Ryan Ross, gemstone cutter in Saskatoon, is offering services otherwise not found in the province (Photo supplied by Ryan Ross)

By NC Raine, Local Journalism Initiative

Canada’s only Indigenous coloured gemstone lapidary is a cut above

Aug 19, 2024 | 10:31 AM

Ryan Ross has an unusually rare vocation − gemstone cutting.

He wasn’t raised in the lapidary tradition, but rather became unexpectedly captivated by it around the same time he decided to get married.

“While I was searching for an engagement sapphire for my partner, I was looking at all these gemstones and fell in love with how every one had a different reflection and design,” said Ross. “It was something I’d never seen before.”

The Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Saskatoon resident, said he was working at the Dakota Dunes Casino when COVID-19 and shut everything down.

Rather than just sit at home, Ross saw it as an opportunity to pursue his newfound passion. He researched gemstone cutting machines, bought one online from India, and taught himself the trade using books and YouTube videos.

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