GemGenève’s Exhibitors Preview Their Show Highlights During a GemGenève Visit To New York City

GemGenève welcomed media to preview some of the stunning highlights to be offered by exhibitors at this year’s show, which opens on May 9th, in Geneva, Switzerland.                                   

 The array of gems and antique, vintage and contemporary jewels represented the quality, depth and diversity of the treasures to be offered at GemGenève, the show, organised by exhibitors, that brings together the top echelons of international gem and jewellery dealers, pearl specialists and diamantaires.

 Guests discovered by the splendour of a Victorian sapphire and diamond fringe necklace, from Gros Diffusion. The classic style contrasted with an extremely fine example of the new ‘art jewels’ of the same era: a dramatic double neck-chain with two pendants by the master of Art Nouveau, Rene Lalique, circa 1895, also from Gros Diffusion. Composed of intricate, enamelled links, with a neo-Renaissance flavour, in which are entwined the initials E and M, and set with amethysts and pearls, the chain, two necklaces, has an aristocratic provenance. 

 It originally belonged to Count Edmond de Pourtales and his wife Melanie de Pourtales. Presumably, it was a special commission, and it is believed that they each wore one neckchain and pendant. As a barometer of the shifts and trends within the antique and estate jewellery world, GemGenève understands and underlines the importance of provenance in today’s discerning market.

 Art Deco style, and specifically Orientalism, was represented by a superb enamelled gold cigarette case, made by Parisian master jeweller, Lacloche Frères, circa 1925, from New York dealer, Palais Royal. The scene depicts a Geisha, set against a Japanese landscape, telling of Lacloche’s speciality of vanity cases and nécessaires in orientalist style.

 One with an intriguing provenance, came from New York antique jewellery dealer, Pat Saling: a coral bead sautoir, with an African-mask-inspired lion’s head multi-gem-set centrepiece, made by Cartier, London, 1975, as a special commission for Antonio O. Fernandez, diplomat, businessman and avid collector.

 Rare and important coloured stones and diamonds are a major focus at GemGenève, and for the press days in New York, L. J. West, specialists in coloured diamonds opened their safe to reveal jewels set with pink and blue diamonds: a bracelet of diamonds in shades of blue and grey-blue; a ring centred on a fancy violet-ish grey diamond, designed by Scott West, and in homage to today’s resurgence of interest in Art Nouveau, a ring in the Art Nouveau style, a girl’s head modelled in gold, enhanced with a single 0.21 carat fancy deep pink Argyle pink diamond, and accented with pink and white diamonds.

 This year, at GemGenève, legendary New York diamantaire William Goldberg celebrates the 20th anniversary of their signature Ashoka diamond cut, seen to perfection on an Art Deco style ring centred on a sublime 15.07 carat D IF Ashoka diamond, and on the openwork Cube necklace that uses the form of the Ashoka to create the distinctive graphic, modernist look of casual opulence, created by Eve Goldberg.

 Other New York exhibitors showing jewels and gems included Scarselli, experts in diamonds, who stunned press with a ring set with a center diamond GIA certified diamond 12.20 Heart shape, fancy intense yellow, Vs1 clarity. The ring is handmade in 18 kt yellow gold with yellow diamond paved with 52 stones for a total of 0.66 carat.

 Jogani is a dealer in the jeweled arts, specializing in highly curated old cuts and rare jewels. Jogani presented a 4.45 Colombia Insignificant Oil, Octagonal Three Stone Ring. The side stones are approximately 2.8ctw. The metal is blackened silver and 22k gold.

 Sima G Ltd, a true industry secret and specialist in antique jewellery and fine coloured gems, McTeigue, dealers in fine diamonds, antique and estate jewellery and natural pearls, with a heritage dating back to 1895, who showed a chic 1925 diamond link bracelet by Mauboussin, Paris and Cohen & Pariser Ltd Exquisite Jewels, who demonstrated their speciality of signed 20th century jewellery, with a modern classic diamond cluster necklace by Chopard and emerald and diamond earrings by David Webb.

 This year’s Designer Vivarium, showcasing the work of contemporary individual designer-jewellers from around the world, was represented by Connecticut and New York-based designer-goldsmith, Sean Gilson. He selected three dramatic new designs to illustrate his focus on material and geometric form: earrings composed of black onyx rings, a single rhombus-shaped aquamarine balanced inside the larger circle below; his signature starwheel pin, the rays of sustainably harvested Sardinian coral radiating out from a central American Beauty turquoise centre; and earrings of graphic shape and form, composed of Japanese Aka coral set above untreated American Beauty turquoise.  

 This year’s campaign, “Find and Feel”, refers to the sense of discovery at GemGenève and the importance of learning, feeling and discovering the gemstones, jewels and pearls on offer at the show.