Sanchez's self-described "weird pursuit" began in 2004. While studying at the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California, he fell in love with the ultra-magnified images of precious stones in his textbook. "These photos really touched that child-like part of me -- that part of me that's always, always ready to wonder at something," he said.

He bought his first microscope about 11 years ago—a bulky white device still sitting on a shelf in his studio. He enjoyed experimenting with it, but couldn't get the images he wanted out of his stones. Eventually, he invested in a high-quality microscope with a changeable lens, as well as a heavy table to absorb vibrations and a variety of small, movable lights. He also figured out how to mount a camera on top of the microscope and precisely control the focus with a computer program. Much of his equipment came from eBay and Craigslist, and some of the smaller custom parts, like a lens cap, he made himself.