News — gem buying

There’s nothing like a gem-buying excursion to get a jewelry designer’s heart thumping! I just got back from the Tucson Gem Show and my head is still spinning from all the gorgeous cut gemstones and mineral specimens I saw there. Read about my trip and see a preview of some of my buys here....

Remember how I broke the “what happens in Vegas …” rule by telling you all about my recent trip to the JCK and AGTA shows? Well, today I’m digging deeper into that well of memories! I mentioned that I hit up AGTA to learn more about Columbia Gem House (CGH) and I want to share my findings since they underscore several of my core values as an artisan. Namely that jewelry should be made from dazzling materials that have been responsibly sourced, and that gorgeous adornments needn’t be created at the expense of human welfare. Columbia Gem House: Fair Trade...

Sometimes I’m surprised that the more technical aspects of my design process are interesting to … well, anyone! But I really shouldn’t be; I absolutely adore peeking behind the curtain at the creative practices of other designers and artisans. Learning about their techniques feels intimate and compelling, and makes their finished products feel even more meaningful. So with that in mind, I’m launching a blog series on my OWN processes! We’ll kick things off with something super important to me as a designer who uses fair trade materials: Gem buying. Gems in Vegas Hello, Las Vegas! I recently went to...