Why AfroBoho?

It is a unique way of life. It is experienced wisdom in quality, authenticity and provenance. It is an unabashed expression of our roots; our own style and aesthetic. It is hand-made at our own pace. It is one-of-a-kind. It is a journey filled with sentiment and discovery.

We have travelled the world collecting natural coloured gemstones and curiosities for more than three decades now. We have visited the ruby and jadeite mines of Mogok in Myanmar, then Burma. We have been to the sapphire mines of Ratnapura in Sri Lanka, the moonstone mines of India and the various mines of Madagascar.

We have visited nearly every major gemstone and jewelry show in the world, including Tuscon, Bangkok and Hong Kong, along with gem and jewelry museums and exhibitions across the planet.

We have travelled southern Africa as members of FOSAGAMS (The Federation of South African Gems and Minerals) with pick-axes and hammers, extracting our own gems from the ground. Many of the stones in our jewellery collection were shaped from rough: cut, tumbled, drilled and polished in our lapidary studio at home, thereafter producing our own unique designs in our jewelry studio.

And it is from this experienced journey of dealing in gemstones both locally and abroad, that we present with all our knowledge and passion, AfroBoho. It is a unique way of life.

Thus AfroBoho is a brand of authentic quality without the apprehensions associated with supply-chains and corporate obfuscations. We do not import stones or jewellery. All our pieces have been skillfully designed and hand-crafted from our treasure trove of gems we have collected through the decades of consistent travel, forging relationships along the way to ensure ethical principles throughout the supply-chain.

We only carry natural coloured gemstones, and commit to full disclosure as to any enhancement of our gemstones, including heat-treatment and any other artificial intervention, other than those practices generally accepted by the industry. We endeavour to report provenance to the most accurate of our experiences and interactions.

We travel, find, and make. Working with the small guys that know us, and know we know stones.

Jay and JD

Please explore our social media for a visual guide to our gemstone journey.