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GEM BAZAAR BY EMMA PLUNKETT

Specializing in beautiful gemstone jewelry, Gem Bazaar was started in 2018 by husband-and-wife team Stephen and Emma Plunkett. Emma was born and grew up in India, has a passion for the country and for gemstones, and has been working in jewelry for twenty years. Stephen's background is in finance and service. Emma loves to recreate some of the vintage jewelry exquisitely handcrafted in India and passed down by her grandmother, as well as loving the bold and modern.Together, they create glamorous and unique gemstone pieces in silver and gold vermeil, that look far more expensive than they actually are. As the brand puts it, “There is really nothing more glamorous a woman can wear next to her skin than the light and color captured in a gemstone.”

"In the market in Kolkata, India where our favorite shop growing up was the Tibetan shop selling gorgeous gemstone jewelry. The lady who owned the shop was a refugee from Tibet and had gentle eyes and a smile as wide as the Himalayas. I learnt then that selling jewelry is just as much about a relationship as about the jewelry itself."

Emma Plunkett, GEM BAZAAR

Mini Interview with Emma Plunkett

Where did you find your passion for jewelry?
In the market in Kolkata, India where our favorite shop growing up was the Tibetan shop selling gorgeous gemstone jewelry. The lady who owned the shop was a refugee from Tibet and had gentle eyes and a smile as wide as the Himalayas. I learnt then that selling jewelry is just as much about a relationship as about the jewelry itself.

Do you believe that gemstones are more than just gemstones?
Yes absolutely. You just have to look at what they have inspired over the centuries to know that a gemstone is much more than just a pretty stone. Gemstones have a beautiful power all of their own.

What cause is particularly important for you? 
At Gem Bazaar we support a charity called Future Hope which takes children off the streets of Kolkata, gives them a home, an education and a future. It is very close to my heart, having been brought up in Kolkata.

What is your favorite time of the day?
In India, it is dusk. The colors of sunset, the swooping birds, the fires being lit; the smells and sounds of the day change as evening falls.

What is your spirit animal? 
An elephant. Very family oriented, intelligent, calm and playful unless threatened when they can be incredibly fierce.

Vintage or new?
Mainly vintage.

Beach or mountain?
The most beautiful spots are usually found where the two meet.

What is the biggest learning experience you have had?
Life is all about learning I think. And our biggest wounds turn into our greatest treasures if we let them. One of the most extraordinary experiences I have had was while flying from Kolkata to school in the UK aged about 12. An elderly lady who I’d never met, a few seats away from me, leant over as we were disembarking and whispered ‘Dare to live!’ I’ve never forgotten that and it still inspires me.

When are you the most inspired?
It’s strange but these days I often wake up with an idea for a piece of jewelry in my mind!