The Nomad's story begins 30+ years ago in Eastern Europe. A group of classmates, bonded over a shared love of mountaineering and travel, had recently graduated from Odessa National University and were contemplating possible future careers when the Iron Curtain fell. With it, the foundations of Soviet society collapsed - a shocking yet liberating time marked by a sudden flood of new ideas.

Previously forbidden works of poetry, philosophy, and science became available. Private business and capitalism, formerly vilified, came to be understood as forces for good. The founders of Nomad's, being young and enthusiastic, embraced this new worldview and started a private company cutting topaz and heliodor beryl from the Volodarsk-Volynskii mine in Ukraine. There were no other cutters to learn from, so they taught themselves to cut from Sinkankas' formative book, Gem Cutting: a Lapidary's Manual. It formed the core of Nomad's unique style: cutting for beauty, not for yield.

Even their cutting machines were unconventional. After the Soviet Union's recent collapse, the newly independent state of Ukraine demilitarized. A former weapons factory in Kiev became open for custom orders from civilians for anything mechanical. Working with the factory, they designed and built their own custom gem cutting machines suited for the precise angles needed. Today, nearly three decades later, these machines still run perfectly.

They learned the sales side of the gem business by exhibiting at small weekend shows throughout Germany, France, and N. Italy. The concept of cutting for beauty, not yield, was their competitive advantage, and they grew quickly. After a while, the Volodarsk-Volynskii mine was depleted, but the team was already deeply involved in the gem trade. They started sourcing rough in Tanzania, Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia and exhibiting at trade shows in N. America and Hong Kong. Soon, they realized the natural next step would be to leave Ukraine and become an international company.

As Nomad's grew, they became fascinated with the idea of synergy, of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The company became cosmopolitan, opening up to new people from around the world. Each person wouldn't just fill in an existing position but would have to create a new job role for himself, something the company hasn't done before. For example, Craig came with the idea of taking the company online. He built and now runs this website. Or Josh, after joining the team, started making sales trips to countries brand new for Nomad's -- now, numerous jewelers in Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan are happily working with Nomad's stones.

This is the way Nomad's continues to grow; person by person, idea by idea.

The Art of Faceting at the highest level involves a careful and methodical and yet at the same time imaginatively artful approach. It may take days, even weeks to plan an important piece. A rough gemstone is full of promise. In the hands of a Master Cutter its true beauty and grace are developed and revealed.

Where will the table be? How to work around the inclusions to bring out a clean stone? How to reach the harmonious proportions for maximum brilliance and outline sensual flowing lines and curves? A three-dimensional image forms in the Master’s mind. Decisions are made. Resolutely the stone is sliced to remove blemished parts, and then carefully shaped using a diamond-charged cutting wheel. Ready for the final stage.

The Cutter and the gem form a cosmic link. The patterns of facets are created and the facets are polished. Extreme effort and concentration are key to creating a beautiful masterpiece. Every line, point and facet must be ideal. The polishing must be perfectly smooth and flat.

As the final touches are made, the Master is in a trance-like state of mind, on a peak of attention and awareness. The gem acquires its new radiant look. A culmination of all emotions, calculations and contemplation experienced in the faceting of this stone is embodied in the finished jewel. And what a sight it is to behold.