In Chicago: Where do Gemstones Come From?

In Chicago: Where do Gemstones Come From? The Story of Two Gemstone Stores (My Personal Pick)

  Last week during my presentation, I was confronted with a  simple question as to where gemstones come from and how do they get to their locations in Chicago. That said, I was totally caught off guard at the fact I couldn't simply answer this question. I needed a bit more time to explain the complexities of gemstone sales in the Americas and how the issues aren't simply with extraction from the source which leaves an environmental impact, it too is with the costs of labor at the mines in question and the politics of the spaces in which gemstones are sold in the Americas

Most of the time if you live in mineral rich areas (unlike Chicago) you can go panning (which involves going to gemstone site and going through "pre-shifted" gravel), a gemstone dealer, the mine itself, or in the already dug trenches where the gemstones are. However, internationally and in the US mining practices are highly unethical in terms of environmental devastation, but some are attempting to at least be ethical in terms of paying workers.  YET MANY MINES STILL UNDERPAY WORKERS.


In Chicago (and the broader area for the people who think the "other places' where the CTA hits aren't the city) there are under ten gemstone stores which would be the area's only means of buying stones aside from online sales.

The remaining of this article will describe my experiences in two of the gemstone stores in Chicago and explain their unethical or ethical practices. One will be a negative case study and the other will serve as a positive one.


Dave's Down To Earth Rock Shop (NEGATIVE STARS AND WILL NEVER GET MY BUSINESS AGAIN)

This is one of the oldest gemstone stores in the Chicago area and also serves as a SMALL museum of dinosaurs, fossils, and pre-historic life. The store is situated in Evanston on Main St. and recently relocated across the street from their original location. I have a long history with this business as a consumer of semi-precious and precious stones. From the age of twelve and up I have gone here to do some of my "gem hunting." However, it wasn't until very recently that I was able to explain the energy I feel in the store and articulate how this is perhaps one of the most problematic gemstone businesses in the city.

First, the stones sold at Dave's come from different lapidaries, gem hunters, and collectors meaning their locality is wide which can be both positive and negative. Even though some mining locations for certain stones being highly politicized the store does not shy away from taking gemstones from dangerous or unethical sources.

The staff in the space are not pleasant to Black presences, even though I have gone here since I was a child I feel extremely isolated in this space. Upon entering I am not greeted at the door, but instead followed around the store, needing to inquire for assistance. Yet, when a white couple walked in, or a White mother and her child, or a group of White teenagers they were all separately greeted and OFFERED help around the store. It wasn't until my second visit for field work that I was greeted with an employee who did not patronize me. This isolates certain audiences from the store and makes them feel like they can't come inside. The owner assures me and other Black customers they aren't racist. Yet, I understand he might not be, but the store promotes a policy which seems to glorify retail based racism and does not do a great deal for Black customers. Another instance is that White customers, (I hear) often receive information on the stones the buying even if they are super inexpensive, but when I spend a larger amount of money on a stone I almost have to pry information aside from locality from the employee who is selling to me.

They have terrible gemstone quality assurance.  Due to my many years shopping there, one practical concern of this space as a gemstone supplier is their tendency to "overlook" the quality of certain gemstones. For example, there have been at least two separate specimens I purchased from the store that were glued back together and a third piece that have a 360o fracture. That said both times when I reached back out about the lack of care on their part, they simply lifted the store no-return policy for me and gave store credit or the appropriate refund. Then, I thought what about he people that "can't" return their items if they are defective stones.

Overall, Dave's Down To Earth is a place where northside people go to learn about stones, it takes a whopping two hours by train to arrive there from Hyde Park. On several occasions the store has had the chance to support Black-jewelry projects, but only chose to support by offering sales. The staff, do not treat all patrons with the same respect, and the gemstone "sourcers" do not "care" about locality and quality to highest extent.

Image of a purchase from 9/23/2019

If you look at this illuminated image of the back you see a small hairline fracture. 

We can see this fracture stretches to one side of the stone. 

It also stretches to the other side of the stone. Indicating who picked it either did  not care about the stone or its quality. 

Precious Possessions LTD. 

Located near Jeweler's Row, Precious Possessions is a directly Chicago gemstone store. On the surface they might seem to be an overpriced version of Dave's but Precious Possessions is a bit more than that. I have had the honor or shopping here since I was twelve and know the owners. The store promotes more-so metaphysical knowledge about stones and follows different practices than Dave's. 

Precious Possessions does a great deal of quality assurance. From the obscene amount of stones I have bought from the store, never have I had to look greatly for quality. This is because the persons who do selection of gemstones are actively looking for imperfections and will not take stones with major issues. 

They do not take all sources for gemstones. The store actively does not have gemstones from more politicized  locations like Afghanistan and Iraq, and when it comes to stones like tanzanite with problematic entanglements they attempt to source only humanely. 

Secondly, the staff treat everyone that comes in with the highest respect. I've spend plenty of Saturdays at Precious Possessions and ever since I was a child I have never seen the couple who runs the space turn away anyone even members of the transient communities. (At Dave's There Is Effort To Keep Certain Persons Out.)

Overall, Precious Possessions is more accessible in terms of train and actually entering the space. The store promotes a more welcoming aura and makes persons want to walk in, versus at Dave's where you might feel as if you are taking up someones time.