The Custom Jewelry Secrets: Alexandrite, Lab-Grown Diamonds, and High-Stakes Stone Setting w/ Tuggle Designs

Featured Guests: Matt and Lauren Tuggle of Tuggle Designs.

Episode Summary: Matt and Lauren Tuggle of the Evergreen, CO-based custom jewelry house, Tuggle Designs, sit down for a candid discussion on their industry.

The Rarest Stone: The conversation begins with Alexandrite, a gem that can cost more than a diamond due to its extreme rarity and unique color-shifting properties.

From High School to Small Business: Matt shares his path from learning fabrication in high school to working at large chains like Shane Co. before he and Lauren launched their own brand in 2016 , focusing on  word-of-mouth growth.

Sustainability and Sourcing: They explain their practice of being "opportunistic buyers" and the surprisingly recyclable nature of precious metals, detailing how they send in "sweeps" (bench dust) to be refined into new gold grain for their pieces.

Setting the Unsettable: Matt discusses the intense challenges of setting fragile, high-value stones, including the competition piece Whisper of the Ancestors, which features an 18.25ct Oregon Sunstone known for its perfect cleavage. They're also known for successfully setting gem-quality Rhodochrosite (the Colorado state gemstone).

The Custom Process: Lauren details their "fact-finding mission" to integrate a client's story and lifestyle into the piece, emphasizing the importance of not putting a rock climber in a microwave-delicate ring. They stress that the trend of delicate settings will not last a lifetime and the need for yearly checkup

The Diamond Market: They weigh in on the lab-grown diamond (LGD) market, confirming that they support their clients' choice between natural and lab-grown stones. They also warn of authenticity issues, including the faking of

GIA laser inscriptions on LGDs.

The Brick-and-Mortar Store: The Tuggles share the growing pains of opening their physical store in late 2023 , which involved a year-long, gut-to-finish remodel.

 

Connect with Tuggle Designs:

Website: TuggleDesigns.com

Instagram: @TuggleDesigns

0:00:00 - Introduction & The Most Expensive Stone (Alexandrite Teaser) 0:02:00 - The Tuggle Designs Origin Story & Yin-Yang Partnership 0:15:00 - Mentors, Hand Engraving, and The Art of Sourcing

0:22:00 - High-Stakes Stone Setting: Oregon Sunstone and Rhodochrosite

0:30:00 - The Custom Process: Fact-Finding, Lifestyle, and Ring Durability

0:38:00 - Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamonds: Market, Value, and Authenticity

0:45:00 - Sponsor Break (Mood Mats)

0:47:00 - Favorite Stones & Alexandrite Sourcing Challenges (War Impact)

0:54:00 - The Brick-and-Mortar Store Challenges & Future Expansion 1:00:00 - Alternative Metals and Debunking the "Diamonds are Forever" Myth

1:05:00 - Custom Process Deep Dive & Outro (6-Week Turnaround)

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