Our Story
Hi, I'm Khan — gem hound, turned jeweller.
My father was an opal miner in Lightning Ridge, and it was there, scavenging through opal fields after rain, that my love for stones began. What started as flecks of colour in the dirt became a lifelong passion.
I later trained in the art of gemstone faceting and jewellery craftmanship.
Today, alongside my wife Katrina, we spend months each year fossicking across the Australian outback — sleeping under the stars, hiking through untouched bushland, and uncovering rare gems few will ever see. Some journeys yield stones; others only stories. Both shape the jewellery we create.
It's a real life treasure hunt.
Many of our pieces — such as our gold nugget pendants and handcrafted engagement rings — begin in the wild and end in our boutique studio, where each stone is cut, faceted, and set by hand. We oversee every step — from discovery to design — a true rarity in modern jewellery. The result? Creations that are ethical, authentic, and entirely one-of-a-kind.
Natural Australian gemstones
We have a collection of gemstones that we’ve personally fossicked and sourced across Australia. These stones feature in some of our handcrafted pieces — such as our gold nugget pendants — and are also available for custom orders, including engagement rings.
This collection celebrates Australia’s natural brilliance, showcasing sapphires, zircons, garnets, topaz, peridot, amethyst, citrine, and quartz. Select stones are cut and faceted in-house with expert precision — no heat treatments, no enhancements — just as nature intended.
Lightning Ridge opals
All of the opals in our Lightning Ridge Collection were personally mined by my late father and were hand-cut — a legacy we’re honoured to continue.
Among the rarest and most coveted gemstones in the world, Lightning Ridge opals are revered for their vivid play of colour and remarkable scarcity. Often surpassing diamonds in value per carat, they are treasured by collectors and connoisseurs alike.
Each piece in this limited release is one-of-a-kind — heirloom-worthy, never to be repeated, and entirely your own.
Thank you
By choosing Stone River Gems, you’re supporting a family-run studio and helping keep traditional craftsmanship alive — pieces created with care, intention, and real human hands.
Thank you for joining the slow-made movement. We're so glad you're here.
From our hearts to yours,
Khan & Katrina