rough gems

Organic Alchemy: Raw, Rustic Jewelry

There is a movement, picking up steam, that celebrates jewelry in an organic style. This is not an old-school ideal of precision and alignment, polish and perfection, down to the inclusion-free gemstones so carefully set. This is jewelry with heft and soul, bearing the marks of its…

Larger than Life: A Tribute to Gichuchu Okeno

I am numb. Stunned. Two weeks ago today I was FaceTiming with Gichuchu Okeno, gem dealer, mine owner, father, husband, and friend. And today he is gone. I’ll never hear his laugh again. It’s hard to reduce a life down to its essence, to mere words. Okeno…

Sharing the Rough Uncut: Adventures in Rough Gemstone Buying

Our days are dense with experiences…

Today we’re on location at a local gem dealer’s office in Voi, Kenya! It’s an exciting day, to say the least. Not only are we on set, we’re in front of the camera!
The filming process is…