Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
EditorsJan 12, 2016
T.I.A., Part 1: Shopping for Rough in Kenya
Associate Editor Brecken Branstrator reports live from East Africa, where she is exploring the colored gemstone market with a group from the industry.
“T.I.A. This is Africa.” Gem cutter Roger Dery must have written that phrase at least half a dozen times in the emails he sent to me and my traveling companions in the weeks leading up to our trip. It was meant to remind us that as prepared as we might try to be, anything could happen and we should just roll with the punches.
And now that I’m here, traveling through Kenya and Tanzania after Roger graciously invited me along on this trip so I could experience this end of the gemstone market firsthand as he buys rough, visits mines, and establishes important relationships in the communities, the phrase is frequently being thrown around as we navigate our way through the local environment and happenings.
My travel companions on this adventure include Roger and his wife, Ginger; Nancy Schuring of Devon Fine Jewelry and her husband Joe Portale, both of whom are part of the Devon Foundation, which helps people in Africa involved in the gem trade; and another gemstone cutter, Dan Lynch.
And now that I’m here, traveling through Kenya and Tanzania after Roger graciously invited me along on this trip so I could experience this end of the gemstone market firsthand as he buys rough, visits mines, and establishes important relationships in the communities, the phrase is frequently being thrown around as we navigate our way through the local environment and happenings.
My travel companions on this adventure include Roger and his wife, Ginger; Nancy Schuring of Devon Fine Jewelry and her husband Joe Portale, both of whom are part of the Devon Foundation, which helps people in Africa involved in the gem trade; and another gemstone cutter, Dan Lynch.
Here’s gemstone cutter Roger Dery evaluating some of the rough stones we saw in Voi, Kenya.
After flying into the airport at Mount Kilimanjaro and spending a night in Marangu, Tanzania, the following day found us traveling to Kenya to begin our adventures.
This supplied the first of many new experiences for me, which was watching as two gemstone faceters look through rough to decide which stones, if any, they wanted to buy.
We went to the office of gemstone dealer and broker Gichuchu Okeno in Voi, Kenya. (Gemstone dealer and broker are just two of the many hats Okeno wears. He also has his own mine and is working to build the local gemstone market, especially as it relates to cutting in the country—more on both of those in a future blog post—as well as being quite possibly the best tour guide and most gracious host imaginable.)
The first thing that struck me as I watched Roger sift through parcel after parcel of stones was how quickly he was able to navigate through them.
With one sweep of a light, he could evaluate within seconds the stones within a group that might be fit for a second look. After expressing my surprise out loud, he compared it with my ability as a journalist to read through a sentence and immediately spot any mistakes. Fair point.
A parcel of rough amethyst we saw in Voi, Kenya
As Roger was looking through rough, he explained the flaws that could rule out a stone immediately—factors like an unfavorable color, a size that wouldn’t yield a big enough stone to sell, and of course, the presence of inclusions that could present problems when it comes time to facet the stone.
I also was given the chance to look through the stones on my own.
I sifted through amethyst, many different types of garnet, tourmaline and more, trying to see what they were seeing (and also lusting after almost every stone, regardless of whether or not it was of faceting quality).
There’s nothing quite like seeing the stones when they’re straight from the source and getting to understand what might take it to the next step in the market.
Stay tuned for more posts about our journey in Africa and the other sides of the gemstone market I’m seeing.
More on Editors
The Latest
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
Policies & IssuesOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
AuctionsOct 05, 2026
The Star Cats of the Sandy Lerner AuctionThese jewels stood out at Bonhams’ sale of the cat-loving tech entrepreneur’s collection of objects depicting the feline form.
CollectionsOct 05, 2026
Sorellina Writes Another Love Letter for ‘Postscript’ CollectionThe fine jewelry brand has expanded the collection that debuted at Couture with four new designs based on its most popular styles.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
Bruce Bridges Joins CIBJO BoardThe AGTA president was elected for a two-year term on the board of directors.
SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
TrendsOct 02, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Heart PendantThe special-edition “Dream” pendant, our Piece of the Week, was created to mark Hearts On Fire’s 30-year milestone with 30 diamonds.
CrimeOct 01, 2026
Police Looking for 4 Suspects in $600K Smash-and-Grab RobberyDubai Jewelers in Springfield, Virginia, was once again the target of an armed robbery.
SurveysOct 01, 2026
Rolex Ranks Among Most Recommended Brands in US, Survey Says YouGov’s 2026 U.S. Most Recommended Brands report’s out, and a fast-fashion giant is sitting at No. 1 while Rolex is just shy of the top 5.
