Roger and Ginger

Roger, born and raised in Detroit, was training as a pipe fitter before he sold all his belongings in 1981 to fund his first gem buying trip to India and Sri Lanka with just $14,000. They were married in 1985 and Ginger brings her passions in custom clothing, makeup consulting, and personal color analysis to the gemstone world. Their passion is traveling to unique destinations and experiencing the local culture and food.

Bjorn and Rachel

Bjorn is a Maasai, Tanzanian born, 2nd generation Tanzanite miner and brings a wealth of knowledge on gem mining and sourcing. Rachel grew up in the business, faceted her first gem at age 7, and is a Graduate Gemologist. They split their time: sharing gems while in the US and managing Bjorn’s family Tanzanite mine and operating Gem Legacy initiatives while in East Africa. When they’re not visiting mines, they’re probably planning their next vacation or eating Indian or Lebanese food.

Bjorn’s Roots

Bjorn’s love for gemstones began by working with his father at his plot mining for Tanzanite in Block D of the Merelani region. Bjorn still manages his father’s mine, which sits nestled in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in Africa. His hometown of Arusha is just an hour drive away.

1981
Roger sold all of his belongings, car, and apartment to fund his first gem buying trip to Sri Lanka and India with $14,000.
1985
Roger and Ginger were married and Ginger brought her love of fashion, makeup, and personal color analysis to the business.
2001
Roger’s eye for precision caused him to learn how to facet gemstones himself, sell his current inventory, and create an entirely new collection.
1999
Roger took his inaugural trip to Africa in 1999 to source rough gems and give back to gem mining communities.
2018
After working for a retail jeweler and obtaining her Graduate Gemologist degree from GIA, Rachel returned to join the family business.
2020
Bjorn joins the family, bringing a vast knowledge of African mining practices as well as his passion for gem cutting.

Our Cutters

Our team of cutters train under Roger and work on the same type of faceting machine so that every gemstone in the collection meets the same rigorous standards of precision.

Roger

With roots as a pipe fitter, Roger’s eye for precision and symmetry plus passion for unique and out-of-the-box designs guides his work.

Bjorn

Bjorn first trained at the Arusha Gem Faceting School and much of his design inspiration comes from his roots in a mining family and region.

Marvin

A native Kenyan living and working in Nairobi, Marvin spends much of his time visiting new mining regions and buying gem rough.

Beth

After decades as a bench jeweler, Beth facets with a jeweler’s eye – a special understanding of the intricacies of gemstones set into jewelry.

Roger’s Accolades

The American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum Awards are the Oscars of the Gem Industry. Roger has been honored to receive multiple awards, making him a nationally renowned faceter, famed for his precision and gift for bringing out the gem’s best performance.

8.77ct Merelani Mint Garnet Electron Trillion

14.22ct Golden Scapolite Square Emerald Cut