“When I started my career, I wanted all gemstones to be perfect,” says Ray Griffiths. “And the older I get, the more I want to see nature and the more I want to see natural.” Inclusions, once considered flaws, are now objects of fascination, “because they’re more interesting.” He reaches for a piece of Lithuanian amber to make his point. “Look at what’s inside it! Lily pads! If that was perfect, you’d think it was a piece of plastic. But it’s the lily pads that identify it and give it a sense of reality. It’s beyond beautiful.”
It’s a bit of a shift for the bench-trained jeweler who’s long been associated with richly saturated gemstones and intricately carved 18k gold. After decades in the industry, the Australian native’s appetite for visible nature is informing what excites him now. Yearly buying trips to Tucson fuel the fire for the kid in the proverbial candy store. “I’m relatively compulsive while I’m in Tucson because I’m buying what I love and I’m buying color,” he admits. This year’s haul included Australian chrysoprase with dendrites, apoprase, calcedny, peridot, Mexican fire opals, lavender jade, verigated carnelian, calcedny and yellow Australian south sea pearls. “Years ago someone said to me I’d never make money in the jewelry business because I do color and everybody else is selling diamonds. But color is what I love.” Read more here.