Biography

Lee has a passion and interest for gems and minerals since a young age, and began learning to facet gemstones from his grandfather at the age of 9.  At 14 he started demonstrating gemstone faceting at the International Gem and Jewelry Show, in San Mateo as well as being an active member of the Contra Costa Gem and Mineral Society facetors guild. After completing his AJP from GIA in 2009, he began to research and experiment with automated faceting machines. Within a few years he completed building a functional automated faceting machine for concave curved cutting. In 2018 Lee presented his research “Impacts and Expectations for the 4th industrial revolution on gemstone faceting" at the 2018 GIA symposium in Carlsbad.  That same year Lee began entering faceting competitions in Idar-Oberstien and AGTA.

In 2020 Lee placed 3rd in the AGTA Spectrum awards, using both an automated and flat facet machine mixed cutting techniques.

Lee strives to push to boundaries in faceting and polishing technologies and techniques, while maintaining focus on gemstone faceting artistic traditions regarding the feel, touch, and sound a stone makes when being cut and polished.