every step of the process, from concept to the delivery of the jewelry piece, is carried out in-house, resulting in swift production times. The brand’s vision is to infuse each design with a dynamic element known as ‘En Tremblant‘ jewels, which brings the pieces to life with movement. The ‘Dance of Brilliance’ collection, showcased at GemGenève, features mesmerizing jewelry that glistens and sparkles with every gesture.
Diva Jewels
Serendipity Jewelry, France
Serendipity Jewelry, which made its debut in the Emerging Talents section at the November 2022 edition, is now a part of the New Designers lineup for both the May and November 2023 editions. Founded by Christine Chan in Paris in 2017, Serendipity Jewelry introduces a stunning collection of pieces that embody the principles of respect for nature, personal freedom and self-respect. Each piece of jewelry is designed with its own unique perspective, warmth and depth.
Serendipity Jewelry
Strong & Precious Art Foundation
Olga Oleksenko, CEO of the Foundation declared: ”This is the fourth time we’ll be taking part in GemGenève. For the past two years we’ve been presenting over 10 Ukrainian jewellery brands and designers, and this year we’ll be introducing more newcomers. GemGenève has become a starting point for the international recognition of many Ukrainian jewellers, and we’re glad to help our talented designers shine in the global arena. For us, this event is a chance to introduce Ukrainian jewellery art to a discerning audience, true jewellery connoisseurs and experts from all over the world, and we’re sparing no effort to make this discovery especially exciting and memorable.” The showcased brands are: Nomis, Drutis Jewellery, Yuval Studios, Inesa Kovalova, GeO and Yastreb Jewelry.
Drutis Jewellery
GeO
Inesa Kovalova
Cultural Programme
For its seventh edition, GemGenève is hosting a captivating exhibition titled: “The Pearl Odyssey“. Featuring more than thirty exquisite jewels and remarkable pieces, this exhibition reaffirms the tradeshow’s dedication to promoting the art of jewelry. Chaumet, the Flee Project collective, a prominent private collector and several partner exhibitors have collaborated for this unprecedented endeavor, showcasing some of their most exquisite treasures. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey, beginning by immersing them in the world of pearl-divers in the Persian Gulf and other regions. In a separate exhibition area, the creativity of renowned jewelers is on display, encompassing jewelry with imperial origins, exceptional pearls and exclusive and historical pieces from prestigious private collections. These items reflect the diverse styles and fashions that have prevailed throughout the ages. The exhibition concludes with a scientific segment, presenting the history of pearl research over the past century with the support of the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF). This presentation emphasizes the fundamental distinctions between natural and cultured pearls. The final section of the exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the expert methods used to assess the quality and origin of pearls from around the world.
As Ronny Totah, himself both an enthusiast and a specialist when it comes to natural pearls, says: “The perfect nature of natural pearls resides in their inherent imperfection, which makes each pearl unique, with its own size, shape, colour and sheen. Pearls can be round, oval, baroque, or even tear-shaped. They range in colour from pure white to dark black via a whole range of shades including pink, champagne and iridescent blue-green resembling insects’ wings”.
You can find the rich cultural programme of the tradeshow at this link: gemgeneve.com/programme
I would like to conclude with the words of Nadège Totah: “GemGenève continues to pursue its goal of bringing together the very best in the world of jewellery and precious stones”.
Article edited by Laura Astrologo Porché
Instagram: @journaldesbijoux
