A preeminent, professional gem cutter since 1974, Richard Homer is the original pioneer of concave faceting; bringing gems of his proprietary and award-winning techniques to the marketplace since 1988.
About the Artist
Richard Homer, Owner and President of Gems by Design, Inc., is a singularly focused artist. He is one of the rare individuals who has chosen every career path to prepare himself as an artist, inventor, and craftsman to elicit the very best in each gemstone he cuts.
Why are Richard's cuts so spectacular?
- A proud member of the American Gem Trade Association since 1991.
- More than 40 years of gem cutting experience
- Winner of over 100 gem cutting and collaborative jewelry design awards.
- Degree in Geology from Kent State University and a Graduate degree in Gemology earned in-residence at the Gemological Institute of America. (See a full list of Richard's Degrees & Certifications HERE)
- Honored contributor to the Gem Collection of the United States, residing in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
- Cutter of one the largest faceted gems in the world, The Adiel Topaz, weighing 20,769 carats.
- Employs top-of-the-line equipment and technology into designing and cutting his gem stones.
- An accredited gem and jewelry appraiser from four different U.S. organizations
- Was a resident colored stone and gem identification instructor at GIA within the resident graduate gemology program and a resident gem cutting instructor within the resident jewelry manufacturing art department
All of Richard’s experiences and qualifications have influenced his unique approach to gem cutting and his ongoing quest to create gem designs that speak to the soul.
“Richard’s gems are incredibly wonderful to design around. His proportions and angles are absolute and true, making setting a breeze. His gems beat virtually everything that exists in precision and brilliance.”
Beautiful Things
“He can make average material beautiful and rare or wonderful material downright stunning.”
Richard's Cutting Philosophy
The entire Earth is comprised of rocks and minerals, but, gemstones are a mere infinitesimal fraction of the mineral kingdom. They are extremely rare, crystalline wonders generally formed deep within the Earth’s crust beyond the reach of man and only now available within our grasp due to the geologic passage of time, mountain building, and erosion. Even still, at great expense and effort, are such wonders put into our hands!
As a professional gem cutter, Mr. Homer considers himself a steward of such natural wonders; respecting all gem materials for their rarity and as the embodiment of pristine beauty frozen in time and space.
“There should be a harmony of light, color, and design…like a well arranged symphony, not the crude crashing of a one man band.”
He abhors the crudity of cut corner-mass production methodology, the thoughtless waste in cutting good material poorly, and the unimaginative/optically deficient fashioning by third world cutters.
The cutting of a true GEMstone is worthy of one’s conscientious attention to details in order to realize all the natural inherent beauty of the material.
Buy With Confidence
Richard has been a respected member of the American Gem Trade Association since 1991, implementing the highest standard for professional conduct and ethics.
Code of Ethics & Fair Business Practices
The colored gemstone industry must have the respect and confidence of the public and the jewelry industry. To keep this respect and confidence, American Gem Trade Association Members, like Richard, maintain the highest possible ethical standards in their business transactions.
The core contruct of the COE rests upon our Members' expertise in gemstones and each Member's commitment to protect consumers at all levels of the marketplace from inaccurate or outright fraudulent information at points of sale by providing full disclosure information regarding the gem materials we sell.
The American Gem Trade Association is an organization in the marketing of natural colored gemstones, NOT SYNTHETICS.
This Code of Ethics and Principals of Fair Business Practices applies to any company owned by the Member and/or the Member of Record or any company in which the Member and/or Member of Record has a vested interest. Each year AGTA Members must sign a pledge to follow this Code.
The pledge reads as follows:
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Each Member Must:
- Have knowledge of and inform their customers as to the treatments and conditions that define and support the value of the materials each Member sells.
- Commit to the full compliance with all laws; local, state, and federal.
- Demonstrate strict adherence to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other applicable industry guidelines and standards.
- Be in full compliance with the laws of the countries from which we import and distribute, including those laws relating to labor and environmental protection.
- Neither support tacitly nor actively, nor participate in any illegal activities wherever such activity is known to exist in any commodity and any location where gem materials are offered to Members or by Members for purchase and/or sale.
- Protect the industry and their clients against fraud, misrepresentation, and unethical practices in business transactions and avoid exaggeration or concealment of any pertinent facts. He or she should endeavor to eliminate any practice which could be damaging to the industry or bring discredit to the trade. No Member may willfully aid or abet gemstone fraud, including sales and/or services to the perpetrators. Members must be diligent in combating and exposing gemstone sales fraud; misrepresentation, and sales and/or services to individuals or firms engaged in gemstone investment scams and "boiler-room" operations.
- Adhere to all Federal Trade Commission Rules and Bureau of Standards definitions, insofar as they apply to the gemstone and jewelry industries.
- Never in any way defame, criticize, undermine, or take unfair advantage of another person or firm's reputation or merchandise, in order to promote and sell his or her own merchandise.
- Never misrepresent merchandise as to its nature, authenticity, treatment and/or origin. Disclosure of treatment is mandatory on all commercial documents for each individual stone.
- Not deliver a gemstone in a sealed container under a warranty that becomes void if the seal is broken.
- Restrict the use of the terms "gem" and "gemstone" for materials of natural origin only.