Chapter 1. Why I Started Bravais: From Materials Science Researcher to Fine Jewelry Founder

Published January 15, 2026

I need to tell you something that might sound contradictory at first.

I'm a Chemical Engineering and BioMaterials Science professor at Northeastern University. I teach materials science, conservation principles, design lab, ethics, and run a research lab. I've spent my career in and running labs, teaching students how atoms arrange themselves into the Bravais lattices that define every crystal system in existence.

And I've been obsessively collecting gemstones since I was a kid.

My materials science background helps me educate you about gemstone treatments—I can explain exactly what happens when a sapphire is heated to  because I understand the crystallography and atomic-level changes. However, I'm not a gemological laboratory. I rely on documentation from reputable gem dealers and encourage independent lab reports for high-value purchases. My role is to help you understand the science, not to certify the stones.

The Treatment Transparency Problem

Let me be blunt: most jewelers don't disclose gemstone treatments.

Not because they're being deceptive—it's just "industry standard." Heat treatment, irradiation, glass filling, clarity enhancement—these are completely normal processes. But if you buy a sapphire ring and don't know it's been heated, you don't have the full story.

As a scientist, I can't operate that way. I know what those treatments do at the molecular level. I know why they work, how they affect value, and why some stones are heated while others aren't.

And I believe you deserve to know too. Nerd alert - it is also really fun to learn about!

That's why every piece at Bravais comes with complete treatment transparency. Not as a footnote, but as central to the story. When you see "unheated Montana sapphire" in one of my pieces, you'll understand why that matters—and why it costs more. When you see "heated" on another sapphire, you'll know exactly what that means for its value and durability.

No secrets. No fine print. Just honest information.

Why "Bravais"?

The name isn't random.

Auguste Bravais was a 19th-century French physicist who proved there are exactly 14 distinct ways that atoms can arrange themselves in three-dimensional space. These 14 Bravais lattices are the foundation of crystallography—the science that explains why diamonds are hard, why rubies are red, and why sapphires can be blue, pink, yellow, or even color-changing.

Every gemstone I work with exists because of these atomic arrangements. The Bravais lattice determines everything: optical properties, hardness, cleavage planes, how light refracts through the stone.

Naming my company after this felt right. It honors the science behind the beauty. It signals that I'm not just making pretty things—I'm creating jewelry that respects the atomic-level elegance of these materials.

The Inventory I've Been Building

For over 10 years, I've been collecting stones.

Not randomly—strategically. I wanted rare gemstones that tell stories. Stones with unusual provenance, exceptional color, or unique optical properties.

Here's some of what I've assembled:

• Paraiba tourmalines (Mozambique teal-green, including a 13.40ct statement piece)
• Sapphires (Montana, Padparadscha, color-change, and more)
• Benitoites (California's state gem, rarer than diamond)
• Premium ruby, alexandrite, emerald (unheated when possible)
• Mahenge spinels, demantoid garnets, bi-tourmaline, imperial topaz—the list goes on

I didn't buy these to resell at markup. I bought them because I fell in love with them. Because I wanted to own an over 10 carat heart-shaped Paraiba that glows like neon underwater lighting or fanta bright orange garnet (my birthstone!). Because I wanted unheated Montana sapphires from the Missouri River—American ethical sourcing at its finest.

Now I'm setting them into jewelry. Not to get rid of them, but to share them.

What Makes Bravais Different

1. I'm the only jewelry company founded by a chemical engineering materials science professor.

That's not a marketing gimmick. It's my actual qualification. My goal is to help you understand the science behind gemstone formation and treatments, how are lab gemstones created and why, and then you can make informed decisions.

2. Treatment transparency is standard, not optional.

You'll know exactly what you're buying and why it's priced that way.

3. Rare stones, not generic inventory.

I source stones I've personally collected from respected dealers and cutters. These include custom cuts, unheated Padparadscha sapphires, color change gems, benitoite that took years to acquire, Mahenge spinels from a single exceptional source. I love inclusions - fingerprints, rainbows, little galaxies inside each stone showcasing origin and treatments. Talk about unique.

4. The bombe ring signature technique.

I've developed a signature setting style: the bombe ring. It's a smooth, rounded form that can be grain-set (feminine, delicate) or hammered flush-set (masculine, substantial). It's my technical innovation, I love the way it highlights the metal and the gems, and it's customizable to showcase each stones beauty.

5. Sustainable health-first production.

I live with post viral (COVID) autoimmune Small Fiber Polyneuropathy, Sjogren's Disease, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and Dysautonomia/POTS. I know what it's like to build a business while managing chronic illness, and working full time as an engineering professor at an R1.

So, Bravais operates on a health-first model: I carve 1-2 pieces on good days, I take full rest on flare days, and there's no guilt about flexible timelines. I don't need to rush - I do this because I love it. This lets me create quality pieces without compromising my health.

My passion for health sciences also drives my research in my lab at Northeastern University in Boston - The Advanced Biosystems for Neural Engineering Lab (ABNEL). My research drives my knowledge and keeps me up to date on the literature for diseases impacting the nervous system and creating new materials and systems to study it. Read more here - https://abnel.sites.northeastern.edu/

Collection 1: "Stone & Wild Debut" Launches March 1

I've been carving all winter.

23 pieces, featuring some of the rarest stones I own:

• Paraiba tourmalines pendant and ring (including the 13.40ct flagship pear with rainbow inclusions pendant in 14k gold)
• Montana sapphire rings (unheated American ethical premium)
• Benitoite ombré constellation ring (multiple California gems in one piece)
• Purple spinel, Australian crystal, boulder, and Pedy Coober opals, Mozambique ruby with hexagon growth pattern—all untreated.

Every piece is one-of-a-kind. When it's sold, it's gone forever.

Launch day goal is: March 1, 2026, 10am EST

Email subscribers get early access 24 hours before public launch. If you're reading this and want first dibs.

What's Next

Collection 1 is just the beginning.

I have three more collections planned:

• Collection 2 "SPECTRUM" (Spring 2026): 27 pieces featuring bombe debuts, Mahenge spinel suite, teal sapphire trio
• Collection 3 "PHENOMENA" (Late 2026): Optical phenomena—dispersion, color-change, asterism, dichroism
• Collection 4 "HOLIDAY SUITE" (Winter 2026): Emeralds, pearls, tanzanite—holiday luxury

Plus two additional product lines if the response is strong:

• Vital Medical ID (Summer 2026): Medical ID jewelry that doesn't compromise on beauty (I made what I wish existed as a chronic illness patient)
• Bourgeoisie Fundraiser (2026): Activist jewelry benefiting food insecurity charities

103 pieces total across Stone & Wild. All backed by rare gemstone inventory I've been collecting to celebrate the world of gemstones.

Why This Matters

The jewelry industry has a transparency problem.

Treatments are standard but undisclosed. Provenance is vague. Gemstone education is dumbed down to marketing copy.

I'm changing that—one piece at a time.

Because you deserve to know what you're buying. Because materials science makes gemstones more fascinating, not less. Because rare stones deserve settings that honor their atomic-level elegance. Where natural gemstone "flaws" are features.

Welcome to Bravais Fine Jewelry.

I'm Professor Abby, and I'm so glad you're here.

Questions about treatments, gemstones, or anything else?

Email me directly: bravaisfinejewelry@gmail.com

I read every message personally.

Professor Abby, PhD is a Chemical Engineering & professor at Northeastern University and the founder of Bravais Fine Jewelry. She lives in Boston with her husband Ryan and two rescue huskies, Cheese and Draco, who provide quality control for all carving projects.