A Shared Passion

Richard and Rita Ashley have a passion for gemstones. However a greater passion they possess is sharing these rare gemstones. What good is a collection if it cannot be shared with and enjoyed by others?

Rita Ashley

The Designer

Most of the gemstones in Richard’s collection are too common for a museum, but they are still beautiful stones. Over five years ago Rita Ashley began designing jewelry with the gemstones from Richard’s collection. Each stone was purchased for it’s unique color, cut, and source, and she designs the jewelry pieces to reflect the uniqueness and beauty of each one.

One does not have to pay thousands of dollars for a custom-made piece of jewelry with beautiful colored gemstones. It was Rita’s desire to give anyone who wanted a one-of-a-kind piece the chance to have one at a reasonable price.Rita wanted to find good homes for all these gemstones. They need to be worn and enjoyed for what they are!

Richard Ashley

The Collector

Richard Ashley has always been interested in geology. As a child growing up in Central Texas, Richard would pick up interesting rocks, arrowheads, or whatever the earth revealed. In the early 1980s Richard purchased a welding equipment company in Australia. With a natural interest in geology and a self-developed ability to work with his hands, Richard bought some rough opal and taught himself how to cut the rough stones into gem-quality pieces.

Twenty-five years later, Richard Ashley has traveled the world as a collector of unique mineral specimens and a cutter of fine, rare gemstones. There are currently over 2000 gems and mineral specimens in his collection.

The following pieces have been donated by the Ashleys to the Smithsonian and are on permanent display in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

  • Burmese Spinel crystal

  • Blue Quartz crystal

  • Sinhalite (102 cts)

  • Paraiba Tourmaline (26.48 cts)