Crystals: other than online, where do you get them?

[~*Ginger*~]

I was just wondering where you buy your crystals, other than online?
What are the stores called?
metaphysical?

someone is asking me, and there's no where around here to find any unless yu can catch the 'rock man' at the flea market.

So where else would one look other than online?

[mucgwyrt]

I buy mine from a 'hippy' market in the city I live in. It doesn't have a name :)
PS I should add its a permenant stall, there all year round, 6 days a week!

There are shops in the city too (called, inventively enough, 'crystals') but they charge maga-bucks.

[Rockprincess]

We have a lapidary here...you could try to see if there's one in your area. They sell supplies for working with rocks (jewellery supplies, rock tumblers, rock hammers, grinders...all kinds of rock work), as well as interesting minerals and crystals.

Good luck! :colorful:

[mucgwyrt]

PPS I dont like buying crystals online because I like to hold them and see if they feel 'right' before I buy :)
(I hope to get some turqoise this weekend)

[Mithrea]

Oddly enough, I buy mine at a "bookstore." That's a code word for witchystore apparently. You can also get them at craft stores. Michael's used to have a huge selection and you can still get chips and beads if you are desperate in the jewelry section. Also, for whatever reason, Books-a-million sometimes carries them in the science section near the kids section. And that's all the places I can think of where I've gotten mine :)

[Morr]

out here theres several stores specializing in crystals... some new age stores as well which carry crystals too..

thats about it..

[~*Ginger*~]

:hugz:
thanks ya'll!

[grnpuffer]

We have several annual gem and mineral shows. The big one draws dealers from all over the world- everything from big raw crystals (200 lbs+), dinosaur bones, jewelry made from gems, minerals, beads from africa and who knows what. It's my one day a year to window shop til I retch. I try to limit my self but can't stand not coming home with sparklies every year. My most coveted items are a small collection of daggars made from various semi-precious minerals, a ring made from meteor rock (talk about a wierd feel), a scrying mirror made from moon obsidian and a staff with a carved human skull on top that is so anatomically correct it gives most people the willies. Clearly I love my toys. What I've really enjoyed is that it seems that every few years a new mineral or gem is the hot ticket and everybody has it - opal, iolite, and bunches I can't pronounce. I come home with a pocket full of $2 items (mostly necklaces) and spend time playing with them. A few have a bit of a punch to them.

OK, now that drooling has commenced....
Most rock hound clubs have local show and swap events, and it's astonishing what you can find (IMO the rock hounds are even more interesting to watch- they're an interesting bunch). Our local natural history museum sponsors regular field trips/scavanger hunts for local gems and minerals (who would have thought that smoky quartz can be picked up by the bucket full out of dry river beds?). Likewise, the tourist shops sometimes strangely have crystals and other minerals that they claim are common to our area (tho if you look on the botttom of the boxes, the crystals come from china). Metaphysical shops and those catering to new age healers probably stockpile things.... but then I never buy magical items from those places... some of them give me the heebeee jeeebies. Better yet... learn about the geology of your area and go treasure hunting!

[fireswimmer]

http://www.gemdata.com/showl04.html

I love shopping at gem and mineral as well as gem and jewelry shows! This web site has a listing of them by month for 2004. I am not sure where you live but they are widespread! If you are interested in going to a show I reccomend checking it out.

Fireswimmer

[~*Ginger*~]

My daughter went on a field trip Friday, they went rocking, she brought home several pieces of rock.
She said they poured dirt out of a bag and ran it under water.
There was amythest, and smoky quartz, and a few other's I'm not to sure of, but it's cool!

She went here on her field trip.
Landrum's Homestead and Village (http://www.landrums.com/)

[fay]

i live in manchester england and i generally buy my crystals from a shop called murgens keep. it has quite a good range of crystals but im starting to want ones that they dont stock. does anyone know of anywhere that is near(ish) that i could browse for crystals. (so wanting some aquamarine, apparently its good for short and long sightedness)
blessed be

[mothwench]

PPS I dont like buying crystals online because I like to hold them and see if they feel 'right' before I buy :)
(I hope to get some turqoise this weekend)
*nod* i'm still looking for a crystal shop in my area so i can go crystal-feeling. :lol: i'm not going to buy a pig in a poke!

[Lunacie]

We have a wonderful shop here that sells crystals, other rocks, and a wide variety of crafty things. It's listed in the yellow pages under "rock shop". And theres another place called "Crystal Dock" that sells crystals and other semiprecious stones. Try looking in the business pages under Crystal... and in the yellow pages for crystals or rocks.

Rock, gem and mineral shows are good for finding crystals, and you can usually find a booth selling stones at most Renaissance Festivals.