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Forbes
13 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Gem Genève: An Appreciation Of The Connoisseur's Gem And Jewelry Fair
Based in Israel, FIMA Diamonds is famous for its expertly cut natural diamonds, which also embody ... More extremely fine clarity and color. Attracting the world's top jewelry designers, retail jewelry buyers, fashion journalists, collectors and goldsmiths, GemGenève, co-founded by Geneva-based gem and antique jewelry dealers Ronny Totah and Thomas Faerber, specializes in design-driven high jewelry, fine jewelry, vintage and antique jewels, plus gemstones of superb quality. Staged in Geneva, Switzerland's Palexpo center since 2018, the most recent edition of the trade show took place from May 8 to May 11 with 253 exhibitors, including 209 dealers, and attracted a record 4,970 visitors, making GemGenève's ninth edition its best attended ever. Yet GemGenève functions as far more than a pivotal jewelry trade fair: it's also a talent discovery zone, thanks to the show's Emerging Talents exhibition that's curated and coordinated by Nadège Totah, daughter of show co-founder Ronny Totah. Gem Genève's program included a lively interview between jeweler and philanthropist Jean Boghossian ... More and Roger Bertozzi. Ms. Totah's considered selection presented new jewelry design concepts by ascendant designers and goldsmiths from diverse countries. As she explained in an email, 'The Emerging Talents & New Designers space at GemGenève grants participants imaginative freedom and artistic license. Rather than dictating themes and strict guidelines like most trade shows do,' she continued, 'we encourage designers and makers to realize their individual aesthetic visions through creative expression, material and technical innovation.' While she selects participants in Emerging Talents based on the quality of their designs, their artisanal savoir-faire, how they use materials and the overall effects that their jewels embody, Ms. Totah also looks for jewels that are contributing original elements to the narrative of jewelry history. Gem Genève co-founder Ronny Totah is a specialist in Kashmir sapphires and natural pearls. His ... More company Horovitz & Totah is active in Europe, Asia and the United States. Toward that end, she does her due jewelry diligence by researching up-and-coming designers and jewelers online, and sometimes travels to meet with them and view their jewels in person. Once Totah selects designs for the show, she detailed, 'We work to create an environment for the Emerging Talents that will compel visitors to do more than view the jewels, for we want them to stop and study these rare creations in all their glory.' (The Emerging Talents & New Designers realm stages jewels in vitrines with strategically created ambient lighting.) As Thomas Faerber put it an email, 'This realm is very important as it allows young talents to benefit from an international platform where they can exchange exchange experiences, consult with their peers, receive advice and hear opinions of their work from professionals, collectors and others.' Very often, Faerber noted, 'Gem Genève is the first time that they can benefit from a large media presence, and for some it can project them into the international jewelry scene and allow them to grow.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Nsanshi Art, a Zambian jewelry school based in Solwezi, made its international exhibition debut at ... More GemGenève. Zambian artisans work with copper and silver from their country to create ethical, sustainable, and culturally authentic jewels. There are other vital reasons why this zone of discovery is such an integral part of GemGenève. As Ms. Totah mused, 'Our industry is in fact a global community, and GemGenève is committed to helping shape and propel our industry forward by supporting rising talents in this shared ecosystem. We create our future together, at each edition of GemGenève, and we are only as strong as our alliances.' A key way that the show builds new alliances and extends brand reach is by welcoming members of the public to attend, in addition to those in the trade. As Messrs. Totah and Faerber observed in an email, 'GemGenève is also free for students and offers a full program of talks and panels featuring jewelry historians, gemologists and authors that are evidence-based, educational, and of potential value to students, collectors and many types of industry professionals.' Another culturally eye-opening aspect of Gem Genève involved Nsanshi Art's display of original items crafted by Zambian students, which was showcased in the JGAA's Africa Jewellery Week™ Exhibition space at GemGenève. This collaboration showcased African artisanal savoir-faire and creativity to the international audience. Regarding other opportunities that the show offers to budding designers, Totah noted that, 'Some of the people in the Emerging Talents space, such as Shavarsh Hakobian from Armenia, chose GemGenève to exhibit for the very first time outside their country of origin in 2023. While his designs are distinguished by their unique shapes, materials such as thread or butterfly wings, and labor-intensive, artisanal excellence," she wrote, 'designs by Richard Wu Jewelry are marked by organic fluidity, innovative materials like titanium, and meticulous craftsmanship.' For example, Totah wrote, 'Wu dreamt of an arm gently ascending, a bracelet encircling it like stars. The finished piece seemed as if from outer space; it was devoid of a clasp and free from any support. While its form appeared as effortless perfection, it took hundreds of iterations of trial and error to finally came to life!" she observed. "This piece highlights Richard Wu's blend of bold innovation and timeless elegance with a contemporary vision, she explained. Geneva-based antique jewelry dealer Thomas Faerber, who co-founded Gem Genève with fellow dealer ... More Ronny Totah. Other featured designers and makers in the Emerging Talents category included Lucas Hage, a young Geneva-based designer, who Totah cited as 'interesting for subverting traditional jewelry norms. His distinctive style features broken or imperfect stones and draws inspiration from Dark Fantasy style.' Then there was William Llewellyn Griffiths, based in Australia, whose 'gothic-romantic, baroque-inspired jewelry resembles wearable architecture, with intricate metalwork, secret compartments, and richly colored gems.' Additional talents of note included Bojem, which, according to Totah, 'is an interesting studio for its poetic and minimalist approach to jewelry that balances organic curves with delicate gemstone placements, often using soft-colored sapphires and tourmalines set in brushed gold.' Arman Suciyan, an Istanbul-born designer, was included for its 'sculptural, hand-crafted jewelry that blends traditional techniques with futuristic and organic forms. His work draws on mythology, nature, and personal narrative,' Totah detailed, 'which results in intricately detailed, imaginative pieces.' Turkish designer Arman Suciyan highly sculptural jewels exhibited at Gem Genève 2025 in the Emerging ... More Talents and New Designers realm. As Mathieu Dekeukelaire, Director of GemGenève, wrote in an email, 'GemGenève has always been more than a trade show. It's a living, evolving experience. We have already began working on our tenth edition, which will take place in Geneva from May 7 to May 10, 2026." What's more, Dekeukelaire related, 'We remain committed to constant reinvention, from scenography to layout and to the programming of talks, ensuring that each edition looks and feels like a fresh encounter for visitors, exhibitors, and Friends of GemGenève alike. I'm proud,' he averred, that change and creativity continue to live at the very heart of our identity.' Myriad facets of gem and jewelry-related creativity were shared with the show's attendees through speaker and author programs presented in the Gem Genève seminar areas. Highlights included a colorful talk with jewelry historian Amanda Triossi and Caroline Kranz, the Deputy Curator of the Cartier Collection. These experts regaled the audience with historical facts and anecdotes about masterpieces from the heritage house of Cartier, which has amassed one of the world's most artistically and historically important jewelry archives. Violaine Bigot, Laurent Cartier and Kathia Pinckernelle will discuss how Art Deco jewellery defied convention by looking at materials, techniques, patterns, gems, colours and more. Violaine Bigot, the heritage director of the Paris maison Chaumet, Laurent Cartier, Ph.D., director of special projects at the Swiss Gemmological Institute and jewelry historian Kathia Pinckernelle, M.A. discussed how Art Deco style gave birth to revolutionary Art Deco jewelry by relating the rich history of how that era's jewelers used materials, techniques, patterns, gemstones and colors in artistically novel ways that remain relevant to this day. Then again, Capucine Juncker's talk about her new book, Diamonds of Goldconda, scintillated just like its subject, which happens to cover the legendarily limpid diamonds from India's former Golconda Sultanate, which is located in what are now known as the Indian regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Another authoritative industry figure who presented at Gem Genève was Rui Galopim de Carvalho, FGA, DGA, author of Gempedia: A Comprehensive Glossary For Gemstones and Gemmology. With over 7300 entries related to gemstones and gemmology aimed at students, professionals and anyone interested in these subjects, it's also worth noting that Gempedia has been endorsed by The Gemmological Association of Great Britain, the world's longest established provider of gem and jewellery education, and is also endorsed by the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS), one of Asia's first international gemological institutes. In Faerber's view, "GemGeneve has established itself over the past nine editions as one of the most important shows in our field. We have made it grow every year into an international platform," he claimed, 'where professionals, curators, and private individuals 'can present their designs and gems, exchange ideas, make new connections 'and look forward to meeting again.' While Faerber, the Totahs and Dekeukelaire are too discreet to say so, it would appear that GemGenève continues to grow steadily as it provides a gracious, safe and stimulating environment for those in the gem and jewelry industries to do business. By bringing the JGAA, the first African organization for jewelry professionals, plus African artisans to the attention of the industry and the public, GemGenève is redefining the role of jewelry trade shows in an unprecedented way.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
GemGenève Presents Richest Edition Yet Amidst Upbeat Mood
A diamond Art Deco brooch lent by Golay Fils & Stahl to GemGenève for the Art Deco exhibition. Gem and jewelry industry insiders came together last week for a vibrant 9th edition of GemGenève, which many visitors felt was the strongest yet. The show, which is one of the few gem and jewelry shows open to the public as well as professionals, featured a focus on African and diaspora jewelry talent, a strong international designer showing, an Art Deco exhibition — and an optimistic mood amongst gemstone and vintage dealers, despite the shadow of US tariffs. During the conference opening, GemGenève co-founders Ronny Totah and Thomas Faerber acknowledged a general sense of unease, especially around tariffs. They also reported that after initial 'panic in the markets' when the tariffs were announced, on top of the recent surge in gold prices, dealers were now 'resigned and finding solutions,' according to Totah. Faerber noted that the industry had weathered 'many ups and downs over the decades. Tariffs and taxes are regrettable but we still see a positive future for the industry.' GemGenève organizers Ronny Totah and Thomas Faerber High and antique jewelry is not usually impacted by high gold prices, and the majority of the 250 exhibitors this year still came from the US. Geneva is one of the world's main luxury hubs and a historic center for the gemstone trade. Surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Alps and Lac Leman, the Swiss city lies at the heart of Europe and attracts well-heeled luxury shoppers from around the globe to glittering thoroughfares like the rue du Rhône. Housed in two exhibition halls at Palexpo for the first time, this year's show felt bigger and better than before. As part of a focus on international designers, the Jewellery and Gemstone Association of Africa (JGAA) showcased the work of African and diaspora designers and makers under the banner 'It's All in Our Hands,' illustrating the Association's mission of poverty elevation through jewelry and gemstone education, leveraging African gems and jewelry skills. Norma J. Banton, founder of Masterpeace Academy in Birmingham, England, has just opened a second outpost in Kenya and was showing the first pieces made by her students. A student at Nsanshi Art Studio, which was exhibiting with the JGAA at GemGenève Longo Mulaisho-Zinser, President and founder of JGAA, also announced the winners of the first 'It's All in our Hands' awards, including the Zambian goldsmith Venasho Phiri for the Sleeping Tree pendant which showcased the full breadth of his stone-setting skills, and Stefania Indelicato of Amber Souk, who has Eritrean-Italian heritage, for her 1,000 Flowers ring made with an antique millefiori bead found in Sudan. Nearby, London-based Jo Boateng was exhibiting her woven silver and glass beadwork alongside the delicate gold and gemstone creations of Catherine Marche, demonstrating the full breadth of African creativity. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Next door Strong & Precious Art Foundation was back at the show, to highlight Ukrainian jewelry art and design. This year, participating designers — including Inesa Kovalova, Olgika Nezhenskaya, Julie Kleom and Arevik — used Ukrainian gems to create pieces around the theme of 'Hidden Treasure'. The resulting jewels included meditations on time, freedom, resilience and the life cycle. A heliodor beryl, mined in Ukraine by Volyn Gems. The stones came from Volyn Gems, the country's only gem mine, which is still managing to unearth and bring to market sizeable chunks of topaz, quartz and heliodor beryl, despite much of the mainly male workforce being called up to the army. As ever, the resulting jewels were a celebration of Ukrainian culture, including a topaz brooch depicting a stylised bandura, a traditional string instrument by and gold knotted straw earcuffs, which sweep down the ear to a graceful beryl drop, by Lena Yastreb. The rest of the designer village was even more of an international mix than usual. The Armenian Jewellers Association was out in force, with a breadth of contemporary pieces that included a bejewelled hookah pipe (Vasken Melikian), a gem-set ostrich ring (Karen Hovhannisyan) and a giant pearl earring (Armen Shahinyan). Nearby, was returning designer Shavarsh Hakobian, who has further refined and extended his collection, to include a contemporary engagement ring featuring a solitaire diamond between two layers of quartz, and a butterfly wing captured in one of his emblematic rings. An automata carrousel pendant by the Australian jewelry artist William Llewellyn Griffiths, on show ... More at GemGenève Chinese jeweler Siu was back with a minimalist new collection inspired by Taoism and astronomy, in diamonds and titanium, alongside a poetic interpretation of the four elements as a spectacular set of brooches. From Italy, Donna Jewel's Laura Inghirami presented her design students' visions of the jewels of the future, with multifunctional pieces and wearable tech, while the youngest designer at the show came from Geneva itself; Johnny Depp has already worn some of Lucas Hage's fantasy-inspired heavy silver and gemstone rings. GemGenève's first Turkish exhibiting designer, was Arman Suciyan, whose colored pave points and curves came in the juciest of tonal combinations. In the centenary year of Art Deco, this year's Art Deco: A Legacy of Timeless Elegance exhibition at GemGenève brought together some of the finest examples of Deco design across textiles, interiors and jewelry, including pieces from the Faerber Collection and Golay, Fils & Stahl. A deep dive into similarly turbulent times to our own, the exhibition was a reminder to visitors of the exuberant escapism of the period, and that diamonds continue to shine bright, even in the darkest of times.
