Editor’s Note
This article explores the enduring legacy of Geneva’s jewelry tradition and the recent announcement from GemGenève, highlighting the salon’s commitment to its craft.
Geneva’s jewelry tradition dates back to the 18th century.
The founders of GemGenève, the Geneva salon dedicated to jewelry and precious stones, have bravely announced that they will hold their third edition between November 1st and 4th at Palexpo, “if the health situation permits.” In an economic context that is particularly gloomy for a sector that has been “at a standstill” since the pandemic, the organizers hope for positive economic spillovers for the entire industry and for Geneva.
The small “niche” fair was created in 2018 by two renowned figures in Geneva’s gem and jewelry scene, Ronny Totah and Thomas Faerber. Initially scheduled for November 5-8, 2020, it had already managed to attract jewelers from around the world and thousands of visitors in the past two years. Certainly, it is not a salon on the scale of those in Hong Kong or even Basel, but it is the only one in the world invented “by merchants for merchants.”
it came to fill a gap between the inaccessible ultra-high-end and the “souk” versions. A successful bet for all the small players and an opportunity for Geneva to reclaim its rightful place in the world of jewelry, precious stones, and watchmaking, especially since the announcement of the definitive closure of Baselworld last April.