Mother Nature creates the most compelling gems. Some come out of the ground as captivating as a still life on canvas, with effects that mimic trees and plant life, abstract or impressionist art, or scenes like starry nights and color-drenched sunsets. These enchanting stones evoke a painterly, picturesque feeling.
Boston retailer Quadrum Gallery carries multiple designers who work with what owner Sia Maravelias describes as “nature’s paintbrush.” She singles out Gabriella Kiss, Jamie Joseph, Lola Brooks and Mallary Marks for their magical use of dendritic agates. “These [stones’] fern-like inclusions often look like intentional brushstrokes by an artist depicting images of flora, from single fronds to entire landscapes.”
Another fan of dendritic agates is Sara Freedenfeld, founder of New York-based brand Amáli Jewelry. She, too, appreciates the “tree-like inclusions that create a landscape frozen in stone,” adding, “I gravitate toward stones that, like miniature works of art, tell a story.”
Expressive options
Opal and jasper are some of the other popular gems in this category. The former create “a kaleidoscopic play of color and feel like holding a sunset or a galaxy in your hand,” says Freedenfeld. “Another favorite is lapis lazuli, with its deep, painterly blues speckled with pyrite, reminiscent of a starry night sky.”
Daria de Koning works with various types of rare and unusual gemstones.
“My last collection, Landscape, took three years to put together, and the gems span continents and types — including moss agate, Deschutes jasper, maligano jasper and petrified opalized wood,” relates the Los Angeles-based designer. “Deschutes jasper is one of the most exceptional pieces of landscape jasper. Hailing from Oregon, its clarity of imagery, range of colors, and detail are unprecedented. [It] looks like someone literally took a paintbrush to stone.”
Nan Fusco and Brooke Gregson are two other designers utilizing the inherent beauty of nature. Fusco, who creates her pieces in Laguna Beach, California, has a penchant for morrisonite picture jasper, dendritic agate and Yowah opals, while Gregson, who works in Los Angeles and London, cites boulder opal and fossilized wood opal from Australia as the most expressive gems she employs.
“There are such amazing examples of the splendor of nature in opals,” affirms Maravelias. “Boulder opal can transport the viewer to a tropical lagoon, a river of flowing blue-green bliss, or even a distant galaxy within its watery depths. We currently carry pieces in this realm from Amáli Jewelry, Ananda Khalsa, Barbara Heinrich and Sirciam.”
Scouting out scenes
All of the designers are admitted rockhounds and scour trade shows, mines and lapidaries to find the most alluring stones from near and far. A favorite source is the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in Arizona.
“No matter where I am in the world, I look for stones,” says de Koning. “But my main buying trip is the Tucson gem show. This is my mecca. I spend about eight days hunting every corner to try and find the best and most unusual. If a stone sings to me, I’ll purchase it. Sometimes I have no idea what I’ll use it for, but I will squirrel it away until the inspiration strikes.”
In addition to Tucson, Gregson searches the Inhorgenta show in Munich, Germany, and has “nurtured relationships with global gem sources who have come to know my preferences and will contact me if they think I might want something out of the ordinary they have found.”
For Freedenfeld, “finding stones is one of the most exciting parts of the process, like treasure hunting. I source from trusted lapidary artists, gem shows, and small-scale miners around the world.”
The proper framing
Allowing the stones to tell much of the story is a common thread among these designers, who choose simple settings or create around the gems.
“I celebrate the natural beauty of each stone,” says Freedenfeld. “Hand-woven gold chains are hallmark techniques [of mine, as is] granulation, giving the pieces a rich, tactile quality that complements and echoes the organic textures and intricate patterns within the stones. These minimalist settings allow the gems to take center stage, but with enough detail to frame them as precious works of art.”
De Koning’s goal “is to enhance and elevate these amazing pieces of nature with either goldwork or by adding certain gemstones. In Landscape, the jewels were all framed in 18-karat yellow-gold bezel settings as if the stones were landscape paintings. If you flip over the pieces, the backs are all different as well — hand-pierced to mimic the front stones, or with corners evoking old scrapbook photo holders. Often I used gems to pick up hues and tones in the hero stone, or to add an element of story.”
Gregson accents these painterly stones with engraved gold and enamel details, acknowledging that “I am lucky enough to collaborate with some of the best engravers and enamelers, who add their expertise to the overall design.”
Freedenfeld sums up the gems’ appeal: “Our customers are drawn to the uniqueness and artistry of the stones themselves. They’re collectors, creatives and individuals, often self-purchasers who appreciate the earth’s natural beauty. Many have an emotional connection to the piece they choose — whether it reminds them of a favorite place, a cherished memory, or a particular aesthetic that resonates deeply.”
Standing in for singularity?
While part of the gems’ draw is that they’re one-of-a-kind, designers can find ways to replicate their works to some extent for clients who have missed out on the originals.
“I can make something similar if I happen to have bought a handful of similar stones at the time of purchase,” offers de Koning. “I also keep a running list of clients’ desires so that when I do go stone hunting, I can look for similar pieces.”
Fusco, too, “can find or cut something similar,” but she stresses that “it will never be exactly the same. It’s what makes my jewelry collectible.”
Freedenfeld concurs. “I work closely with our retailers to explain the importance of each stone’s individuality. If a customer is looking for something similar, I try to find a stone that shares the essence of the original. However, I make it clear that no two pieces will be identical, which is part of their charm.”
Main Image: Jacquie Aiche ring in 14-karat yellow gold with a koroit opal. (Jacquie Aiche)
