Diopside (Gem)

I first met this source at the 2017 Denver Gem Show. Our first encounter was short since it was my last day of shopping and I had already spent most of my budget, but their polished stock was the highest quality I had ever seen. A few months later, we met again in Tucson and this time I made sure to visit them at the beginning of the show!

In 2019, I was able to sit down with both owners and have a lengthy conversation about sourcing. Unlike most lapidaries, they were willing to speak with me in-depth about how they ensure their business is ethical. We talked about individual mines in India as well as how they source from other countries. We also talked about how they treat their own workers and about the links between business, karma, and God. Their willingness to talk and their pleasure at the conversation made me eager to develop and deepen this relationship.