Tunisia is a storied land that pulses with the energy of many cultures. The Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Andalusians, and Ottomans all imprinted their knowledge, legends, and artifacts, weaving a diverse tapestry of human experience. This was Adel Chefridi's childhood playground.

When Adel came to New York City in 1998 and first experienced the Big Apple's rich diversity, he felt right at home. Inspired by his passion for gemstones, he was always on the hunt for color and light in the famed Diamond District. Adel taught himself the craft of jewelry-making before studying at both GIA and the Studio Jewelers School to fine-tune his skills in metalsmithing.

The first studio was located in the kitchen of a walk-up in Brooklyn before it was moved to SoHo. Adel built a following by showcasing his work at "maker markets" and in 2008 expanded the business to partner with retailers. Around that same time, Adel and his wife Corinne Jacobson decided to relocate to the Hudson Valley to raise their two daughters, and they moved the jewelry studio to Woodstock, then later to Kingston, and finally to Rhinebeck, where together they maintain the showroom and studio today.

Adel's designs have their own way of communicating with anyone who beholds them, transcending both language and time. A person from any part of the world can relate to the free and boundless concept of beauty, which is meant to inspire, uplift, and unify. Beauty honors the past, is grounded in the present, and looks forward to the future.

Adel has always been drawn to beauty. As a result, he has spent years looking for new ways to express it, and gemstones give him one outlet to do so. Like looking for antique coins in the old roads of Carthage, he is always on the hunt for the most striking gems - like moonstones, sapphires, tourmalines, and turquoise.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Tunisia, you'd see how it could inspire a sense of wonder and the lifelong pursuit of beauty. With the Mediterranean Sea as a backdrop, a wanderer can find treasure everywhere: pieces from ceramics, and fragments from old Roman mosaics. The origin of those objects is ancient, but the experience is new - and individual to every person.

The same way a traveler may be drawn to an intriguing destination, our customers are captivated by the ways our jewelry makes them feel. We love seeing them glow when they come to our showroom to try a coveted piece for the first time. They often look like they've uncovered a treasure.