About
Max Davis - Six Decades in Rare Gemstones
For more than sixty years, Max Davis has worked within the gemstone trade, building one of the world’s most substantial private selections of rare and unusual stones. His career spans traditional retail, international sourcing, private collecting, and long-term advisory relationships with collectors, jewelers, museums, and universities.
A Collector-First Philosophy
Origin & Material Integrity
Stones are evaluated as natural objects first, with emphasis on authenticity and character.
Disclosure & Documentation
Clear treatment notes and consistent labeling preserve trust and long-term meaning.
Long-Term Collectibility
Stability, rarity logic, and provenance drive selection—over volume or trends.
Max Davis
Born 1939 · 60+ years in trade
Origins in the Trade (Harrow, London)
This initial store established a practical foundation—handling real material daily, learning value through experience, and developing an eye for character long before “collector-grade” became a marketing term.
Expansion to Oxford Street
As the business grew, Michael Davis & Sons expanded to Oxford Street, establishing a presence in one of London’s best-known retail districts.
The Oxford Street shop went beyond traditional jewelry retail. It also included a gem and mineral gallery in the basement—an uncommon feature that reflected a deeper engagement with natural material, not only finished jewelry.
That combination—retail above and minerals below—reinforced a perspective that would shape Max’s later work: gemstones understood first as natural objects, then as gems.
Education and Early Specialization
In 1962, Max furthered his gemological education under Professor Robert Webster, one of the most respected authorities in the field. This formal study complemented trade experience with a disciplined, reference-based approach to identification, evaluation, and documentation.
From early on, Max was drawn to unusual species, rare localities, and stones with distinctive natural character—material that rewards close study and long-term appreciation.
International Work (New York & California)
In 1976, Max relocated to New York, later settling in California. Over the following decades, his work increasingly shifted from conventional retail toward private collecting, sourcing, and advisory relationships.
During this period, Max assembled what has become one of the largest private selections of rare and uncommon gemstones, emphasizing rarity of material rather than trend-driven demand, geological interest, and careful documentation.
Disclosure & documentation
Clear treatment notes and consistent labeling preserve trust and long-term meaning.
Long-term collectibility
Stability, rarity logic, and provenance drive selection—over volume or trends.
Today
Today, Max continues to curate and release stones from his private collection, making available material that is often difficult—or impossible—to source elsewhere. The site serves both as a marketplace and a reference point for collectors who value knowledge, provenance, and a long-term perspective.