Fatma Almheiri’s search for the perfect jewellery design turned into a journey across more than seven countries, leading her to some of the world’s finest sapphire deposits.
What stands out most in Fatma Almheiri’s memory of her journey to Sri Lanka’s Ratnapura region, renowned for some of the world’s finest sapphire deposits, is not crossing a fast-flowing river or the physically demanding work that awaited her at the mine. Instead, it is how the experience ended — with leeches.
“To some people, such journeys may look like adventures,” she says of her travels. “But to me, they are an essential part of understanding a gemstone. When you see for yourself the environment it comes from and the conditions in which people work to recover it, your perception of that same gemstone changes completely when you later see it displayed in the window of a luxury jewellery store.”
That hands-on approach sets Almheiri apart from many others in her profession. The Emirati field gemologist, gemstone dealer, jewellery designer and certified trainer founded Fatma Almheiri Jewellery Art in 2009. Since then, she has trained more than 400 students and professionals and completed nearly 38 field trips across more than seven countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
She holds a Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) qualification, along with several professional certifications in diamond and gemstone evaluation, jewellery design and gemstone cutting.
And her journey began with a simple drawing.
A question that changed everything
Unable to find a jewellery design that matched what she had envisioned, Almheiri decided to sketch it herself. That drawing sparked a question, which eventually led her to pursue a diploma in jewellery design, followed by a G.G. qualification in gemology. But studying gemstones in a laboratory was not enough to satisfy her curiosity.
“My curiosity eventually took me from the design table into mines and fieldwork,” she says. Her first field trip took her to Ethiopia in 2014.
“I have always loved to introduce myself as a daughter of the desert and the granddaughter of a pearl diver,” she says — a description that closely reflects her journey. Much like her grandfather once descended into the sea in search of pearls, Almheiri ventures deep into mines, driven by curiosity and a belief that what lies beneath the surface is worth discovering.
The stone that money cannot value
Twelve years and nearly 38 field trips later, ask Almheiri about the most valuable gemstone she has ever handled and her answer is neither a sapphire nor a diamond. Instead, it is a garnet.
“It was the first gemstone I ever extracted from the earth with my own hands. Its value cannot be measured by price. It represents the moment when my knowledge changed from something I studied into something I experienced.”
That garnet also taught her a lesson that continues to shape the way she approaches gemstones. On another occasion, a parcel believed to contain rough garnet revealed spinel after cutting, reinforcing the fact that rough stones can conceal qualities and identities that are not always visible to the naked eye.
The country she carries with her, and the path she built alone
While her family has remained a constant source of support throughout her journey, Almheiri says her Emirati identity is another source of pride she carries wherever her work takes her.
“Wherever I travel, I proudly carry my identity as an Emirati.”
Seeing Emirati-led projects operating across several African countries left a lasting impression on her. She also credits the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, through the UAE Jewellers initiative, with creating local and international opportunities for her and other Emirati talents.
“To be Emirati today means coming from a country that has created extraordinary space for us to dream.”
Working in a specialised field with few Arab predecessors, Almheiri says the lack of a role model never discouraged her.
“On the contrary, it motivated me to create my own path.”
She uses the description “first Arab field gemologist” carefully. While no international organisation formally awards such a title, Almheiri points to the path she has built through years of fieldwork, study and experience.
Five steps, one rule
For young women hoping to enter the field, Almheiri recommends following a clear path: begin with education, gain practical experience, develop an understanding of the market, learn from established experts and, finally, take part in fieldwork to experience the full journey of a gemstone from the earth to the market.
At the heart of her advice is one principle that has remained unchanged throughout her career:
“Study first. In the gemstone world, knowledge is not simply an advantage. It is what protects you and builds your credibility and reputation over the long term.”
