Dixie Gem

Dixie Gem has been serving Greenville and Upstate SC Rock Hounds, Lapidarists, Rock Collectors, Gemstone Aficionados, Naturopaths, and more for over 50 years. In addition to their extensive selection and varieties of Rocks and Gems, they offer Crystals, Minerals, Meteorites, Agates, Geodes, Fossils, Shark Teeth, Ammonites, and an almost endless variety of earthly treasures. John and Larry Turner, twin brothers and Lapidarists, turned their hobby into a business when they purchased the store in 1986 from the original owners. They are certainly the experts on all things geological in Greenville and Upstate SC. In addition, they proudly feature local artists and collectors with many Vintage and Estate Jewelry pieces on consignment. The rich selection of Crystals is almost certain to meet any healing needs for New Age Practitioners, Metaphysicians, etc. For the Turners, Dixie Gem is about offering a varied selection of natural wonders, educating customers and helping them identify their own geological finds. The brothers purchase inventory from gem shows and collectors, with some items like polished stones bought from wholesalers. Each item has a label stating what it is and where its from. One of Dixie Gems rarest items was found just up the road. Angle-plated quartz, a grid-like formation with tiny quartz crystals, is only found in northern Greenville County, the brothers say. A housing community was developed on the site, so similar formations are now impossible to find. Dixie Gem also has two rocks that were formed in 1945 when the first atomic bomb was tested in New Mexico and Quartz with Fluorite from Hunan Province China. Someone once told me we should charge admission like museums do, Larry recalls. I asked him if I should start with him and he said the next customer.