Romancing the Stones In Search of the World's Most Precious Jewels

He's part adventurer, part treasure-hunter, and part gemologist. He earns his livelihood in a way few dare: journeying to the globe's most dangerous reaches in search of precious jewels for his clients, who range from gemstone dealers and jewelry designers to fine jewelry retailers.

In a field where being inconspicuous is often the difference between life and death, Gene Dente stands a powerfully built 6'5". His eyes are piercing, his words deliberate, his movements precise. He speaks in calm, soft tones and has the steady nerves to thrive in a world where "fortunes are risked at every tap of the hammer," as gem cutters say. His vocation makes you reconsider how you quantify stress. His eyes study you, measure you, and you wonder what they have seen, from life at its most horrific ... to its most sublime, like the brilliant flash of green when a miner opens his soot-blackened hand, and an emerald is touched by its first ray of sunlight.

"My business philosophy is simple," Gene explains from his office at the Serengeti Company world headquarters in San Diego. "By going places few gem dealers are willing to go and taking risks few are willing to accept, I'm able to secure the rarest gems and obtain the best value for my clients."

His most dangerous travels have taken him to Colombia-off-limits by world safety and travel standards-in search of the most precious gem in existence, the Colombian emerald. "Emeralds are worth more than gold," Gene explains. "They're one thousand times more rare than diamonds, which makes them truly precious. The Colombian mines produce the world's finest emeralds, and, with this particular gemstone, you must be there to get the correct stones."

He remains in Colombia for up to three weeks at a time, working in a narrow office while miners, cutters, and brokers wait sometimes all day to show him their treasures. Selecting gems is a meticulous, tedious, exacting science where the slightest difference in color saturation, hue, tone, cut, size, shape, clarity, and crystal quality can affect the value astronomically. Ninety percent of the gems Gene sees are instantly eliminated, due to some inferior or unacceptable combination of characteristics. The remaining 10 percent require the most scrutinizing, and often less than one in a hundred ends up being purchased.

As a gem dealer, Gene is used to contrasts -studying hunks of raw stone and seeing the gem hidden inside. Colombia is a land of great contrast as well. "The Colombian people are gracious and dignified," Gene explains. "Wonderful, proud people. Their country is rich in history with a lush, beautiful, fertile countryside."

His travels have taken him throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. Different lands have different dangers. From the heavily armed guerrilla factions and drug cartels that rip through South America, to the wild animals in the African plains. But perhaps the most harrowing dangers are the tiniest. "I've had countless immunizations against all sorts of exotic diseases. Diseases that in America our bodies are not prepared to battle with."

Each culture has different manners in which they conduct business. "In Africa, negotiations can be loud and boisterous. In Colombia, voices never rise above a hush. Every word is slow, quiet, carefully chosen and respectful." One thing that's never a problem is the language barrier. "The stone, the weight, and the money are universal in all languages," explains Gene, who speaks a bit of numerous languages, from Spanish to Swahili. "Dinner is often a more difficult transaction than purchasing the gems."

The Serengeti Company took its name from the East African plains, which are home to the gemstone mines Gene first visited over 20 years ago. In addition to securing some of the finest loose diamonds and gems, Serengeti is renowned for their custom jewelry work. They have a full-time GIA graduate gemologist, a gemological laboratory packed with state-of-the-art equipment, a talented design team, and the manufacturing capabilities to turn a raw stone into an exquisite piece of jewelry that takes your breath away.

Gene is fiercely devoted to quality. Sometimes it takes a year and several trips around the globe to assemble an order for a matching earring, necklace and bracelet set. But to Gene, the risks and labor are always worth it. "Creating incredible pieces using fine quality gemstones, which are truly family heirlooms, is a rewarding adventure."

For loose gems, custom-designed jewelry, or estate jewelry appraisals, Gene Dente can be reached at Serengeti Company, (619) 230-1358.

Featured in South Coast Magazine Festival 2004