01/25/2026
What comes first? The design or the stone.
As I get ready to head to Tucson for my annual gem-hunting trip, this question keeps resurfacing.
The answer is never straightforward.
Sometimes I sketch freely, letting geometry lead. Shapes come first, opening a path. Only then does the search begin for stones that can enhance, complement, and add depth. In those moments, the stone arrives as a response.
Other times, it happens the other way around. A cut, a color, a stone quietly insists. Is it the aesthetic, the energy, or something harder to name? It’s difficult to say. When working with natural treasures, choice is rarely rational. Some stones simply impose themselves. They lead, and the design follows.
For custom projects, it is most often stone first. Whether working around a specific cut or reimagining a family heirloom, the gem becomes the starting point. Everything is then built in dialogue around it. Proportions, lines, setting, intention.
Like for most things in life, the answer is: it depends.