GemGenève, the New Treasure Trove

Entering GemGenève was kind of like entering the living room of a private home, with an atmosphere that was welcoming, intimate and private. Our visit to the first edition of GemGenève had that kind of feel and left us feeling positive about this event, which welcomed almost 150 exhibitors and 4,300 visitors—most of whom came from Switzerland and Europe—to the Palaexpo in Geneva. «Our objective was to launch a new high-end trade exhibition revealing the true spirit of our jewelry world. We were thrilled to see the incredibly positive atmosphere since the beginning of the show», explains Ida Faerber, daughter of Thomas Faerber, one of the founders with Ronny Totah. And Nadège Totah, daughter of Ronny Totah, adds «Simply said, to see our exhibitors feeling at home at GemGenève, gave us the greatest satisfaction. The overall level of contentment was above our expectations». It was a triumphant launch for this event that industry insiders like Totah and Faerber have really been pushing for. The aim was to respond to the radical changes that have taken place in the market, and to promote the spirit of diamonds, pearls and precious stones, highlighting antique jewels, those one-off pieces that appeal to both antiques dealers as well as collectors. Actually, it was no surprise that this first event was held in Geneva, and almost at the same time as the exclusive international auctions held by Christie's and Sotheby's in mid-May.

In this exciting display of wow-inspiring carat sizes and vintage jewels, our thirst for everything precious was also completely satisfied by the highly creative jewels featured in the Contemporary Designer Showcase, an area curated by jewelry historian Vivienne Becker – one of the main expert speakers during the talks at GemGenève. There are nine names that really stood out. Young Parisian designer Emmanuel Tarpin and the talented Ninotchka Jewels showed true flair and nascent creative ability, while others showed a sort of “under the radar” expertise, such as Nadia Morgenthaler, from Geneva, and Alexander Tenxo from Saint Petersburg. Hannah Martin showcased her passionate rock-and-roll side while Fabio Salini from Rome stood out for elegance and high-end innovation. Julia Muggenburg of Belmacz offered up philosophy and charm while Cora Sheibani boasted creative flair, and, finally Sean Gibson highlighted a real New York touch.

Four other names can be added to this list of talented individuals who were selected to be catapulted into the sumptuousness of Geneva: Caspita, Oselieri Racine, Pierre d'Alexis and Towe. This first edition fully lived up to the exciting expectations. We can’t wait to hear about plans for 2019.