A GemGenève Jewelry Drive-By—No Passport Required!

By Amy Elliott | November 01, 2021

Halloween candy hangover? There’s no better cure than a sneak peek at the fantastic jewels that are headed to Geneva later this week for GemGenève, a jewelry fair featuring more than 120 international exhibitors representing 15 countries, for a marketplace as diverse in personality as the pieces on display. Since its inception in 2018, rare antique jewels, contemporary creations by hard-to-find European designers, and a wide selection of important diamonds, precious stones, and pearls make the intimate show a must for dealers hunting for the best of the best for their clientele.

This year’s event, dubbed “The Challenging Edition,” was organized by hosts Thomas Faerber and Ronny Totah.

“From July onward, following the uncertainties linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ronny Totah and I have been exploring a number of different scenarios, from putting on a mini event in a Geneva hotel to a more reduced version of the original GemGenève, and we even considered postponing the event,” Faerber said in a statement.

But in the same statement Totah noted that “the palpable enthusiasm of our exhibitors pushed us to put together this new 2021 edition of the show in record time.” In fact, the decision to move forward with the show in earnest—and to hold it at Palexpo, Geneva’s famous convention center—wasn’t made until Sept. 20.

In Totah’s view, he went on to say, “GemGenève represents the new generation of professional exhibitions. We intend to remain a show on a human scale, with a family feel. A true hub where professionals and jewellery enthusiasts can gather, it has no equivalent right now.”

If only pandemic-era traveling to Europe weren’t so difficult, right? Below are a few of the pieces those in attendance will get to see.

Paul Fisher Cartier art deco watch bracelet — *Cartier art deco platinum and diamond ladies’ watch bracelet, available at Paul Fisher*

Faerber Collection Lalique necklace — Circa 1903 art nouveau necklace in 18k gold with plique-à-jour enamel, rubies, and 9 ct. aquamarine centerpiece and 11 ct. aquamarine pendant, Rene Lalique, price on request; available at Faerber Collection

IsabelleFa bracelet — *Grace 39 bracelet in platinum with 6.66 cts. t.w. diamonds, IsabelleFa; price on request*

Hans D Krieger earrings — *Queen of the Night ear clips in 18k white gold and 1.73 cts. t.w. diamonds, Hans D. Krieger; price on request*

As in previous years, noted jewelry author, historian, and curator Vivienne Becker of Vivarium has gathered the work of eight independent and innovative designers around the world for a special showcase at GemGenève. “I look for jewels that have a strong, individual point of view, a well-defined identity and creative vision, and for a certain refinement of craftsmanship,” Becker said in a statement. “I look for a sophisticated integration of concept, material, and technique, and perhaps most of all I look for designers who have something to say, something new to say, through their jewels. I look for today’s creators who will be part of the long and rich continuum of jewelry history.”

Two highlights below include earrings from Swiss-born, London-based designer Cora Sheibani and London-based jeweler Gearry Suen of G Suen, who is showing in the Vivarium for the first time. The Mumbai-based husband wife duo Roshni and Rahul Jhaveri of Studio Renn (whose work is pictured at top) are also Vivarium newcomers. Their latest work, according to a statement, is an exploration of “the unsettling nature of incompleteness.”