The blog

Notes from the bench.

Collecting tips, how to identify what you found, jewelry care that doesn’t ruin anything, and what forty years of cutting rock actually teaches you. Written by the two of us, not a content team.

A rare natural rough cat's eye rhodolite garnet gemstone
FeaturedField Notes

How to read a rock before you cut it

The dull grey outside tells you almost nothing. Here's what to look for — fracture lines, rind, translucency — before the saw comes out.

September 12, 20266 min read
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More from the studio

Colorful gemstones placed on a glossy reflective background
Collecting5 min read

Found a rock you love? Here's what to do next

You picked something up on a hike and you can't stop looking at it. Before you do anything to it, do these four things first.

A luxurious white gemstone necklace captured on a luxury green cloth surface
Care4 min read

Jewelry care: the parts that actually matter

Most cleaning advice is overkill or actively risky. Here's a routine that takes two minutes and won't damage a single stone.

Macro texture of green, pink and blue sparkling gemstones
Behind the Bench5 min read

Why we cut for the pattern, not the yield

The efficient way to slab a rock and the right way aren't the same. A note on why we lose material on purpose.

Colorful gemstones variety including a red heart diamond on a black surface
Field Notes5 min read

What makes a stone wearable (and what doesn't)

Hardness is the obvious answer, but it's not the whole one. Three properties decide whether a stone survives daily wear.

A jeweler holding an engagement ring with white gloves and placing it into a jewelry box
Behind the Bench4 min read

Small batch isn't a marketing word here

Why two people at one bench produce different work than a factory — and why that's the whole point.

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