MY STORY & PHILOSOPHY
I am an independent Gemstone Cutter & Dealer in fine polished & uncut gemstones.
As a child in Zimbabwe I played with rough and polished gemstones in my father’s cutting works where I went on to learn my trade as a lapidaries.
It was there that I acquired my DEEP LOVE & PASSION for gemstones.
Over the last 48 years since qualifying as a lapidarist, I have been lucky to have cut most types of gemstones and to have travelled extensively to gemstone producing areas in Africa, The Far East, South America & Pakistan.
"Without the rough gemstones, miners, brokers & dealers my business wouldn't exist!"
The gemstone cutting & polishing industry has seen some dramatic changes in style over the last quarter of a century.
Since moving to the UK in 2006 & setting up my cutting works, I have had to adjust my cutting style to accommodate some of these changes.
BUT I have always stuck to my golden rule when cutting: "quantity doesn't always result in quality".
So, when I select a piece of rough gemstone, I look for the “best” stone that I can create from it. Best that is, in terms of brilliance & colour rather than maximum weight.
Cutting for maximum weight can often distort the shape of the stone & may not give the best scintillation.
For that reason, the most important thing for me, is the cut of a gemstone i.e. how it is cut in order to produce the finest scintillation
Only when the "HEART & SOUL" are allowed to shine through, can the beauty of the stone be appreciated.
I want the gemstone to have a scintillation & intensity of colour that will startle all who see it.
The before & after pictures below illustrate this well.
