Handcrafted From Start to Finish

When people see one of my finished jewelry pieces, they usually see the sparkle of the silver or the beauty of the stone. What they don’t always see is just how much work, time, and artistry goes into creating it from the very beginning.

Every piece starts as rough, raw stone. Nothing polished. Nothing shaped. Just natural material pulled from the earth, full of hidden color and character waiting to be uncovered. I begin by cutting the rough stone into slabs on my saw, carefully watching how the colors and patterns reveal themselves with each pass of the blade. Sometimes a stone surprises me completely once it’s opened.

From there, I spend time studying each slab individually. I look for the movement in the stone, the color changes, the matrix patterns, the hidden flashes, and the areas that seem to “speak” the loudest. I truly believe every stone has its own personality and spirit. My job is not to force it into something — it’s to discover what it wants to become.

Once I find that perfect section, I hand cut each cabochon one at a time. This is one of the most important parts of the process because the shape has to complement the natural beauty of the stone itself. Some stones want bold shapes. Others look best soft and flowing. No templates. No factory settings. Every cut is made by eye and by feel.

After cutting, the real handwork begins.

I spend hours shaping and polishing every stone by hand. I do not use a tumbler. Tumblers can polish stones quickly in bulk, but they also remove the individuality and control that hand finishing gives. I prefer to feel every edge, every curve, and every surface as I work. The final polish is done slowly and carefully until the stone develops that deep, glassy shine that brings the colors fully to life.

Once the stone is complete, I begin building the silverwork around it. I hand cut the sterling silver sheet and bezel wire specifically to fit that exact stone. I do not cast my silver pieces, which means every setting is individually fabricated by hand. Every bezel is shaped, soldered, fitted, and refined specifically for that one cabochon.

Then comes the setting process itself — carefully placing the stone into the bezel and slowly tightening the silver around it by hand so it sits securely while still allowing the stone to remain the center of attention.

From raw stone to finished jewelry, every single step is done by hand in my workshop. No mass production. No assembly line. Just patience, craftsmanship, and respect for the natural materials.

That’s why no two pieces are ever exactly alike.
And honestly… I wouldn’t want them to be.  ~DK