The Rockshop at Harties

We load the last 2 tons of massive Butter Jade boulders in Pretoria using a block and tackle, because the stones are far too heavy to lift by hand. With a Hilux and a long chain, we drag the huge jade boulders into position and after two hours of hard work, everything is finally loaded. We take the long road back to the Rockshop in Hartbeespoort, transporting rare, heavy natural jade. At the Rockshop, the large Butter Jade pieces are offloaded by hand, and where they land is where they will be sold and dispatched. The video ends with a visit to Chameleon Market, showing how raw Butter Jade boulders are transformed into world-class stone sculptures.

Our ten large boxes from China have arrived. We unpack everything in the parking lot, and the excitement is real. Each box is a surprise filled with beautiful treasures. Inside the boxes you will find: ✨ Freshwater pearls ✨ Gemstone jewellery ✨ Bags filled with loose gemstones ✨ Shell pearls ✨ Gemstone lights and unique gift items Our shop is now full of affordable stock again. Silver Hills looks like it did in the old days. Packed shelves, great prices, and something for everyone. Customers are already driving long distances to visit us. The staff is excited, and the shop is buzzing with energy. We are working hard to get everything onto the shelves. 📍 Silver Hills is definitely worth a visit right now! Come and see the new gemstone stock for yourself.

Today I’m in Ketang, China , visiting my friend Yulon at his home. His house is humble, and I feel honoured that he invited me inside. When we arrive, he shows me his name painted on the wall — written by himself with a large calligraphy brush. He even painted the names on his neighbours’ houses. His brush skills are incredible. This is what real rural China looks like. Inside his home, he serves me traditional tea with parched rice and peanuts . A simple but beautiful gesture of hospitality. His wife shows me how she strings beads to earn extra money. Beads are placed on two rolling bars, and she slides a needle through them. The beads almost “jump” onto the string. She earns only 10–15 USD per day (about R250 ) and receives just 0.20 RMB per string. For higher-quality beads she earns 0.50 RMB per bracelet, but selecting the best stones takes much longer. Then we visit the local gem mall , where I buy some inexpensive jewellery and get a real feel for the markets in rural Chi...

Ever wondered how they drill holes in irregular gemstone beads? This video shows the entire process. We visit a gemstone factory hidden in a residential area. There are hundreds of small gemstone workshops like this. This factory makes beads and drills holes in quartz crystals and irregular stones. We travel there on Yulon’s 20-year-old bike. Up one flight of stairs we enter a world of noise and activity. The factory is buzzing with workers. Two beads are drilled at the same time. A vibrating shaft with metal rods creates friction. A mix of abrasive powder and water cuts straight through the stone. The hole is drilled from one side and finished on the other. It is surprisingly fast. But the work is repetitive and exhausting. We walk to the next floor, but it is not operating today. This is real gemstone manufacturing in China. Raw. Loud. Authentic. Watch how beads are drilled from start to finish. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes gemstone videos, subscribe today. Don’t...

Today we take you inside a world few people ever get to see—the heart of a small bead-making workshop in Ketang, China. I ride through the busy streets with Yulon, who worked at this factory just a week ago. His motorbike is more than 20 years old, and let me tell you… riding through Ketang traffic on that thing is a CRAZY experience all on its own! Our first stop was a factory that turned out to be closed, but we didn’t give up. We set off again and eventually arrived at a small working bead shop—when I say “factory,” it’s really just two hard-working men shaping gemstones by hand. They were cutting Brazilian quartz crystals into perfect little cubes using a thin 1 mm diamond saw. Each crystal is inspected, chosen for its clear areas, and sliced down by hand. Some cubes come out large, others small, depending on the stone. From there, the beads normally go into the next stage where they are rounded—but that machine wasn’t running today. After rounding, the beads are polished until ...

Today I take you along on my early-morning walk through Guangzhou as I head from my hotel to the famous Liwan Plaza . I stayed at a 7 Days Inn, and like most newcomers to China I expected the city to already be buzzing… but I quickly discovered something interesting: China doesn’t wake up early. Shops stay open late, and the streets only start getting busy after 11 AM — which meant I stepped out into a surprisingly quiet city. On my way, I explore the walking street near Liwan and come across the beautiful bronze sculptures placed along the path. They capture daily life in old Guangzhou and add incredible character to the area. It feels like walking through an open-air museum. Then I enter Liwan Plaza , and honestly… I am blown away. Floor after floor, shop after shop, stacked with stock — jewellery, packaging, beads, displays, tools… everything you could imagine and more. It’s overwhelming in the best way possible. I eventually find the small shop I’ve been looking for: the one...

Join me as I take a slow, curious walk through one of Guangzhou ’s most authentic local markets in the heart of the Liwan district . The streets are old, cobbled, and alive with colour, sounds, and the smell of fresh produce. This is not the tourist version of China — this is real daily life. From stalls overflowing with incredible vegetables to traditional meat sellers preparing cuts on wooden blocks, this market has everything. I pass fishmongers splashing water over tanks filled with live crabs and fish, chickens with their feet and heads still on, and even a jet-black chicken — something you don’t often see in South Africa ! Eggs of every shape, size, and colour line the tables. People chat, bargain, laugh, and go about their day. Right there on the street, barbers cut hair under umbrellas, and on my second day I even sat down for a street beard trim — a uniquely Guangzhou experience I'll never forget. Walk with me through the Liwan market and see this vibrant worl...