This month we asked designer Katy Briscoe of Houston, “What’s the coolest thing in your vault?” Here’s what she had to say.

What’s the coolest thing in your vault?
I recently returned from a buying trip so my vault is filled with all kinds of dazzling goodies at the moment. Two of the stones that have my creative juices in overdrive are rough mint tourmaline crystals from Afghanistan. One is 45.57 carats and the other is 98.34 carats. Not only are they particularly fetching, but also special—these crystals were mined over a decade ago, and the mine is no longer producing material like this as readily. I count myself quite blessed to have found them—or on a more spiritual level, that they found me.

How long have they been under lock and key?
I just hand-carried them back earlier this year.

Why are they so cool?
There are several reasons why this duo of stones spoke to me both on a personal and a business level. In late 2011, I created my first paired set of one-of-a-kind pieces using two natural gemstones in their crystal (uncut) form. The resulting pendant and ring featuring 99.45- and 30.94-carat tsavorite garnets ushered me into a new frontier in designing. As an artist, I am always trying to stretch out of my comfort zone and to look to do something I have never done before. A straight-from-the-mine rough stone truly has to stand on its own inherent beauty—there is no cutting to fall back on for enhancement. Initially, the work of plotting how to set the stones to protect as well as to retain their beauty was daunting. But the worry melted into exhilaration once the final pieces were completed. Seeing the mint tourmalines immediately brought me back to that state. Also, many of my collectors like to have at least two pieces that can be worn together, and finding a matching mate to a natural stone can often be difficult.

Do you have any plans for them?
I have an initial design idea for the stones, but it is hard to know for sure at this moment if that concept will remain in place or morph into something completely different, as so frequently happens. In my creative life, I very much feel like a conduit that is guided by a higher source. While I’m eager with anticipation, I’m in no rush as I wait for direction. At this time, I’m certain the pieces are not quite ready to be born.