Our Story
Hi, I’m Emma.
Curator and Creative Director of Petros
For years, I’ve made jewelry from natural stones and minerals. During my day job as a therapist,
I rely on keeping track of time throughout my day, yet I never loved wearing a traditional watch.
I always worried it looked like I was watching the clock while working with my clients.
One day I found myself wondering if it was possible to combine a watch with my favorite stone and create something that felt more like a bracelet than a traditional timepiece.
The idea seemed so obvious to me.
A few minutes later, I was searching online and discovered John and his incredible craftsmanship. His hand-carved stone creations were unlike anything I had ever seen. We connected, shared our passion for minerals, artistry, and craftsmanship, and quickly realized we had a common vision.
Together, we created Petros.
While John brings the watches to life through his carving, I am typically responsible for sourcing the materials and helping design each piece. I have spent years learning about minerals, building relationships with miners and stone suppliers around the world, and traveling to gem shows in search of exceptional specimens worthy of the process. Every stone we choose must be beautiful on its own, but it must also have the character, durability, and uniqueness to become a wearable work of art.
Many of our designs begin as ideas, sketches, and digital concepts. Using AI tools, I explore possibilities, experiment with forms, and communicate my vision. John then transforms those concepts into reality through patience, skill, and countless hours of hand carving. What begins as a rough stone and an idea eventually becomes a functioning watch unlike any other.
Our goal is simple: to bring truly unique stone watches to people who appreciate natural beauty, craftsmanship, and the remarkable story held within every piece of stone. Each watch begins with material formed over millions of years and is shaped by hand into something that can be worn and enjoyed every day.
Petros was born from curiosity, a love of minerals, and the belief that some of nature’s most beautiful creations deserve a place in our daily lives.
If you’re the kind of person who stops to admire an unusual stone, visits gem shows for fun, or treasures objects with a story behind them, you’re in the right place.
Welcome to Petros.
About the Artist
John is a stone carver and lapidary artist based in Batu City, East Java, Indonesia.
His journey with stone began in 2015, when a gemstone boom swept through Indonesia. What started as curiosity quickly became a lasting passion. He learned by watching local craftsmen shape cabochons for rings and was immediately captivated by the incredible variety of stones, colors, and patterns found in nature.
For John, one of the most exciting parts of working with stone is its unpredictability. Every cut reveals something new. Hidden colors, intricate patterns, and unexpected details emerge from within the rough material, making each piece a discovery.
The idea of creating stone watches first took shape during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. With more time to think and experiment, John began asking himself a simple question: if stone could be made into jewelry, why couldn’t it become a watch?
Over the next two years, he carefully worked through every challenge in his mind; what stones would be strong enough, how they could be cut and drilled, what tools would be needed, and how each piece could be carved into a functional timepiece. With the help of a friend, those ideas became reality, and by the end of 2022 he began creating his first carved stone watches.
To John, the stone itself is already something special. Transforming it into a wearable, working watch requires patience, precision, perseverance, and a willingness to attempt what others might think is impossible. The process has taught him that we often do not know what we are capable of until we commit ourselves to achieving a goal.
While he appreciates all minerals, he is especially drawn to stones with dramatic patterns and dazzling color play, including jasper, agate, and labradorite. No two pieces are ever alike, and that uniqueness is at the heart of his work.
When he is not carving stone, John enjoys spending time at home with his family. He is the father of an 11-year-old son and a young daughter, and much of his life currently revolves around enjoying those everyday moments together.
Through his work, John hopes to inspire people to see stone in a different way, not only as jewelry or decorative objects, but as a medium with endless possibilities. His watches are a reminder that the limits of imagination are often overcome through hard work, patience, and perseverance.