Never before in the history of our jewellery industry, has a new show garnered so much attraction from global media and jewellers alike in its second show itself. After a stupendous inaugural show last year, everyone was looking forward to GemGenève 2019 to see if they can once again shine brighter than the rest…. and what a spectacular show!

Apart from extremely curated list of exhibitors and a cozy atmosphere almost like a family, the game changer at GemGenève is the Designer Vivarium curated by the legendary jewellery historian Vivienne Becker. While everyone is busy admiring the biggest jewel houses of the world, GemGenève is involved in satiating the global hunger for exclusivity and individuality in jewellery, giving voice to 11 independent designer-jeweller and their work; nurtured by Vivienne, and supported by GemGenève founders Thomas Faerber and Ronny Totah.

Here are some of the latest works of these 11 creative minds, who have showcased a high level of sophistication in terms of concept, design, craftsmanship and bewitched us all. (I have mentioned Instagram handles for most, make sure you follow them)

Alexander Tenzo #TenzoJewellery

A gem-hunter and jeweller from Russia, Alexander is a champion of Russian jewelled arts, a renovator and moderniser of age-old skills and traditions. His collection of rare and intriguing stones is quite a treasury that can be seen studded in some eye-catching cocktail rings among other jewels; all centered around these one-of-a-kind gemstones.

Alexandra Jefford @alexandrajeffordstudio

Combining her education in jewellery, gemmology and art, this London based designer creates graphic, abstract and modern jewels that play with shapes and form, texture and colour, contrasts of sheen and matt, transparency and opacity, and in those which etched lines take an important if subtle role.

Cora Sheibani @corasheibani

Cora decodes jewellery as a pure design, working with line, form, colour, material and texture. But, having grown up immersed in the world of art, she has taken jewellery into an entirely new territory. Like her latest collection Glow, where she explores phosphorescent and fluorescent gemstones and turning their extraordinary light-giving properties, often de-valued, as a captivating contemporary design feature.

Milio @milio_jewelry

The brainchild of a Russian mother and daughter duo- Lyudmila and Olga Mironov, Milio is their way of keeping the Russian jewellery traditions alive, with a touch of timeless Art Deco modernism. One can spot powerful combinations of form, colour, gemstones and rich gold work.

Ming Lampson @mingjewellerylondon

With an atelier in London’s Notting Hill, Ming has been a private jeweller, for most of her career till now, focusing on bespoke commissions. It is only recently that she has created her own collections, fusing her Asian roots with her British upbringing and European craftsmanship.

Nadia Morgenthaler @nadiamorgenthaler

Morgenthaler is a Geneva based talent and in her second run at GemGenève this year, she has yet again managed to wow the audience with her meticulously hand-crafted jewels, using rare and antique gemstones, often in pale watery shades paired with natural pearls, and conjuring up jewels that have a signature language- antique yet modern, distinct and romantic.

Nicholas Lieou @mr.lieou

With his base in Hong Kong and years of high jewellery experience, it was in 2018 that Nicholas sat to develop his own designs and launched his first collection in 2019. With an organic yet graphic style imbibed with both poetry and elegance, Mr. Lieou’s jewels are one-of-a-kind jewels, aimed at establishing a new category of ‘elevated High Jewellery’.

Ninotchka @ninotchka_jewels

A culmination of design journeys of Eugene Glagolev and Tim Ibragimov, Ninotchka returned to GemGenève again this year with more startlingly original creations and whole lot more of their Russian heritage. Apart from the gorgeous gemstones, the jewels are all about storytelling and are woven with tales of romance, fable, folklore and touched with the poignancy of Imperial splendour.

Racine @racinejewels

Envisioned by the husband and wife duo, Pedro Oselieri Lopes and Miriam Racine Bergesen, Racine jewels moved on from their place in last year’s Emerging Talent section to become part of the Designer Vivarium this year. Based in Geneva, the duo loves to play with abstract designs, geometric silhouettes featuring a variety of coloured stones in striking contrasts.

Sean Gilson @seangilsondesigns

Another repeat in Design Vivarium, Gilson is an American artist-goldsmith, who forges each piece of jewel by his own hands giving them powerful shapes, forms and infuses a artistic graphic appeal in them. It is the luster and textures of various precious materials and gemstones that appeal his interest that he converts into exquisite jewels.

Tatiana Verstraeten @tatianaverstraeten

Breathing fashion into jewellery, Tatiana works out of her salon in the iconic Place Vendôme of Paris and launched her very first collection earlier this year. The ultra-feminine jewels have been swaying many hearts of social media as they bring back memories of a style from the 1920’s, complete with fringes and feathers.

Tags: Alexander Tenzo, Alexandra Jefford, Cora Sheibani, Designer Jewellery, Gem Geneve, Gemstones, Geneva, high jewellery, Hong Kong, Jewellery Designers, Jewellery Industry, Jewellery Show, London, Milio, Ming Lampson, Nadia Morgenthaler, New York, Nicholas Lieou, Ninotchka, Paris, Racine, Sean Gilson, Tatiana Verstraeten, Vivienne Becker