About us

The Latvian semi-precious stone workshop has been operating since 2013. It is our family's work together. In the fall of 2012, it was planned to go to the Scandinavian countries in search of semi-precious stones (an offer was made by a person who already lives there). That's why we started an intensive education about what semi-precious stones look like in nature, and we also studied the history of geology over a period of 100,000 years. We did our education through self-study (info from the depths of the internet) and of course also by consulting with geologists from the University of Tartu - Department of Geology. During the research of geological history, we concluded that the glaciers that came from Scandinavia to Latvia brought minerals and rocks that can be called semi-precious stones. In the spring of 2014, we started applying the acquired theoretical knowledge in practice. Going out to the field (Sinole field near my mother's sister) on the first day we found a small piece of jasper and agate (we show it on the tours). Our conclusion that there should be semi-precious stones on the territory of Latvia turned out to be correct. In Latvia, it is possible to find jasper, serpentinite, quartz, quartzite, merlinite and other semi-precious stones, which are also told more about and shown in our exploratory tours in the workshop on site. Therefore, we abandoned the idea of ​​going to Scandinavian countries, but decided to walk through the land of our native Latvia and explore its riches.

We kept the found semi-precious stones in the apartment - in the rooms, on sideboards, windowsills, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, wherever there was free space until we realized there was no more space. That's why we bought a small polishing machine "Dremel", polishing wheels and in November 2014 we started making the first pendants right there in the bathroom of the apartment, which were presented for Christmas as gifts to our closest friends and relatives.

2015. In May of 2015, the material collected in the fields and quarries was taken to the University of Tartu - Department of Geology to obtain a certificate that they are semi-precious stones. After two weeks from the time of removal, we received the certificates for the removed semi-precious stones. This only inspired us even more to build our own business and educate people about what can be found and made right here in Latvia.
2016. In June of 2016, the Gulbene County Council announced a tender for the project "Support for starting a business". We decided to try to compete in it. As we were teaching at that moment, we wrote this project and then went to defend it, taking with us the jewelry we had already produced at that time. Gulbene County Council supported us and funding was granted, for which everything was bought so that we could start making jewelry, selling at markets and for advertising. Over time, we realized that polishing with the small machines is almost impossible for the market, because they are completely different required volumes, so we really wanted to buy the big polishing machine that we had already seen from the USA (Cabking polished machine). We saw an advertisement that NVA (Employment State Agency) is holding a project competition "Support in business" and decided to participate in it as well. We wrote, and this project was also supported and therefore we were able to purchase this equipment from the USA. As soon as the equipment was sent to Latvia, in the fall of 2015, we hastily established our economic activity, we started looking for suitable premises where we could process stones. The first and fastest way to choose premises was in Gulbene - 16 square meters in the basement of the Lattelecom building. In the summer, our workshop also started to be visited by small excursion groups of max. up to 10 people we could accommodate. People began to show more and more interest in visiting our workshop and even large groups (up to 40 people) wanted to apply, but we could only offer to share the small room, and the guides were not always willing to share the groups, because it is a big waste of time. Therefore, we realized that we need to start looking for much bigger premises and put the emphasis not only on production, but also on excursions and start educating people about what can be found in Latvia and what can be made from it. In February 2017, we opened new workshop premises in Litene with two rooms and a total area of ​​96 square meters. An exhibition hall was set up in one of the rooms and the other room was like a workshop. We worked in Liten for 5 years. After that, the Latvian semi-precious stone workshop had a break for 1 year. The year 2023 has been for us with very big tests in life. Health, change of living place, search for premises for the workshop, moving the workshop and all this in one year. But many, many thanks to those people who were with us both physically and mentally. While we had a break, there were really a lot of calls from people who wanted to visit us on a tour. It only gave us strength and desire to continue what we started and not to give up! That's why we have moved our workshop to the cellar of the ancient manor barn in Alūksne with the official address Pils iela 29, but the entrance is from Ojāra Vācieša iela 1, Alūksne (opposite the new and beautiful Alūksne Tourism Information Center). Everyone is welcome in our new workshop for exploratory tours, who have a little interest in the topic of stones - semi-precious stones and what can be found in our beautiful land.

Sincerely, Ainis and Anita!