Umar Gems

You can find Umar Gems over at No. 1752 on Ghee Walon Ka Rasta. It’s right in the middle of Johari Bazar, which is always crowded and noisy. We spend our days looking at stones and talking to people who walk in off the street. The shop isn't huge, but it fits everything we need. Most of the time, the street outside is packed with rickshaws and people looking for jewelry. We’ve been here long enough that the sounds of the market just blend into the background. Sometimes we sit out front and watch the world go by when things are slow. Dealing with gems takes a lot of patience and good eyesight. We don't use any high-tech stuff, just the tools that have worked for years. It gets pretty hot in the afternoons, so we keep the fan running constantly. The tea man comes by twice a day, and that's usually the highlight of our afternoon. People come to us because we've been in the same spot for ages. It’s a family thing, really. We know the neighbors and they know us. There’s no big corporate vibe here, just us sitting among the stones and doing what we know how to do. The floor is a bit uneven, and the walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but it’s our place and we like it that way.