Every stone has a story.

I grew up in Hubei, China, where some of my happiest childhood memories were spent picking up stones along mountain paths and riverbeds. Even as a child, I loved turning each one over in my hands, wondering why no two were ever the same.

Life eventually took me from China to Canada and then to the United States, but I kept returning to the turquoise of Zhushan, Hubei—a region long recognized for producing some of China's finest turquoise. Growing up close to its place of origin has given me the opportunity to better understand the material and to select each stone with care.

Today, I personally choose every turquoise cabochon Oakwell offers. My goal is not to promise perfection, but to seek out turquoise that I believe has retained its original character, with untreated material always being my first choice whenever I can confidently source it. Rather than chasing flawless appearance, I look for depth of color, expressive matrix, balanced proportions, and the individuality that makes every stone one of a kind.

I believe trust matters just as much as beauty. Whenever reliable laboratory documentation is available, I include it with the stone. When it is not, I describe each cabochon as accurately as possible based on the information available to me and clearly explain what I can—and cannot—verify. I would rather be transparent than make claims I cannot support.

Oakwell Turquoise was created for collectors, custom jewelers, studio silversmiths, and designers who appreciate turquoise with genuine character and an honest story behind it. Every cabochon is individually photographed, described, carefully inspected, and shipped from my New Jersey studio.

My hope is simple: that every stone finds the right maker before it becomes something beautiful.