Untouched Beauty: Raw Gemstone Jewelry
Voyageuse Collection: 18K Gold and Chrome Diopside Leskea Drop Earrings
Dramatic drop earrings featuring freeform raw chrome diopside gemstone beads pin-set in recycled 18k gold from Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Voyageuse Collection. Photo credit: JuleImages
I love working with color and texture in my jewelry designs, particularly when it comes to the gemstones I choose for each piece. One of my favorite types of stones is raw gemstones—also known in the jewelry industry as rough gemstones.
Raw gemstones are conversation starters and are the stones I’m most often asked about when sharing my designs with fellow jewelry enthusiasts. Below are some of the most common questions I've received regarding raw gemstones, along with insights into how I enjoy incorporating these unique gems into my jewelry designs.
What are raw gemstones?
Raw gemstones are stones that retain their natural texture, untouched by a gem cutter's hands. Unlike faceted and highly polished gemstones, raw gemstones are left in the same shape and texture as when they were first discovered. These sparkling beauties offer a glimpse into the gem miner's experience—the excitement of unearthing a treasure that has been buried underground for millennia.
Raw Blue-Violet Umba Sapphire
This exquisite ethically sourced Moyo Gems 5.35 carat blue-violet rough sapphire mined by Anna-Julius in Tanzania is featured in Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Pleiades Collection Adelpha pendant. Photo credit: Michelle Pajak-Reynolds Studios
What do raw gemstones look like?
With irregular freeform shapes and textures, no two raw gemstones are exactly alike. Each gemstone boasts a stunning sculptural form and a unique play of color and light, making them truly one-of-a-kind works of art. Raw gemstones are also free from any man-made treatments designed to alter or enhance the stones, so the color you see is exactly as Mother Nature intended.
This exquisite one-of-a-kind pendant features and ethically sourced Moyo Gems 5.35 carat blue-violet rough Umba sapphire set in 14K Fairmined gold and accented with champagne zircon clusters. Photo credit: JuleImages
How do I clean raw gemstone jewelry?
Raw gemstone jewelry is highly durable and very easy to care for and keep clean. Typically, a soft jewelry polishing cloth is all that’s needed to keep your jewelry sparkling. If your raw gemstone jewelry needs extra cleaning, give it a bath in warm, soapy water and gently scrub it with a soft toothbrush. Rinse it well and lay it flat to dry on a soft towel before wearing it or placing it back in your jewelry box.
How do you make raw gemstone jewelry?
Raw chrome diopside gemstone bead strands
Six strands of rough deep green chrome diopside gemstone beads. These stones are featured in Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Voyageuse Collection. Photo credit: Michelle Pajak-Reynolds
Creating jewelry with raw gemstones is a joy. Some of the raw gemstones I work with are drilled as beads, allowing the stones to be enjoyed from every angle. I also love hand-fabricating custom prong settings for raw gemstones. Setting any gemstone—especially raw gemstones—into a piece of jewelry requires skill and expertise in many areas of jewelry fabrication, as well as an understanding of how the piece will wear over time. With over 20 years of experience setting both faceted and raw gemstones, I ensure each stone is set securely.
Handcrafting a custom prong setting for a raw gemstone
Work in progress moment during the crafting of an 14k Fairmined gold prong setting for one of the ethically sourced blue-violet rough sapphires featured in Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Pleiades Collection Taygeta earrings. Photo credit: Michelle Pajak-Reynolds Studios
How should I add raw gemstone jewelry to my jewelry collection?
Raw gemstone jewelry helps you stand out from the crowd, captivating both the eye and the imagination. My designs range from delicate drop earrings to bold statement necklaces, ensuring there’s a piece to fit every style and occasion. If you're new to collecting raw gemstone jewelry, I recommend starting with the stone and design that makes your heart happiest. Below are some of my favorite jewelry pieces featuring raw gemstones—designs I'm sure you'll fall in love with as much as I have.
