Jerry's Rock and Gem

Jerry's Rock and Gem . We specialize in rocks, minerals, fossils, lapidary and prospecting equipment, beads and beading supplies, gemstones, jewelry and jewelry repair! St. WOW!!!

Jerry's Rock and Gem was established in 1954 as Jerry's Agate Shop by a Boeing machinist named Jerry Appleton. He wanted to supply his own rock habit and to fill the needs of other rock hounds. Jerry moved the store to its current location in 1962, as the business had out grown the restrictions of his own home. Then in 1982, after years of enjoyment, Jerry decided to retire and sold the business t

o a friend of mine, Tom, a journeyman jeweler and rockhound. With Tom's help the business evolved from a Rock shop to a Rock shop, Jewelry design, manufacture and repair store. Then in 1990, Tom asked if I would like to buy the store from him. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK ME TWICE. Being a wholesale gem dealer and Hardcore Rock and Fossils Hound, I saw a fantastic opportunity to combine my G.I.A. training and love of gemstones, with my enjoyment of rocks and fossils. Now Jerry's would be a Rock, Lapidary, Jewelry and Gem store. The only thing left was Fossils and beads. I knew just the right person for the job, Joan, who has a Phd. in Paleontology and the trademark on Mt. Helens Emerald. Joan owned a Rock shop in the neighboring city of Tacoma. As luck would have it she was considering a change and six months later she joined us at Jerry's. Now we had everything we needed, but the name didn't quite fit anymore, so we decided that the name JERRY'S ROCK AND GEM was it.

Sunday is Father's Day and if you're still trying to think of something really cool to get for your father, maybe we can...
06/20/2026

Sunday is Father's Day and if you're still trying to think of something really cool to get for your father, maybe we can help. Here at Jerry's, we have Metal Detectors, Gold Pans, Rock Tumblers, and so much more that might please your father, and for Tomorrow's SATURDAY DOORBUSTER we chose this Fossil Fish from the Green River Formation. The Green River Formation is located in parts of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. 53-48 million years ago, while the Rocky Mountains were still forming, this area had a sub-tropical to temperate climate and several lakes. The flora and fauna thrived in this beautiful area of the ancient world, but of course there were times when very large Volcanic Eruptions covered the lakes with Volcanic Ash, cutting off the oxygen supply and creating Mortality Layers of the dead fish. A part of the Green River Formation, located outside of Kemmerer, Wyoming has yielded millions of beautifully preserved Fish with specimens representing over 27 species. This is considered one of the best places in the world for finding Fossil Fish. If you are interested in going to Kemmerer this Summer, let us know. We can give some good advice as to "who, what, where and when". In the meantime, if your father is the outdoorsy, adventurous type, maybe he would like this Fossil Fish Plate that we picked out for Tomorrow's DOORBUSTER. The fish is a Knightia eocaena, a small herring-like fish, that is commonly found in the Green River Formation. The Knightia was fossilized on this 4 x 6-inch piece of Limestone that dates back approximately 50 million years. The Retail Price for this Fantastic Fossil is $70.00 which means the DOORBUSTER PRICE WILL ONLY BE $28.00. That's such a great price, you might decide to keep it for yourself. If you have a slightly larger budget, we have also decided to put this beautifully framed and ready to hang Fossil Phareodus. The Phareodus is another freshwater predatory fish fossil found in the Green River Formation. The size of this fossil fish, including frame is 19.5 x 15.5 inches. The Retail for Fossil is $2400.00. The SATURDAY DOORBUSTER PRICE WILL BE $960.00. Hope to see you tomorrow.

Recently we've had quite a few people come into the store, looking for information about Rock-Hounding in Washington. E...
06/19/2026

Recently we've had quite a few people come into the store, looking for information about Rock-Hounding in Washington. Even though looking for cool Minerals can be fun and relaxing, it can be a little overwhelming for someone just starting out. Where can we collect? What will we find? How much can we bring home and how can we turn our new-found "treasures" into shiny gemstones or even a ring or pendant? We have many different Minerals here in the State of Washington: Quartz Crystals, Petrified Wood, Garnets, Amethyst, Agates, Chalcedony, Calcite, Gold and more. So, to find where these Minerals are located and even have some maps of the locations, it might be good to buy a rock-hounding book such as "Gem Trails of Washington" or "Rockhounding Washington, a guide to the state's best sites". You could also check with your local rock club to see when they are planning another rock-hounding adventure. The club's a good idea because it really is a good idea to go with a group or at least a friend. Get a canvas bag from the grocery store, some water to stay hydrated and a Rock Hammer, and yes, it needs to be a double tempered Steel Rock Hammer. Although not all of the Minerals that you collect will be hard, you need to know that Agates, Chalcedony and some Jaspers are a 7 on the Moh's Hardness scale. That means that they are harder than steel. In other words, if you use a construction hammer to try to break a rock, you will most likely break the hammer, and I know of at least 2 people who have had to have pieces of hammer surgically removed from their arms. Now, put your book, hammer and water into the canvas bag and get ready to start hiking (good shoes come in handy). You may find yourself walking along beaches, dirt roads, mountain paths and/or along desert sands, looking for beautiful Minerals. At this point I feel that I should let you know that there are some rules and regulations.
In Washington, rock and mineral collecting is generally allowed on most public lands with daily and annual limits. You can collect up to 7 pounds per person, per day for personal, non-commercial use. On BLM land you can collect up to 25 pounds of Minerals per day. Hand tools only, no motorized equipment and no digging or removing of protected items. What are protected items......Vertebrate Fossils, Meteorites, or Archaeological Artifacts without a permit which are generally only granted for scientific purposes. On Private Land, no collecting without written permission from the landowner. Rock-hounding is not permitted in National Parks, National Monuments, National Wildlife Refuges, Tribal land or Trust Land. Another good thing about having a book is that it will show you collecting spots where it is legal. We do have the Hammers and Books for sale here at Jerry's, and we can even help you identify the rocks that you have found. Advice and Rock Identification is free. Hope to see you soon.

Science Fiction is fascinating as well as a little scary. Raise your hand if you ever watched a Star Trek episode, or h...
06/17/2026

Science Fiction is fascinating as well as a little scary. Raise your hand if you ever watched a Star Trek episode, or how about "The Jetsons" (definitely just a silly cartoon......or was it?) In September of 1966, the weekly series Star Trek came into our homes and took us to places that "no man had ever been before". Glen's mom did not want him wasting his time watching Star Trek because she thought it was all fantasy. That didn't stop Glen because they had so many cool new devices, such as their communicators. "Beam me up Scotty" is now "Bring me a Turkey and Cranberry Hoagie" to the local deli on your cell phone. On Star Trek they had the "Replicator", a machine that could create objects on demand. Today, our 3D Printers can print everything from prosthetics to houses to edible meals. Researchers are even experimenting with printing human organs for transplant. Yes, I did say edible meals. Chocolate and cookies have been 3D printed along with pizza and even sushi. From surveillance drones in The Terminator to floating droids in Star Wars, flying robots have long been a staple of Science Fiction. Now, drones deliver packages, monitor disaster zones, shoot movies and are used in warfare. Did you ever watch the 1960's cartoon "The Jetsons"? They lived in a house that was voice controlled. It was cool that Jane could tell the lights to come on and they even had a robotic vacuum. Today it's "clap-on, clap-off" for the lights, and there are robotic vacuums that will keep your floors sparkling. (In our house, the Chihuahuas would turn a robotic vacuum into a weapon of destruction. In the movie "2001 A Space Odessey", Dave's computer would correspond with him and do what he asked, and sometimes not, like when it tried to kill him. I don't think that "Alexa" has tried to harm anyone, but I've heard of some big mistakes that she's made. It really is amazing to see how much of the Science Fiction that we watched years ago, has now become a reality. It's very cool, but then there's "The Matrix". In the series of movies, the AI that was controlling our world by using humans as organic batteries. The characters would plug into a computer and enter a virtual universe. Today, companies like Neuralink are developing brain-computer interfaces that could allow people to control machines with thought alone. I think that's where I draw the line.

It looks like it's going to be a hot one this weekend with temperatures in the 80's to 90's range. The weather may be p...
06/13/2026

It looks like it's going to be a hot one this weekend with temperatures in the 80's to 90's range. The weather may be perfect for hiking, biking, rockhounding, working in the garden and so much more as long as you use common sense. STAY HYDRADED! Drink plenty of fluids, even if you don't feel thirsty. Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing and sunscreen. If you do go outside, whether to work or play, place yourself. Take frequent breaks and sit near an air-conditioner or fan so that you can cool off. Do Not Leave Children or Pets in the Car. Even with the car window partially rolled down, it can still get dangerously hot in the car. The nighttime temperatures are supposed to be in the 60's and as long as there are not a lot of clouds it might be a great time to go outside where you can get a good view of the night sky.
And, for this week's SATURDAY DOORBUSTER I've picked out this beautiful Quartz Crystal. Early Studies, Roman Naturalist, Pliny the Elder believed Quartz to be ice, permanently frozen after great lengths of time. He supported this idea by saying that Quartz is found near glaciers in the Alps, but not in warm climates. Pliny's theory about Quartz lasted until the 17th century. Apparently, Pliny never traveled to Arabia. Quartz crystals are found in the central desert plains of Saudi Arabia. They are called Saudi Diamonds or Desert Diamonds or Qaisunah Diamonds. It's definitely hot there, but the crystals are fun to collect and look beautiful when faceted. Glen just mentioned that you can put tumbled Quartz in the freezer and then into your iced tea, to cool it down (they don't melt). The Crystal cluster that I've picked out measurers 9 inches long by 6 inches tall, so it probably won't fit into your iced-tea glass, but it definitely has a frozen ice look that may help you to feel cooler when looking at it. The Retail Price for this Crystal is $314.00 and that means the DOORBUSTER PRICE IS ONLY $125.00. Hope to see you tomorrow.

Well, I just don't know how to say this, but it finally happened.........I ran out of things to write about!! Is it pos...
06/12/2026

Well, I just don't know how to say this, but it finally happened.........I ran out of things to write about!! Is it possible that an alien came into my bedroom last night and sucked out all of my Brain Juices, or it just a Mental Block? If we were all in my living room, I would be taking out the slides that I took of my children, at the Grand Canyon, when they were young. Since I've got so many fantastic readers, perhaps you can help me out by giving me ideas to work with, preferably in the context of Rocks, Minerals, Fossils, Dinosaurs, Outer Space, the Oceans, and, of course, how adorable my daughter's drawings were. See, there I go again looking for unusual things to write about. If you do have questions concerning Earth Science, please send them in.

WHAT THE HECK WERE THEY THINKING? Let me start at the beginning. During the Cretaceous, our ocean waters were filled w...
06/10/2026

WHAT THE HECK WERE THEY THINKING? Let me start at the beginning. During the Cretaceous, our ocean waters were filled with large, voracious marine reptiles. Although we see a lot of movies about Sharks and Megs, some of the biggest and baddest on the block (if oceans have blocks) were the Mosasaur. Mosasaur refers to a group of extinct aquatic lizards in the family Mosasauridae, that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, approx. 100 - 66 million years ago. There were approximately 47 valid genera and numerous species within the Mosasauridae family, and right now the Tylosaurus seems to be getting a lot of attention. Remains of this genus have been found in Texas and is one of the largest ever found in the Mosasaur group. They measured up to 43 feet long, twice the size of a Great White Shark. They had a streamlined, torpedo shaped body, paddle-like fins for swimming and a powerful tail with a terminal fin for propulsion. With a large, robust skull, strong jaws and finely serrated conical teeth (rare in Mosasaur) and even a second row of teeth on the roof of the mouth to help grip slippery prey, this particular variety of Tylosaurus might have ruled the ocean waters. It could use it's reinforced, blunt snout to strike other prey and was capable of delivering head crushing bites. Of all the Tylosaurus, this one could probably be rated the #1 Bad A # #, and of course scientists just had to come up with a fantastic name to make this swimming reptile stand out as King of the Cretaceous Seas. So, what did they choose for a name..............TYLOSAURUS REX, or T Rex for short, and I, for one, think that name sucks. We already have a T Rex, and it seems to me that if we add another T Rex to the records it could become a little confusing. If your child says that they want to be a T Rex are they implying that they want to stomp around, roar and munch on hamburgers, or are they saying that they want to go for a swim, where they could butt other swimmers with their head and eat slimy raw fish? I guess only time will tell.

Depending on where you live, you may have a chance to see some very colorful Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) tonight. ...
06/06/2026

Depending on where you live, you may have a chance to see some very colorful Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) tonight. The Aurora is due to large bursts of solar plasma and magnetic energy ejected from the Sun's surface, causing colorful, dynamic and often visually delicate display of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth, called Solar Weather. When energic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in our atmosphere, they can cause the color glow that we call the Northern Lights, a beautiful display of colors (Green, Pink, Purple, Red and Blue that can cover the night sky. Due to recent activity on the Sun a strong Aurora is predicted for tonight and has been elevated with NOAA forecasting geomagnetic storm levels up to G3. The G Scale (G1 to G5) is used by NOAA to classify the intensity of the geomagnetic storm. The G3 means that, if the skies are not cloudy, we should be able to see a pretty colorful storm. If you see the Northern Lights tonight and get pictures, be sure to send them to us. And, of course, in the meantime, I've picked out this beautiful Amethyst Geode as Tomorrow's SATURDAY DOORBUSTER. The Purple color that I've seen in the Northern Lights reminds me of the beautiful, vibrant purple of the Amethyst. This Geode measures 10 inches tall, 11 inches wide and 6 inches deep with crystals that sparkle and a very nice Purple color. The Retail Price for this Geode is $564.00 which means the SATURDAY DOORBUSTER PRICE IS ONLY $255.60. This is a great DOORBUSTER at a Fantastic Price. Hope to see you tomorrow.

Where have I been? From Thursday through Sunday was the Las Vegas Gem Show, and Glen and I decided to make a quick dash...
06/03/2026

Where have I been? From Thursday through Sunday was the Las Vegas Gem Show, and Glen and I decided to make a quick dash down to the show and look for some items that we needed. This show always seems to wear me out. I don't mind dressing up but I want to be comfortable. While walking to the Convention Center it is hot. Then we go into the Convention Center, and they have the air conditioning on high, so you want to be sure you have a sweater. You spend the day walking through the 3-story Center, looking for the Gemstones and/or Jewelry that you might need for your business. At this show, you'll find Gemstones that you just don't see every day. Among other items, one really nice, faceted stone that Glen and I brought back was a Topaz. I realize that may not sound exciting, but I was immediately in love with this Topaz.
Topaz is a silicate mineral, known for its hardness, ranking 8 on the Mohs Scale. Topaz is found in many colors including Blue, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Red and Purple. Because Colorless Topaz is plentiful, it is often treated to give it colors. London Blue Topaz, Swiss Blue Topaz, Mystic Topaz and more are irradiated, heat treated, or plated. Natural Blue Topaz is rare and generally not found in the deep Blue colors associated with the London Blue. A few years ago, I learned how special a Natural Blue Topaz was when I asked a friend (who owned an Alexandrite deposit in Brazil) how his latest diggings had gone. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fairly large, Natural Blue Topaz crystal. I think he was prouder of that crystal than his latest Alexandrite. In the early 1900's the gemstone industry learned that by exposing the clear Topaz to controlled radiation, it could center the color in the crystal, creating a beautiful Blue stone for the Jewelry Industry. Back around 1995, Blue Topaz Jewelry had become very popular in the United States, encouraging the overseas market to send over irradiated Topaz that was still "Hot". Radiated Topaz stays radioactive for up to a year after treatment. These suppliers weren't waiting a year, meaning that those Beautiful Blue topaz were not yet safe to wear. So now, let's get back to the Topaz that we brought home. We got this fantastic gemstone from a dealer that Glen has known for a long time. This gentleman went over to the mines in the Ukraine and helped the miners to set-up a cutting house in their own country. Our Topaz comes from the Volyn deposit in the northwest portion of Ukraine, about 190 km from Kyiv. This deposit has been worked for more than 100 years and has recently been known for producing large and fine quality Topaz Crystals. The Gemstone we got is a 100% Natural Bi-Color (NO TREATMENT), Yellow and Blue Stone that weighs 15.3 ct. This exquisite Gemstone will cost around $4,500.00 and really is worth every penny. Come on in and check it out.

Are you making any plans for this Summer? The high gas prices and expenses in traveling, I'm sure that a lot of people ...
05/28/2026

Are you making any plans for this Summer? The high gas prices and expenses in traveling, I'm sure that a lot of people may be spending more time closer to home this year. But, if you do get a chance to go out and see new things, I've got some great Geological features in other countries, that you just have to see.
The first place is Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia. If you're a Star Wars fan, you would have seen this place in The Last Jedi. Yes, that huge Salt Flat does exist, but you'll have to go to Bolivia to see it. Salar de Uyuni sits in the Bolivian Altiplano, a high elevation plateau in the Andes Mountains. Around 40,000 years ago, a huge lake covered the region. The Salar is an endorheic or closed drainage basin. With no outflow water loss occurs only through evaporation. Snow melt and rain contain dissolved mineral salts, which settle onto the lakebed through yearly replenishment and evaporation cycles, eventually creating a massive salt deposit. How big is massive? Salar Uyuni is nearly the size of the state of Connecticut and 100 times larger than Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. But wait, is you scrape your shoe against the salt with it then look blood red like in the movie? Afraid not, you won't get a red "foot-print" from the Uyuni Salt Flat. The red effect in Star Wars was a creative choice, not a natural property of the salt. If you go you will see a vast white desert of salt but not the fictional red soil.
If you want to see color, you could go to Lake Hillier in Western Australia. Lake Hillier is the most famous of several Pink Lakes found in Australia. The lakes get their vivid color from a combination of extreme salinity, unique salt loving microorganisms, that thrive in very salty water and a micro-organism that produces beta-carotene, a red-orange pigment. Lake Hillier in Australia may not be as salty as the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia, but this lake still is 10 times saltier than the ocean. If you like the color Pink, you will love this lake.
Another colorful spot is the Blue Hole in Belize. The Blue Hole began as a Limestone cave system during the Ice Age. When Sea Levels rose, the roof collapsed, leaving behind this circular chasm, one of the largest Marine Sinkholes in the world. Around it lies a marine world teeming with life. Sharks, Angel Fish, and Coral Gardens. This area would be great to fly over so that you can get a full view of its beauty. It also has an ecosystem that needs to be protected. In other words, no plastic bottles, candy wrappers or cigarette butts. These are some pretty big adventures just waiting to be put onto your bucket list. I won't be posting again until next Tuesday, and I'll let you know some great things to see that are closer to home.

Memorial Day is on Monday and that might mean extra time off from work, barbecues and the beginning of Summer fun. But,...
05/23/2026

Memorial Day is on Monday and that might mean extra time off from work, barbecues and the beginning of Summer fun. But, at the same time, try not to forget that Memorial Day is dedicated to honor those who died while serving in the armed forces. This holiday originated during the American Civil War when citizens placed flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle and continues to this day through memorials, parades and visits to cemeteries, where flags are placed on the graves of veterans. Memorial Day Weekend is also a time to get out, go camping, rock hounding, play baseball, see a movie and/or so much more. Just remember to give a toast to those who have served our country so that we can keep the rights that we have. If you're out and about tomorrow, stop on in. We will be having a 1-day sale on all Jewelry that has Red, White and/or Blue Stones.......30% OFF.
Our Saturday DOORBUSTER for tomorrow will be this beautiful pair of 14KY Earrings set with natural Sapphire, Ruby and Diamond. The Retail Price for this pair of Earrings is $1900.00 which means the DOORBUSTER PRICE IS ONLY $760.00. This is a very nice pair of Earrings! Hope to see you tomorrow.

Address

804 W Valley Highway
Kent, WA
98032

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm
Thursday 10am - 5:30pm
Friday 10am - 5:30pm
Saturday 10am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12538520539

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