V&A exhibition will touch upon her dark past as well as her designs
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The 7th edition of the exhibition catering to professionals and enthusiasts of precious stones and jewelry is scheduled to commence from Thursday, November 2nd, to Sunday, November 5th, within the premises of Palexpo Hall 6, the same venue as the November 2022 edition. Occupying an expansive 14,000 square meters of exhibition space, this event strategically coincides with the significant autumn auctions and other activities during the Geneva Luxury Week. The event’s organizers are diligently crafting a novel layout, set to be unveiled in due course.
As of now, 145 dealers and a total of 156 exhibitors have been meticulously selected to partake in the forthcoming November edition of the exhibition (Numbers subject to change; further updates expected in September 2023). The organizers are already projecting an exceptionally dynamic event, featuring more exhibitors compared to the November 2022 edition (which comprised 176, encompassing 144 dealers), while maintaining an elevated level of exclusivity compared to the May 2023 event (which accommodated 230 exhibitors and 192 dealers).
Several prominent attributes from past GemGenève events will transition into annual fixtures, notably the Designer Vivarium, which will become a regular highlight during spring editions. A similar approach will be applied to collaborations with educational institutions, including the ongoing partnership with HEAD and the Grand Theatre of Geneva, scheduled next in May 2024. Concurrently, the Donna Jewel project involving students from Galdus School and CREA EYES with Donatella Zappieri will become customary features during autumn editions.
We place equal significance on precious stones, jewelry creation, and design, as well as the cultivation of genuine solidarity by uniting the global community of precious stone traders, antique jewelry connoisseurs, designers, and all those who share a fervor for exquisite jewels.
Thomas Faerber, Co-founder of GemGenève
Staying true to its distinct formula, GemGenève continues to serve as a trade fair conceived by exhibitors for exhibitors, extending its accessibility to the general public. The event serves as a distinctive platform dedicated to the realm of exceptional diamonds, precious stones, pearls, as well as antique and contemporary jewelry. It spotlights esteemed designers alongside emerging talents, fostering the involvement of prestigious educational institutions and nurturing the designers of tomorrow.
Beyond its role as a conventional trade exhibition, the event is increasingly prioritizing aspects of culture, youth engagement, training, and knowledge transmission. GemGenève is actively exploring novel avenues and initiatives for display. Under the guidance of Director Mathieu Dekeukelaire, the organizers are particularly committed to enhancing the cultural program’s caliber with each new edition.
The formal press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 1st. Subsequently, the Preview event, attended by local authorities, esteemed guests, and media representatives, will be held on the same day at 2 p.m.
Event Schedule
In its second iteration, GemGenève returns to the expansive Hall 6, offering a generous exhibition space of 14,000 square meters. While the venue remains consistent with the November 2022 event, the upcoming GemGenève distinguishes itself with a novel main entrance and an updated stand arrangement. This development is prompted by evolving requirements at the Palexpo center and the organizers’ commitment to enhancing the stand placements with each successive edition. The layout for this edition focuses on creating small coffee station-inspired spaces, well-defined main aisles, thoughtfully curated exhibition zones, and comfortable lounges.
Collaborating with the esteemed Parisian design firm Autre Idée since 2021, the organizers have chosen a fresh ambiance for the autumn edition. This new setting aims to encapsulate a mineral-infused yet intimate atmosphere, subtly infused with a touch of Japanese design elements.
Continuing the tradition of its six previous editions, GemGenève continues to gather an exclusive assembly of international dealers spanning the entire spectrum of the jewelry industry. At the core of this show, meticulously crafted with their preferences in mind, buyers and industry leaders converge to present a remarkable array of elusive pieces awaiting exploration and acquisition. The offerings range from everyday wearable affordable jewelry to antique gems with historical significance, and exceptional pieces that could easily grace museum collections, all the way to contemporary creations embodying the ingenuity of today’s emerging talents.
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Story submitted by Agence PUR PR. The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are only an opinion. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News
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This May, the Designer Vivarium is set to return to GemGenève, featuring five international contemporary designers, with four of them being new to the Vivarium, presenting their work at GemGenève for the first time. As usual, the Designer Vivarium is curated by renowned jewellery historian, Vivienne Becker, who meticulously scouts the globe for fresh and creative talent, seeking out independent, under-the-radar designer jewellers, artists, and goldsmiths who have something unique to offer in their jewellery. Becker’s discerning eye seeks out a strong, singular creative vision, intense individuality, and sophistication of craftsmanship.
According to Vivienne Becker, this edition of GemGenève will showcase the immense creative freedom of today’s jewellery world, highlighting the variety, versatility, depth, and breadth of themes, inspirations, and expressions, as well as the ingenuity of materials and craftsmanship. The styles presented will range from dreamy romantic storytelling visions of the natural world, subtly paying homage to the past, to graphic modernism and innovative reinventions of today’s essential technology, all with sustainability in mind.
Oushaba
United Kingdom
Oushaba was launched earlier this year as the brainchild of a trio of friends, art lovers, and collectors, including Gillian Carr, who is now Managing Director. They describe their brand as a sustainable art and design house that breathes new life into forgotten materials, and their jewelry as wearable art showcasing artisanal craft skills and techniques. Their founding concept of sustainability and circularity is encompassed in their innovative debut collection, Connection Salvaged. The collection explores the connectivity of today’s technology and its relationship with the precious resources that are its vital components but are discarded as part of technology’s built-in obsolescence.
The jewels are composed of fragments of electronic waste – mobile phone circuit boards, charging cables, USB sticks, and plugs – set in recycled 22-carat gold, 18-carat white gold and silver, and accented with sustainably sourced diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. The rings, necklaces, earrings, cuffs, and cufflinks, each one-of-a-kind, are made to order as limited editions and have the look of found treasure; objets trouvés; wondrous unearthed antiquities; futuristic fragments of the past.
The name Oushaba comes from the Arabic word for “alloy,” symbolizing a cultural melting pot of ideas and influences. It references the fusion of past, present, and future, modernity and antiquity, technology and age-old hand-craftsmanship, the mix of materials, and global inspirations. The jewels are all hand-crafted by goldsmiths in Sicily, using techniques such as lost-wax casting that have been handed down and refined through generations.
The goldwork, with its brushed and textured surface, has a rich, luscious, hand-hammered finish, showing the hand of the artisan. The pieces are purposefully reminiscent of ancient jewels to contrast with the humble, mundane, modern technological materials and e-waste. This, in turn, is meant to challenge our preconceptions of preciousness. Every jewel is packaged in a bespoke box crafted from sustainable or reclaimed timber and lined with recycled fabric and cork made in collaboration with London-based furniture maker Jan Hendzel Studio. A percentage of the profits from each sale will be donated to a charitable cause.
“One of our driving principles is to see the extraordinary with the ordinary. During the 2020 lockdown, when Oushaba was being envisaged, we relied on technology to keep us connected to our loved ones. There are many beautiful elements found within electronics, including gold, but also jewel-like colours and interesting details of circuitry and electrical components. We wanted to challenge people’s ideas about a material that is considered as waste.”
Elena Okutova
Russia
Born in St. Petersburg but now living and working in Moscow, Elena Okutova studied Artistic Metalworking at Moscow’s State University and established her own brand, together with her mother Irina, in 2009. Her work is deeply rooted in Russian traditions of artistry and craftsmanship, the use of enamels and colored gemstones, as well as in Russian folktales and fables. She thus taps into the Russian ritual of elaborate oral storytelling, often linked to the forces of nature and handed down through generations.
Elena creates both one-of-a-kind bespoke jewels and limited series of designs in different colorways of enamel. Each creation revolves around a complex narrative inspired by medievalism, stories of knights and chivalry, fairy tales, and fantastical mythology, matched by the complexity of technique and intricacy of ornamentation. Each jewel is hand modeled in wax and crafted using multiple processes, including engraving, enameling, and gem-setting.
Alongside Elena’s favorite medieval and Renaissance richness, the storytelling themes are drawn from a wide, eclectic range of sources: Byzantine, Orientalist, and modern European, from Chinese lacquer art to the African savannah, from the poignant beauty of ephemeral, fading nature to twentieth-century architecture and the flamboyant, jewel- and art-adoring personality of Peggy Guggenheim. This May, Elena will showcase her newest creations, including a two-finger peony ring, lusciously modeled and gem-set, and – adding a new reference to her repertoire – a ‘flip’ ring inspired by Murano glass beads.
“Each artist has his or her own style, a cast of impressions about the world. It is very subjective and, as a rule, has roots – it is collected right from early childhood. Then at some period it is compacted, corrected, and overgrown with new details. This vision, and the characteristic construction of objects will show through all the decoration and recall the origin and maker of the memory. I create space for a miracle.” Elena Okutova
Leen Heyne
Holland
Leen Heyne is a Dutch goldsmith and jeweler whose conceptual jewelry is inspired by the natural forces embedded in precious materials. His work is characterized by dynamic, flowing movement suggestive of continual growth and the earth’s electromagnetic energy. He graduated from the Academy for Gold and Silversmithing in Schoonhaven and currently works in his studio in Tilburg, north of Eindhoven.
Heyne’s jewelry is minimal yet sensual, serene yet strong, and elegant yet powerful. He starts with a pre-sanded strip of metal and hand-models, shapes, twists, bends, and loops it to allow the metal to dictate its design. Heyne’s use of manual dexterity turns force and strength into silky fluidity. Once shaped, the ring is left untouched, retaining the integrity, authenticity, and earthiness of the metal. Diamonds are introduced as the metal is shaped, never afterwards, and are held in place, caught in a metallurgic dance of tension, rather than set with claws or prongs.
Although not directly influenced by the natural world, Heyne’s jewelry harnesses the power and complexity of organic forms. His creations stimulate the imagination and evoke images and associations, such as exposed tree roots tangled around a rock, always encapsulating the unstoppable forces of nature and the life force.
At GemGenève, Heyne unveils a series of new creations centered on his experimental work in steel, showcased for the first time. He was drawn to the oxidized darkness of the metal and found that steel allowed him to make smaller, more precise twists and turns, and to taper the metal thread. The hardness of steel enabled and strengthened the tension setting of the stones, creating an animal-like impression.
“I draw my inspiration from the character of the material, paying careful attention to the form it wants to take, following its nature. I consider myself more of a conductor than a designer. I merely guide the material and help to finalise its own shape.” Leen Heyne
NVW
United Kingdom
Natasha Wightman is set to unveil her first NVW collection at the Designer Vivarium at GemGenève. As a British artist-jeweler, she uses jewelry to narrate fascinating stories that captivate her, especially those of British wildlife, with a particular focus on the mystical raven, wilderness, folklore, and ancient lands. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to discovering, revitalizing, and conserving traditional craft skills. Highly skilled British craftspeople meticulously handcraft all her work.
For her inaugural collection, she has concentrated on the art of hand-carving aeons-old organic materials, such as jet and wild moorland boxwood, and emotive and exquisitely detailed depictions of her beloved ravens. She reveals how the raven has held a special place in her heart since she was given the opportunity to rear and rewild two of these majestic birds on her land in Sussex. Each of the jewels is a miniature sculptural masterpiece, with refined details of the bird’s feathers and features, mounted into elegant and one-of-a-kind jewels by skilled goldsmiths working with precious metals and gemstones, often antique gems or old-cuts.
At GemGenève, Natasha will unveil her collection, comprising necklaces, including a multi-layered collar brimming with birds in flight, a brooch crafted around an antique enamel flower brooch, and a hair ornament, mounted en tremblant. Each NVW jewel is layered with tales, myths, meanings, and messages intricately interwoven with her choice of materials and their provenance, with age-old hand-skills. The final layer, Natasha explains, comes from the stories of the strong, independent, creative women who wear her jewels.
“The precious moments I spent with these uniquely masterful birds had a profound influence on me and they now form the central expression of my debut collection, their untamable wildness feeding into each finely crafted art piece.” Natasha Wightman
Lia Lam
United Kingdom
Designer-jeweller Lia Lam launched her brand just over a year ago with four carefully-considered collections: Beam, Lagom, Unity, and Passepartout. Each collection is based on a concept, story, and emotional experience distilled to a pure, powerful form. Now based in London, Lia has lived all around the world and studied law and innovation in the UK and the Netherlands before embarking on a career in the legal tech industry.
She explains how she had long been captivated by jewelry and, for around three years from 2016, taught herself as much as possible. She learned at the bench at the Goldsmiths’ Centre in London, trained in goldsmithing and wax modeling in Rome, and studied jewelry history and savoir faire in Paris.
Lia’s style is resolutely modernist, graphic, and architectural, influenced by Bauhaus, Brutalism, and Modernism. Yet this rigorous minimalism is underpinned by emotional depth and meaning. Lia is on a mission to redefine and contemporize traditional messages of love, commitment, and celebration. A keen dancer, she also infuses her jewels with a rhythmic sense of togetherness and synchronicity and a harmony of partnership. She draws on dance in her details and composition. As she explains, behind the effortless ease and grace of dance lies discipline, dedication, and sharp focus, with each minute movement of the body executed with precision and purpose.
Lia works predominantly in 18-carat gold and diamonds, with some platinum. She revels in the weight and tactility of gold, elevating the metal from a supporting role to a vital, integral element of the design and concept. All the jewels are hand-made in London. The first design in her Beam collection, the 100% ring, has already attracted huge attention. A reinterpretation of the classic Toi et Moi ring, its modern message is “Go all-in on life” and make a 100% commitment to following your dreams – as Lia Lam has done.
“A desire to forge my own path drives everything I do. Every piece in my collection has a reason for being, a message expressed in the simplest and most poetic form. The spirit of my work lies in reducing my concepts to their very essence. Because in that essence is its power.” Lia Lam
GemGenève
Switzerland
GemGenève represents a unique hub where jewellery designers, dealers in precious stones, retailers, collectors, connoisseurs and buyers both professional and private can all gather under the same roof. Over the course of four days, GemGenève offers an opportunity to acquire exceptional pieces and be inspired by a community of specialists in the field of gemmology and jewellery. It’s a laboratory of creativity and innovation, bringing together recognised designers and emerging talents, a world of design, of rare gems, of antique and contemporary jewellery. Created by exhibitors for exhibitors, GemGenève offers a platform for expression and exchange that encompasses passion, expertise and education.
Story submitted by Agence PUR PR. The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are only an opinion. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News
Fashion designer’s fantastical sketches given equal billing with the dresses that made him famous in New York show
Hosted by Nadège Totah, the 6th Edition of GemGenève is proud to welcome new talented jewellery designers who will have the opportunity to exhibit their shining creations in a dedicated space. Their jewellery art offer a fascinating glimpse into a very different universe of ideas and inspirations, a world of innovation and ingenuity that highlights each creator’s individuality.
With very different styles and techniques, each designer draws inspiration from the mysteries of nature in order, as they explain, to create collections imbued with the powerful symbolism that has always been an essential element of jewels. All of these designs share a common focus: the meaning, message and role of the jewel, far beyond the purely ornamental, giving them a value that exceeds their intrinsic worth. Above all, the gemstone is and has always been a talisman to protect and invoke goodwill; a talisman to keep close to us at all times, reminding us to live in a harmony of body, heart and soul.
Emerging Talents
Fred Fa, Belgium
An outstanding designer, Fred Fa does all his sketches, technical drawings and gouache jewellery designs by hand. His brilliant craftsmanship, sculptural abilities and technological knowhow allow him to create extraordinary, bespoke pieces – including masterworks enhanced and set with exceptional stones.
Aso Leon, China
Aso Leon is an award-winning jewellery artist in China who has been working in the jewellery industry for 27 years. In 1995, when he first came into contact with jewellery, he found that it stimulated his curiosity.
Aso pursued unique design concepts and immersed himself in exploring nature. He discovered that not everything in nature is perfect; there is also incompleteness. He uses this sense of incompleteness to reflect a different kind of beauty in his creative process. He moved into titanium in 2005, applying it to high jewellery, and becoming known as the ‘Prince of Titanium’ in the Chinese jewellery industry.
ASO has been engaged in OEM jewellery production in Panyu, China for more than 20 years, and has now established himself as a jewellery artist on the international stage, transforming ‘Made in China’ into ‘Created in China’.
Denise Cassou Couture Jewelry, Brazil
As an impassioned traveler, photographer, filmmaker and designer, Denise has always sought out art and fashion as sources of inspiration for her numerous projects.
For many years she designed and made jewellery for herself, her daughters and close friends. From this universe so rich in details and inspiring stories a brand was born, its artistic expression focused on unique jewels and a love of design.
The understanding that jewels are laden with history and special moments as they are handed down from one generation to another inspires Denise. Femininity, delicacy, elegance and modernity are present in all of her pieces.
Wallis Hong, Spain
Wallis is a self-taught multidisciplinary jewellery artist based in Spain. The China-born artist’s mother is a musician and art collector, and it was his mother’s aesthetic influence that made Wallis sensitive to art and jewellery from an early age.
Wallis studied sculpture and painting at the Madrid Academy of Art. As a perfectionist by temperament, he always seeks to learn as many jewellery-making skills as he can from the very best master jewellers around the world, with the aim of perfecting the structure of his jewellery pieces.
His presence at GemGenève in November 2022 was noticed by the international press; Wallis has been in great demand ever since. His iconic ‘Thorn shell’ earrings have been added to the permanent collection of the Shenzhen Jewellery Museum in China.
New Designers
Austy Lee, Hong Kong
Austy’s jewellery is the perfect example of how jewellery should be – bold, psychedelic, sculptural and complex. The inspirations and styles of Austy’s collections are derived from an eclectic mix of themes, from pop-punk and edgy, to religion, antique and fashion. The use of colourful and rare gemstones combined with Austy’s unique talent creates truly exquisite, meticulous works of wearable art.
‘aUSTY Lee’ is an eponymous brand of high jewellery, with excellent craftsmanship and fashion-forward designs, bringing people refreshing, yet exclusive, one-of-a-kind art jewellery pieces.
With extensive experiences in the Jewellery industry, Austy feels that Jewelleries should be appreciated and owned by not only the noble ones, but also every single family from different levels of the society. aUSTY LEE is the brand which creates a new era of high jewellery through its antique yet edgy design by using 18K Gold and various precious gemstones, bringing every family a piece of unique art jewellery with reasonable price as a family heirloom.
A.win Siu, China
With the mindset and vision of an illustrator, A.win Siu expresses and visualizes emotions and sensations through the use of bold colours alongside combinations of metal and minerals, creating a peculiar and fantastic world within each piece.
Founded in November 2017, the jewellery brand A.win Siu has designed many jewellery items over the years, each with its distinctive personal style, and has participated in many well-known international exhibitions. Its first time at GemGenève is an opportunity not to be missed.
Serendipity Jewelry, France
Serendipity Jewelry, one of the Emerging Talents at the November 2022 edition, will be back in May 2023 in the ‘New Designers’ category. Serendipity Jewelry was founded in Paris by Christine Chan in 2017. She discovered her passion for stones during a trip to Australia over 10 years ago – a chance encounter that led to the birth of a beautiful brand.
With Serendipity Jewelry, Christine Chan presents a beautiful collection of pieces in a blend of respect for nature, respect for freedom and respect for oneself, with the result that each piece of jewellery has its own perspective, temperature and depth.
Tenzo, Estonia
Founded in 1996, the firm has evolved from a treasure trove of the rarest gemstones on the planet into a house of exquisite jewellery. TENZO brings together art and design, sublime proportions, emotive colours, natural gemstones and impressive workmanship.
Alexander Tenzo and his team of world-class craftsmen explore refined techniques, etched and patinated gold settings, seamless joints and delicate, airy gemstone settings, blending their own warm, rich, softly burnished gold tones and working with soft yet tough alloys as they add finesse and intricate detail to their one-of-a-kind jewellery and artwork.
TENZO breathes new life into almost-forgotten glyptic art, cameos, intaglios, and strikingly realistic carved stone figures, animals and flowers. TENZO collections are displayed in private art exhibitions and museums.
Location, Date, Hours
May 11 – 14, 2023
Opening Hours: 10 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.
Palexpo Hall 1, Route François-Peyrot 30, 1218 – Le Grand-Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland
Entrance through Gate 1
Press Conference will be held at 11:00 a.m and Preview at 2 p.m. on May 10, 2023
Cash desk closes at 5.30 p.m. on May 14
Price: CHF 50.00, valid for the entire duration of the exhibition; admission free for under-18s and students on presentation of their student card.
GemGenève represents a unique hub where jewellery designers, dealers in precious stones, retailers, collectors, connoisseurs and buyers both professional and private can all gather under the same roof. Over the course of four days, GemGenève offers an opportunity to acquire exceptional pieces and be inspired by a community of specialists in the field of gemology and jewellery. It’s a laboratory of creativity and innovation, bringing together recognized designers and emerging talents, a world of design, of rare gems, of antique and contemporary jewellery. Created by exhibitors for exhibitors, GemGenève offers a platform for expression and exchange that encompasses passion, expertise and education.
Story submitted by Agence PUR PR. The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are only an opinion. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News