THE PRESCOTT Gem and Mineral Club’s 22nd annual Gem and Mineral Show brings its bounty of nature’s treasures to the Findlay Toyota Event Center in Prescott Valley July 31–August 2. What started as a small local show in 2004 has grown into northern Arizona’s largest indoor rock-and-mineral event, and this year’s promises to be bigger than ever, featuring over 75 curated, top-tier vendors from across the US to entice visitors with a treasure trove of gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry and lapidary pieces.
Whether you visit to add to your collection, learn more about the earth’s gifts and how to repurpose them, or just enjoy gazing at dazzling stones, this event is not to be missed. According to Show Chair Dan Hunt, “We bring in a diverse group of vendors and keep the mix fresh.”
The show is the PGMC’s signature annual event, showcasing all that’s remarkable in the gem-and-mineral world. Some visitors attend to purchase gems for their beauty alone, while many others are there to add to their jewelry-making supplies. It’s interesting to think that jewelry-making goes back about 110,000 years. The Egyptians were pioneers in the creation of gemstone jewelry, as they believed stones like amethyst, carnelian, turquoise and lapis lazuli had spiritual significance, often in combination with gold.
What’s the difference?
Gemstones or jewels are minerals (and sometimes other types of organic material, like pearl and amber), carefully cut and polished for use in jewelry and other ornamentation. To qualify as gemstones, minerals must have three main traits: rarity, durability and beauty.
Minerals are naturally occurring substances with crystalline structures and specific chemical compositions formed through geological processes, such as metamorphic changes under extreme pressure and heat, evaporation of water rich in minerals, or the cooling of molten magma. Each mineral’s combination of elements gives it distinct properties, like color, cleavage, luster and hardness.
What to See
Every year the show includes some special, interactive events, like panning for gold, cutting a geode or the spellbinding fluorescent-mineral exhibit, set up in a darkened area where minerals that look dull at first glance a glow when exposed to ultraviolet light and lasers, a visitor favorite. The many live demonstrations through the weekend and activities for kids include face-painting, rock-tumbling and interactive displays, as well as raffle prizes and the popular wheelspin: for just a quarter, kids spin the wheel to win a special rock. Every spin wins!
The Prescott Gem and Mineral Show will be open Friday July 31 through Sunday August 2 in the Findlay Toyota Event Center in Prescott Valley. General admission includes a raffle ticket, and is $5 per person (cash only, ATM available), $4 for seniors, vets and students, and free for children under twelve with paid adult.
Interested in becoming a member?
Club President John Munday, quoted in Prescott Woman magazine, says, “The show is the most visible part of what PGMC does and how it connects with the community, but it’s only one piece. If you want to know more, we offer lapidary workshops, monthly rockhounding trips, and out-of-state excursions. There are also scholarship opportunities through Yavapai College.”
The Prescott Gem and Mineral Club usually meets on the first Saturday of every month at 9:30am at the Elks Lodge, 6245 E State Route 69 in Prescott Valley. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Find details and membership information at prescottgemmineral.org or on Facebook.
