Derek Levin has been cutting and carving gemstones for about 20 years. He began with and continues to carve opals of the world as well as every other cuttable stone but diamond.

Levin has his work in the collection of at least two museums, the Houston Natural History Museum and the Headley-Whitney Museum of Lexington, KY. In addition, Levin's stones have been sold to metalsmiths around the country and the world. This winter, Levin also had the honor of an entry in one of the most prestigious gemstone auctions in the world conducted by Bonham and Butterfield Auctioneers of San Francisco and London.

Levin has also taught numerous workshops: in North Carolina; Massachusetts; Vermont; New Hampshire; and at the Gem show in Tucson, Arizona. He has also written extensively about gemstone cutting and carving in Lapidary Journal and Jewelry Artist Magazine. Professionally, in addition to stone cutting, Levin taught college English for 15 years.