Name: Matthew Lee
Owner and Lapidary – Creator of Dogman Treasures
I aspire to create one-of-a-kind jewelry for everyday wear.
My gemstone journey started when a family member introduced me to books on lost treasures as a child. Growing up in Michigan, it was the mystery of the outdoors combined with fascinating local folklore that sparked my desire early on to make custom jewelry that featured natural gemstones I’d find on my adventures.
When serving in the Marines, I was lucky enough to travel the world. In my free time, I would search for local geology in hopes of satisfying my need to seek out the various gems associated with it. My highlight was completing a Diamond-grading course while in Dubai.
My lapidary creations are rooted in jewelry created from local Michigan glacial deposits. However, my current favorite is a layered blue and white jasper/quartz from British Columbia, Canada called Ocean Picture Stone. Its icy blues and whites are spotted with beautiful browns which make it reminiscent of where it is found, near the shoreline.