BSC: So sexism is a big problem in the industry?

HMM: Yes. It can be intimidating, but I think that sometimes such blatant hostility drives women to stick together and support each other more, like Beatrice, a mine owner who is now a friend and a great inspiration. I’ve named one of the rings after her. I met her through one of her sons, who told me about his mother being the first female miner in Sri Lanka. I couldn’t wait to meet her and immediately went to visit the mine. When she opened her mine, every single man in the industry told Beatrice to shut it down. There is a lot of superstition that goes with mining. Rituals and prayers are carried out on the land and still today women are seen as bad luck. But she believes that in life you should only listen to the universe – and now she is the boss of a mine as well as being married with three children. All the children work for her and she still lives modestly in spite of the size of sapphires that are pulled from the mine. The mine has shared ownership with all employees and Beatrice cares for them like family.

‍BSC: Do you think men feel intimidated by your success and your knuckledusters?

HMM: I hope so! Just kidding, but seriously, I like to sell jewellery to people who buy their own bling, who aren’t waiting for someone else to put a ring on their finger.

‍BSC: You design the rings so the stones touch your skin. Do you think they have different powers?

HMM: Yes! These rings are pushed up from the core of the earth over millions of years under immense heat and pressure. I’m certain they have different powers. But there’s also the confidence that wearing fabulous jewellery can give you. There’s the joy in that little glimmer of gold and silver and sunlight hitting an exquisitely cut rock as you go about your daily business.

BSC: What’s your favourite precious stone?

HMM: My favourite precious stone is Purple Amethyst. It dates right back to 3100 BC and was used all the time by ancient Greeks and romans because of its special powers. We never hear about diamonds historically - they were never seen as anything special and have been branded as something expensive pretty recently. Amethysts are historically very powerful and have been found in royal tombs.

‍BSC: Apart from Jean - If you could go back in time and meet any powerful woman you choose, who would it be?‍

HMM: I would love to meet Emmeline Pankhurst [organizer of UK Suffragette movement] and plan an intervention with her!

BSC: So sexism is a big problem in the industry?

HMM: Yes. It can be intimidating, but I think that sometimes such blatant hostility drives women to stick together and support each other more, like Beatrice, a mine owner who is now a friend and a great inspiration. I’ve named one of the rings after her. I met her through one of her sons, who told me about his mother being the first female miner in Sri Lanka. I couldn’t wait to meet her and immediately went to visit the mine. When she opened her mine, every single man in the industry told Beatrice to shut it down. There is a lot of superstition that goes with mining. Rituals and prayers are carried out on the land and still today women are seen as bad luck. But she believes that in life you should only listen to the universe – and now she is the boss of a mine as well as being married with three children. All the children work for her and she still lives modestly in spite of the size of sapphires that are pulled from the mine. The mine has shared ownership with all employees and Beatrice cares for them like family.

‍BSC: Do you think men feel intimidated by your success and your knuckledusters?

HMM: I hope so! Just kidding, but seriously, I like to sell jewellery to people who buy their own bling, who aren’t waiting for someone else to put a ring on their finger.

‍BSC: You design the rings so the stones touch your skin. Do you think they have different powers?

HMM: Yes! These rings are pushed up from the core of the earth over millions of years under immense heat and pressure. I’m certain they have different powers. But there’s also the confidence that wearing fabulous jewellery can give you. There’s the joy in that little glimmer of gold and silver and sunlight hitting an exquisitely cut rock as you go about your daily business.

BSC: What’s your favourite precious stone?

HMM: My favourite precious stone is Purple Amethyst. It dates right back to 3100 BC and was used all the time by ancient Greeks and romans because of its special powers. We never hear about diamonds historically - they were never seen as anything special and have been branded as something expensive pretty recently. Amethysts are historically very powerful and have been found in royal tombs.

‍BSC: Apart from Jean - If you could go back in time and meet any powerful woman you choose, who would it be?‍

HMM: I would love to meet Emmeline Pankhurst [organizer of UK Suffragette movement] and plan an intervention with her!

BSC: So sexism is a big problem in the industry?

HMM: Yes. It can be intimidating, but I think that sometimes such blatant hostility drives women to stick together and support each other more, like Beatrice, a mine owner who is now a friend and a great inspiration. I’ve named one of the rings after her. I met her through one of her sons, who told me about his mother being the first female miner in Sri Lanka. I couldn’t wait to meet her and immediately went to visit the mine. When she opened her mine, every single man in the industry told Beatrice to shut it down. There is a lot of superstition that goes with mining. Rituals and prayers are carried out on the land and still today women are seen as bad luck. But she believes that in life you should only listen to the universe – and now she is the boss of a mine as well as being married with three children. All the children work for her and she still lives modestly in spite of the size of sapphires that are pulled from the mine. The mine has shared ownership with all employees and Beatrice cares for them like family.

‍BSC: Do you think men feel intimidated by your success and your knuckledusters?

HMM: I hope so! Just kidding, but seriously, I like to sell jewellery to people who buy their own bling, who aren’t waiting for someone else to put a ring on their finger.

‍BSC: You design the rings so the stones touch your skin. Do you think they have different powers?

HMM: Yes! These rings are pushed up from the core of the earth over millions of years under immense heat and pressure. I’m certain they have different powers. But there’s also the confidence that wearing fabulous jewellery can give you. There’s the joy in that little glimmer of gold and silver and sunlight hitting an exquisitely cut rock as you go about your daily business.

BSC: What’s your favourite precious stone?

HMM: My favourite precious stone is Purple Amethyst. It dates right back to 3100 BC and was used all the time by ancient Greeks and romans because of its special powers. We never hear about diamonds historically - they were never seen as anything special and have been branded as something expensive pretty recently. Amethysts are historically very powerful and have been found in royal tombs.

‍BSC: Apart from Jean - If you could go back in time and meet any powerful woman you choose, who would it be?‍

HMM: I would love to meet Emmeline Pankhurst [organizer of UK Suffragette movement] and plan an intervention with her!

BSC: So sexism is a big problem in the industry?

HMM: Yes. It can be intimidating, but I think that sometimes such blatant hostility drives women to stick together and support each other more, like Beatrice, a mine owner who is now a friend and a great inspiration. I’ve named one of the rings after her. I met her through one of her sons, who told me about his mother being the first female miner in Sri Lanka. I couldn’t wait to meet her and immediately went to visit the mine. When she opened her mine, every single man in the industry told Beatrice to shut it down. There is a lot of superstition that goes with mining. Rituals and prayers are carried out on the land and still today women are seen as bad luck. But she believes that in life you should only listen to the universe – and now she is the boss of a mine as well as being married with three children. All the children work for her and she still lives modestly in spite of the size of sapphires that are pulled from the mine. The mine has shared ownership with all employees and Beatrice cares for them like family.

‍BSC: Do you think men feel intimidated by your success and your knuckledusters?

HMM: I hope so! Just kidding, but seriously, I like to sell jewellery to people who buy their own bling, who aren’t waiting for someone else to put a ring on their finger.

‍BSC: You design the rings so the stones touch your skin. Do you think they have different powers?

HMM: Yes! These rings are pushed up from the core of the earth over millions of years under immense heat and pressure. I’m certain they have different powers. But there’s also the confidence that wearing fabulous jewellery can give you. There’s the joy in that little glimmer of gold and silver and sunlight hitting an exquisitely cut rock as you go about your daily business.

BSC: What’s your favourite precious stone?

HMM: My favourite precious stone is Purple Amethyst. It dates right back to 3100 BC and was used all the time by ancient Greeks and romans because of its special powers. We never hear about diamonds historically - they were never seen as anything special and have been branded as something expensive pretty recently. Amethysts are historically very powerful and have been found in royal tombs.

‍BSC: Apart from Jean - If you could go back in time and meet any powerful woman you choose, who would it be?‍

HMM: I would love to meet Emmeline Pankhurst [organizer of UK Suffragette movement] and plan an intervention with her!