Henry Raab makes jewelry from local gemstones

Henry Raab’s passion for the natural world has led him to explore local geology and showcase its beauty through jewelry. Using a tile saw and various polishing steps, Henry forms cabochons* and other shapes out of gemstones such as Jasper and Agate sourced throughout San Mateo county.

Henry, who grew up in Ladera,  first took interest in rocks he found while maintaining mountain bike trails during high school. He wondered how they looked inside, and quickly discovered the huge variety of gemstones present in Franciscan formation.

During a gap year Henry developed his skills in lapidary and silversmithing resulting in his current 
works. He plans to
 attend a jewelry design program at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, CA, while continuing to create custom pieces.

To see more of Henry’s work visit his Etsy or Instagram @HenryRaabJewelry, or send an email to hraab00@gmail.com

*Note: a cabochon is a gemstone that has been shaped and polished as opposed to faceted. The resulting stone is usually rounded on the top and flat on the bottom.

This post originally appeared in the Ladera Crier; used with permission.