"One day I was selecting some emeralds and was invited for a multi-course lunch of homemade Indian food. It was better than any restaurant we went to of course!"
Can you tell us a little bit about going to India to source gems, and what that process looks like?
I have gem suppliers I’ve been working with for over a decade, so although it’s fun to walk around the "Johri Bazar” (market where a lot of the gem dealers have offices) I tend to stick with visiting my trusted contacts! I’ll often look at stones in rough form before it’s cut to make the best selections. If I have something specific I’m trying to source and a supplier doesn’t have it, they’ll work on getting it from another dealer for me to show me during my visit.