About Me
“Fine jewelry is one of the few artistic endeavors where nature, science, and artistry work together towards a common aesthetic goal. Gemstones can be astoundingly beautiful directly from the Earth, but the magic happens when you combine the stone with a scientific understanding of light, the artistry of the cutter, and the imagination of the jeweler. As a gemologist one of my greatest pleasures is passing this appreciation on to my clients. I aim to give my clients transparent explanations of quality and price, so they can find their perfect piece without the intimidation of the traditional jewelry buying experience.” – David Pfaehler, GG
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David grew up in the northern Kentucky suburbs of Cincinnati attending high school at The Covington Latin School. Two weeks after earning a degree in history from Northern Kentucky University he followed his high school sweetheart, now wife, to New York City without much more than suitcase.
After months of job hunting and up for an adventure, David’s last interview involved having his eyes tested for their ability to accurately see color. Serendipitously he accepted a job at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), a non-profit institution dedicated to educating the worlds gemologists, research, and a gemstone and diamond grading laboratory. There he earned his Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) degree while working as a Quality Assurance Gemologist in the diamond laboratory in New York’s famed Diamond District. David’s time at the GIA allowed him to grade some of the largest, rarest, and historic diamonds in the world. He also had the opportunity to live, work, and train grading staff in Gaborone, Botswana and Johannesburg, South Africa.
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After working at the GIA for several years, David joined the renowned jewelry house of Harry Winston on New York’s 5th Avenue. At Harry Winston, he translated his education and grading experience from the GIA into negotiating and buying unique and expensive jewels. David routinely traveled to the world’s diamond cutting centers in India, where he built lasting relationships for sourcing stones.
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In 2014, after the birth of their daughter, the Pfaehler family decided it was time to return to the mid-west. David worked for an Ohio based multi-store jewelry company as their lead gemologist, diamond buyer, and appraiser. Using his years of education and buying experience, David helped customers purchase jewelry to celebrate life’s most important events.
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As Mark Twain (maybe) said “I never met a Kentuckian who wasn’t headed home.” In 2021 the Pfaehler family moved back to Northern Kentucky and founded CRBN Gems. David’s venture as a private client jeweler and gemologist gives him the ability to continue the work he loves and the flexibility to care for his wife, daughter, son, cat, dog, and guinea pig.
