IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
EditorsFeb 08, 2016
T.I.A., Part 2: Visiting Small-Scale Mines in Kenya
In the second installment of a multi-part series about her trip to East Africa, Associate Editor Brecken Branstrator talks about her experience visiting two mines in southern Kenya.
Much of why this trip to Africa was so special to me was not only getting to travel such an amazing place and seeing what it’s all about, of course, but also because it opened my eyes to a part of the industry I hadn’t yet experienced first-hand.
I see finished jewelry pieces all the time. I also frequently meet designers, the faces behind the brands, manufacturers and retailers. What I hadn’t seen were the early stages of the process; I’m talking from the point where miners are digging through the earth to find a stone and everything through the purchase of the rough, the cutting and polishing, and on to when it’s ready to be set in jewelry.
That’s me in front of a mine entrance outside Voi, Kenya, feeling like a true rock hound. Photo credit goes to Roger and Ginger Dery.
My first blog post about my African adventures detailed my experience looking through rough material with two gemstone cutters.
While we were in Kenya, we also got to visit two small-scale, and very different, mining sites.
The first was a cooperative mining area called Chawia Minerals Community Based Organization (CBO). The closest town to it is Mikuki, Kenya, and it produces tsavorite garnet and green and yellow tourmaline.
Currently, there are approximately 220 miners registered with CBO, one owner told me. They have been allocated their own mining pits, and each pit could have several people working it.
Registering with the CBO for the ability to mine costs KSh 5,000 (a little under $50). When the mine owners or their workers find something, they have to take the stone(s) to one of the CBO owners, who values it. Once the price is approved the mine owner pays the CBO owners a portion of that value. They can pay in cash or in gemstones.
The benefit of a cooperative system like this is that it allows more people to have access to mining who might not have been able to afford to buy a site on their own.
While the site is working to promote the local mining community, CBO Chairman Gabriel Mcharo said what they really need is not only investors to help grow the operation but also technology to aid in the mining activity.
I would then see exactly what he meant.
The picture on the left shows the opening of one of the mines at the CBO site, and the picture on the right shows the “steps” that were made into the side of the hill to allow the workers a way to clear out the mine waste.
As we walked over to a mine, I noticed a few “steps” that had been carved into the side of the hill (this is pictured in the image on the right in the above set) that allowed for a way to clear out the tailings from the mine.
There were men standing on one step each, all the way down and then into the mining tunnel. The process was slow—workers inside the mine would dig with a shovel and then toss the pile of gravel on to the next man, who would pick it up with his shovel, toss it up to the next, and so it would go out of the mine and up the hill, one by one, to clear it out.
It seemed like such tedious work, I couldn’t imagine how long it would take to make any sort of significant headway. This is the kind of thing that really makes you think about a gemstone differently—knowing the effort that goes into pulling it out of the ground.
The next day, we went to the mine of gem dealer and broker Gichuchu Okeno, which is about a three-hour drive outside of Voi, Kenya.
I briefly mentioned Okeno in my first blog post in the “T.I.A.” series, but that introduction didn’t do him justice. Okeno already seems to be having a big impact on the Kenyan gemstone market, and I can tell he’s going to keep changing it for the better.
At left is the building Okeno built for his workers to stay in, and at right is the garden they have on site to provide fresh produce.
Okeno operates his own mine in a very secluded part of southern Kenya. Our Land Cruiser had to go over some very bumpy terrain to get there (picture hours of unpaved road), but the drive was worth it.
His is different from many of the other artisanal mines in that he is not only putting safety first, enforcing regulations such as making the workers wear helmets and fluorescent vests, but he also constructed brand-new housing and a place to cook so the miners can live in better conditions on site.
Left: the opening to Okeno’s mine. Right: After blasting, workers sift through the debris, looking for certain minerals that indicate they might be heading in the right direction.
Okeno also scheduled it so that they would be blasting while we were there, so I got to witness (from a safe distance, of course) them blast away a part of the land as they redirected their digging according to what a geologist told them.
The blast brought up a lot of the vein that they were following, so a few of the workers and Okeno talked us through which pieces indicated that they were going in the right direction to, hopefully, unearth some gemstones.
I sincerely hope it proves fruitful for them soon.
Stay tuned for the next blog post from my trip, highlighting recent announcements from Kenya and Tanzania about keeping gem cutting in-country and what’s being done to try to build that market.
More on Editors
The Latest
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
Weekly QuizNov 06, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
Policies & IssuesNov 04, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case WednesdayAhead of the hearing, two industry organizations co-signed an amicus brief urging the court to declare Trump’s tariffs unlawful.
MajorsNov 04, 2025
Danny Clark to Become Stuller CEO, Succeeding Matt StullerStuller COO Belit Myers will take on the additional role of president, with all changes effective at the start of 2026.
ColumnistsNov 04, 2025
Peter Smith: What Do Birds Have to Do With the Price of Gold? Smith cautions retailers against expending too much energy on things they can’t control, like the rising price of gold.
TrendsNov 04, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Fall Colors for November BirthdaysCitrine and topaz are birthstones fit for fall as the leaves change color and the holiday season approaches.
IndependentsNov 04, 2025
Weston Jewelers Heads to Fort LauderdaleThe family-owned jeweler will open its fourth store in Florida in late 2027.
CrimeNov 03, 2025
Men Dressed as Construction Workers Burglarize Jeweler’s Home The NYPD is looking for three men who stole a safe and jewelry valued at $3.2 million from the home of a jeweler in Jamaica Hills, Queens.
MajorsNov 03, 2025
Matthew Rosenheim Takes Over as JA Board ChairThe trade organization also announced its executive committee and five new directors.
CollectionsNov 03, 2025
Muse’s ‘Have a Heart’ Collab Returns, Now With DDGThe “Have a Heart x Diamonds Do Good” collection is championed by model and humanitarian Flaviana Matata and will benefit her foundation.
AuctionsNov 03, 2025
Kashmir Sapphire Ring Tops Christie's Online AuctionThe ring, set with a nearly 17-carat Kashmir cabochon sapphire, sold for $1 million.
TrendsOct 31, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Spinner Fit for ‘Frankenstein’This “Mother Father” spinner necklace from Heavenly Vices Fine Jewelry draws inspiration from Victorian Era jewelry.
CrimeOct 31, 2025
5 More Arrested in Louvre Heist, Jewelry Still Missing The suspects were rounded up in Paris and its suburbs on Wednesday night, but none of the stolen jewels were recovered with them.
Recorded WebinarsOct 31, 2025
Watch: How to Master Google Reviews for Your BusinessExperts share top tips on how to encourage positive reviews and handle negative feedback.
Supplier BulletinOct 30, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
CrimeOct 30, 2025
29-Year-Old Man Charged in Multiple Seattle-Area Smash and Grabs The suspect faces charges in the August robbery of Menashe & Sons Jewelers and is accused of committing smash and grabs at two pawn shops.
Lab-GrownOct 30, 2025
Alison Lou’s New Collection Uses Lab-Grown Diamonds and ResinThe “Lumière Fine” collection was born from designer Alison Chemla’s interest in the transformative power of light.
