Desert Gems

Friendly staff, good selection, great prices, A must for stone crafting. I’ll be back. Worth checking out.

This is a great place to go to if you are into rocks or making jewelry or bead based accessories. I was there to check out their rocks more than anything. It’s a big shop with tons of stuff. They had lots of small rocks, animal shaped rocks, cool rare rocks and some big expensive rocks.
My price range tends to be anywhere from .50 cents to 100 bucks or so when I’m buyin rocks so they had a lot to choose from. First time I came here I got a jasper wand, little vanadinite cluster, small tourmaline and azurite pieces, a Pakistani onyx egg and some display stands. About 40 bucks for the lot so not too bad. They had an amazing pyrite sphere that was a little too much the first time, but when I went back to get it about a week or so later it was gone. I was disappointed and all I got the second time around was a great quartz cluster for a steal at ten bucks.
Some stuff tends to be on the expensive side but overall there’s cool stuff to be had. It seems like they rotate their inventory and the place was pretty damn busy both times I went. Staff was friendly enough both times I went. Would definitely recommend Desert Gems if you’re even remotely into rocks. It’s a big store that’s fun to browse and you can def find some nice pieces for your collections.

I love gems and minerals. I have visited many Rock shops all over Colorado and this is the best option in the Denver area for cheap beads and minerals. They have lots of small rocks and they are all decently priced. I get all of my citrine and amethyst points for projects here as they have the best price and selection. They also have a section in the back with raw unpolished rocks that you can polish yourself.
They also have a wide variety of jewelry making supplies such as wire for wrapping, beads, clasps, and chains. They have their own parking lot that wraps around the store.

Great selection of gems, large pieces and small wrapping stones as well!
I myself don’t wirewrap of make jewelry but it looked like the perfect place for someone who does.
The stones on the other hand are right up my alley. They had some beautiful pieces and great prices on most things. I bought a beautiful large slab of labradorite for only 7 $! The woman behind the counter was very nice, we talked about our experience crystal mining in Arkansas.
that was only my first experience, I can’t wait to return!

It is getting a little ridiculous with how often not only I go here, but the boyfriend as well. Great prices. The raw bins are AMAZING! We need to invest in a tumbler. Location is a little odd. You can’t really tell its desert gems, just a bead and rock shop. They seem to have updated inventory often enough. I do? A couple of specimies, citrine points, but everything seems pretty legit! We will be back. obviously!

Was visiting from Cali and decided to pick-​up some fossils and rocks for my little sister who wants to be a geologist. There were some nice items but once the hungry overweight old lady behind the counter (I’m assuming she was the owner) announced it was closing time and everyone needs to get what they’re going to get. I kinda thought that was rude but I was like Whatever. Then she said under her breath…“I have other things to do”. Hmmm, I don’t know about you but I call that bad business. Its pretty sad these days, it seems like more and more people are losing their common courtesy. SMH

I’ve been to most every bead store from Littleton to Fort Collins. Desert Gems has a huge selection of findings, along with an entire wall of gemstone beads. Even when I really only go in for one thing, I always come out with a bag of great stuff. Staff is nice, too. Always worth the 40 minute drive from my house!

When I lived in Denver I thought this was a good store. But since I moved to Phoenix I can’t get rid of them. They keep sending me e-​mails and I keep telling them to take me off their list and they never do and I still get e-​mails. I told them last time if they did not take me off I would write a review online to complain. Obviously they still did not listen and have not listened to my repeated attempts over about 4 months to get off their e-​mail list. Run away when they ask for your e-​mail address!!!

Desert gems is one of the worst places for customer service. Ive never been to a local gem store that is so rude to their fellow locals. They are not helpful and act as if your an inconvience for shopping there. I am a jewelry student at metro university, so I would shop their often for supplies, but cannot get past how rude they are. I am not the only one who believes this to be true, all my fellow students feel the same and refuse to shop there. That is also what makes me think these Reviews are fake, because everyone i talk to about how rude they are, agree and do not shop there. They are loosing local business due to their attitudes, Which is so easy to change. Hopefully they can do that so some day i can shop there again.

Love this place! Great service and so much to see and explore. It’s a great place to find gifts-​though next time I’m shopping for myself:-) I can’t wait to go back when I have more time.

Can’t find common ground with your teenage girl?
You can find it here in Lakewood! This is a great place to explore with anyone you have trouble talking to. There are so many interesting bits and pieces to look at, pick up and touch that disagreements and conflicts fade away. Fossils, beads, stones, silver and rock art all beg from the shelves to be handled. It’s a wonderful place to create jewelry projects as well as accessorize your latest (or oldest) outfit.
The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful with whatever undone projects you bring in. They also offer jewelry making classes.

I’ve just started metalsmithing and love this place. Excellent prices and great selection of «cabs».
Very friendly and helpful staff.
Only downfall is location. Traffic is bad at that intersection, and when coming from the south you have to get on Wads. heading Nouth. Worth the drive though :)

* Star one is for just being a bead store, thats awesome
** Our friend, star number two is for its easy to find location right off of highway 6
*** My third star is a shout out to their awesome array of classes for the low low price of $ 30
**** The last and fourth star is for its down-​to-​earth-​ness… The store is not stuffy or overpriced
Desert Gems is located in a small strip mall off Wadsworth in Lakewood. What I like most about this bead warehouse is that they offer classes for usually about $ 30, then give you a $ 30 gift certificate to use in the store. The «get you in and make you stay strategy,» gotta love it.
Did you know that it is recommended to stretch your sting prior to stranding? Simply wet the string, stretch it with your hands and then hang it over a door or hanger until dry. Necklace and bracelets stretch over time… to help avoid this, pre-​stretch the string even if it says on the package that it is already stretched… One of the many things I learned just by asking where the silk string was.
From clasps to tumblers to bookends and pendants, Desert Gems has a large variety of beading supplies… high-​end and low-​end alike, it is affordable for an array of budgets. I wouldn’t really suggest their bead strands, as they are not that impressive or unique, but I would suggest this place for the basics such as findings, separators, and small classes.
What I like most about Desert Gems is that you are among other bead junkies… ask any question and there is always someone with an answer or a question dumber than yours.
Bead on.