All the magic of pearls in a single exhibition. Bringing together more than thirty pieces of jewellery and exceptional items, “The Pearl Odyssey” tells the story of these treasures of nature, from antiquity to the cutting-edge techniques used in today’s laboratories. Specially concocted for GemGenève, this unique project brings together the house of Chaumet, the Flee Project collective, the famous — and unique — Alfardan Collection, as well as several partner exhibitors, who have agreed to display some of their most beautiful pieces for the occasion.

The journey begins with an immersive space recreating the atmosphere of pearl fishermen from the Persian Gulf and beyond. The central space, on the other hand, provides a showcase for major jewellers: jewellery of imperial provenance, exceptional pearls, exclusive and historic pieces from the most prestigious private collections… Here one can admire the iconic pearl and ruby brooch of Empress Eugenie or the astonishing dog’s tooth pearl flower brooch made by the house of Vever in 1900, testifying to the plurality of styles and fashions that have succeeded each other over the ages.

The exhibition concludes with a scientific insight provided by the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF). Taking the question of differentiation between fine pearls and cultured pearls as the guiding thread, this last area is dedicated to the study and analysis of pearls, from the early experiments of Joseph Chaumet to current laboratory techniques. A complete panorama on expertise methods to evaluate the quality and origin of all the pearls in the world.