About me

From job to job

“One night in 2016, I found a video about stone grinding and that morning I bought my first machine.”

Cutting gemstones requires perfection, technical dexterity and enormous depth. If I had known earlier how well this activity suited my nature, I would have started earlier.

Gemstone cutting is probably the most glamorous job in the world, but it’s also a very responsible one – the natural material has to be handled with care to minimise the loss of precious raw materials.

I’m also a good keeper of secrets. In fact, when a prospective groom is looking for an engagement ring for a marriage proposal, the first step is often Estonian Gem Factory.

All in all, it’s a good balance – the job is a great pleasure but it’s also a lot of pressure.

Where did you get that idea?

2016 - Purchase of the machine and first stones

One July evening in 2016, I had a question - how are gemstones polished? Google directed me to a YouTube video showing in detail what the whole process looks like. The next question was, where can I find such a machine? By the next morning, I had bought a gemstone polishing machine.
Sitting down at the machine, I realised that the whole process is a handcraft and not as simple as the video made it seem. The quality of the first three gemstones was sub-par, but I was getting the hang of it.

2017/2018 - recognition from USFG international competitions

2017. In 2007, I sent one of my polished semi-precious stones to the USFG International Gemstone Cutting Competition, where judges assess the quality of the polishing. I scored 95,5257 out of 100 points in this, the first competition of my life, despite damage to the stone in transit. This result gave me a strong message to continue in this field.
In 2018, I participated in the USFG international competition in the higher class, where I scored 96.0730 out of 100 points.

2020/2022 - execution of orders

The word spread about my service and skills, and between 2020 and 2022, all my spare time was spent on special orders. People wanted to restore old gemstones, order high quality and special engagement rings and other jewellery for themselves or as gifts. I realised that the hours left over from my day job were finally running out. I had to decide how to move on.

2022 - Estonia's first gemstone polishing studio opens

In January 2022, I decided to open an Estonian Gem Factory studio on the second floor of the Bonifatiuse Guild House at Väike-Turu 8, Viljandi. This is the first similar workshop in the Baltics and in Finland.
In my studio, in addition to cutting gemstones, I also conduct various workshops and training sessions on gemstones for corporate groups, as well as, for example, girls' nights for brides.

Why Estonian Gem Factory?

Ray

Our stone cutter approaches each stone individually and scientifically – measuring, designing and calculating the right angles. While gemstones and semi-precious stones polished with a commercial grinder often have “windows” in the centre of the stone that show through and do not reflect light back, Estonian Gem Factory stones do not – they shine from the centre!

Quality

Quality work is the number one priority for Estonian Gem Factory. Our level of polishing distinguishes us from commercially polished gemstones. There is not a scratch on the stone we cut, the facets are smooth with precise angles. We ensure that light travels through the stone in an optimal way, making the stone shine to the maximum.

Virtue and ethics

The stones we offer are both visually and morally honest. When purchasing gemstones in unpolished form, we always ensure that the stones are clean and ethically mined. We also contribute to raising awareness of the fact that child labour is often used in Asia for the commercial cutting of stones in poor conditions.

Unique Estonian handicraft

Estonian Gem Factory takes the personal wishes of each customer as a basis. It is possible to have a say in the shape of the stone, the design and even the symbol you want to find inside the stone! On average, it takes between 6-30 hours to polish a single stone. The result is a one-of-a-kind engagement ring, earrings, or other special jewel for a special person!