We purchase gems in the source country whenever possible because we are committed to building relationships with miners to understand their challenges, support their community, and encourage the success of their families.
Most gems in the world are sold in huge lots of different qualities mixed together without shedding any light on their journey from mine to market. Our promise is attention to detail: each gem was mined by a person or a team whose families and lives were immeasurably improved by discovering that gem. That commitment takes us all over the world, cherry picking gems from remote mining locations where we have the honor of hearing the stories of miners and their hard-won (or not yet won) victories.
Roger’s commitment to hand-picking began in 1981. Today, we still select every gem rough with the same attention to detail whether it will be a .98ct or 9.98ct gem because we believe every gem is special and unique. Whenever possible, we purchase gems in the rough as close to the mine as possible because knowing the people behind the gem matters to us. It’s often there at the source that we are inspired with a design that will truly channel the gem’s beauty through scientific angles, artistic vision, and precise symmetry.
Example journey of a Spinel from Morogoro, Tanzania
flight to Arusha, Tanzania
drive to Morogoro, Tanzania
hike from the road to the mine
return route (hiking, driving, flying)
rough and import to the US
analysis, design, and faceting
Total Miles Traveled:
A donation is made to Gem Legacy from the sale of every gem sold in the Roger Dery collection. While colored gemstone mining has transformed innumerable mining families, communities and local economies, there are still many challenges for artisanal small-scale miners. We are committed to contributing to them because we believe in their work. After all, without them we wouldn’t have gems to facet and enjoy!
We only accept two treatments (heat and oil) for gems in our collection because we’re purists at heart. While we wish every gem could remain as it comes out of the ground, some gems need help with the final step that releases their remarkable beauty. These treatments do not add anything external to improve the color of the gem. A Gemological Institute of America (GIA) report comes with the purchase of most Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, and Alexandrite.
