FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...

About Romancing the Earth Handcrafted Jewelry

How did you come up with the name Romancing the Earth Jewelry?

I chose the name Romancing the Earth Jewelry (RTE Jewelry) after brainstorming what I felt gemstones were to our Earth; Imagine that you can see all of the mines from above. They would appear to be like bones of the Earth.  Then the gemstones themselves evoke feelings of tranquility, calmness, passion & so much more….It’s as if they Romance us with their mystical qualities.  Thus, the name “Romancing the Earth” was born

Where do you buy your gemstones?
I travel to many tradeshows that have gemstone dealers from all over the world. I hand pick every single stone, taking into consideration its beauty, quality and value.

Where do your gemstones come from?
My gemstones come from different countries all over the world including Hong Kong, Afghanistan, African, Burmese, Madagascar, They are usually mined there and then shipped to a cutting house; generally in India.

Can you explain the creative process of making jewelry?
For me, the creative process is like a spiritual path to self discovery. I'm constantly evolving and discovering more about the kind of person I am and what's important to me. I like to feel that when I'm creating, I'm tapping into "my gift."

What inspires you?
In a word, everything. I do a lot of reading. I find books about Eastern and Asian mysticism particularly inspiring. I also get ideas for jewelry from many everyday things like clothing designs, paintings and even nature (I have a garden right outside my studio window). I'll see a particular color combination or geometric shape or texture that gives me a spark of an idea. While my finished piece may look nothing like the object that originally inspired it, I always remember where the concept first took shape.

How did you get started making jewelry?
I like to think I've always been a creative person. As a child I was into doing crafts, and as an adult, painting. But it wasn't until I had my own children that I began to focus full-time on my artistic side. I actually was an investment banker working 60+ hours a week for many years. One day, I took my daughter to a bead store, actually the same bead store that my own mother used to take me to when I was a little girl, and I picked out a couple of beads for a craft project. Next thing I knew, I was creating jewelry.

What are your favorite gemstones?
I love so many it's hard to pick. I guess I would have to say I especially love Pink Tourmaline, Carico Lake & Fox Mine Turquoise, and Andalusite.

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Contact Us: CathyDailey@rtejewelry.com