By: Natalie Brooks

The first recorded mentions of jewelry made from gemstones and precious metals, including silver, gold, and platinum, date back to the 14th century BCE. And these are just the artifacts we know for certain. “In reality, natural gemstones have inspired people with their beauty since the discovery of the first precious stone, which happened around 2000 BCE”, says jeweler Svetlana Vodolazhskaya. This elegant and talented woman is the founder and owner of Cosmogem, a Los Angeles-based jewelry house in California.

At Cosmogem, exquisite jewelry is crafted entirely by hand, and pieces are proudly worn by members of the Estée Lauder family, wellness industry investor Taylor Stein, singer-songwriter Kira Kushnerova, and other notable personalities both in the United States and abroad.

What makes Svetlana Vodolazhskaya’s jewelry unique

Handcrafted gemstone pieces hold far more value than those produced through mass-market “technical” methods with cultured (synthetic) stones. These creations are first and foremost intriguing and undeniably unique due to their originality. Once something is made by hand, it cannot be exactly replicated. 

In addition, Svetlana Vodolazhskaya sources gemstones from all over the world – carefully examining and weighing each one. She is well-versed in the many modern gem deposits and knows exactly where to find the finest stones. As a result, she frequently travels to China, India, Africa, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar in pursuit of these treasures.

Another element of uniqueness is her experimentation with stone combinations in her pieces. Her jewelry can be compared to a geographical map, where each gemstone represents a country from which it originates. This makes each piece a remarkable journey in itself and, in our opinion, is another factor that sets Cosmogem’s offerings apart.

Gemstones for men and women

It is believed that the first to adorn themselves with unmounted gemstones were ancient Egyptian women. They would carve amulets in the shape of hearts and eyes from soft stones, which are now unearthed during archaeological excavations. Later, these amulets were crafted from more valuable gems – such as diamonds, jasper, carnelian, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and obsidian.

“But it was the rulers and military leaders who popularized such adornments. Alexander the Great constantly wore chrysoprase on his belt, while Queen Cleopatra was never without her emerald ring”, notes Svetlana Vodolazhskaya. That said, according to the jeweler, gemstones aren’t inherently male or female. “You could say they are the first symbol of gender equality in the world”, says Cosmogem’s owner. 

However, she emphasizes: “For a gemstone to truly suit someone, you need to listen to it. Gems have a way of recognizing their future owners and are naturally drawn to them with a special shimmering allure”.

Svetlana Vodolazhskaya’s secret to success

Perhaps the important aspect of Cosmogem’s unique jewelry is that Svetlana Vodolazhskaya works exclusively with natural gemstones. The jeweler explains that organic minerals form within the Earth’s crust under natural processes that take hundreds or even millions of years and depend on various factors (temperature, pressure, chemical composition). This is what makes each gemstone truly precious. “Even among gemstones of the same type, like emeralds or sapphires, you’ll never find two that are exactly alike. This adds an extra layer of value to natural stones”, says Vodolazhskaya.

Cultured (synthetic) stones, in terms of chemical composition and crystalline structure, are nearly identical to natural ones. In some cases, they can even appear more attractive, brighter, and purer than their natural counterparts. This is because laboratory conditions allow for the avoidance of inclusions and defects often found in natural gemstones. The technology used to create synthetic gems mimics natural processes, but the formation happens much faster, with growth periods lasting only a few months.

As a result, synthetic stones are more affordable than natural gemstones, which naturally affects the overall price of the jewelry. However, organic gemstones are more than just ornaments. They are a piece of nature and centuries of history that you can carry with you. These aspects are what make natural gemstones and the jewelry offered by Cosmogem truly priceless and the preferred choice for those seeking not just beauty, but a connection to our vibrant and mysterious world.

Published By: Aize Perez