When other girls were making mudpies, Daria de Koning was digging deeper, discovering the elements of dirt - and its sparkling mica -  and uncovering the magic of gemstones. By the age of eleven, she had already amassed a sizeable crystal and rock specimen collection instead of Barbies.  It was the rocks of the Earth that Daria longed to shape, sculpt, craft, and expose to the World.  Essentially, her canvas was gemstones and her art would become jewelry.

Daria didn’t just become the “Gem Whisperer” overnight.  Her path began as a child, making jewelry out of wood beads and plastic, items she still has that remain an inspiration even today. Her first client? Her effortlessly chic grandmother, in a gesture that would become a lifelong inspiration.   A goldsmithing class changed the trajectory of Daria’s life, sparking her desire to create jewelry forever.  Not just jewelry, but works of art meant to be worn and treasured as pieces of a vast collection of beauty.