Welcome to my shop!
Collecting minerals in Brooklyn, NY, where I grew up, is quite a challenge. Nonetheless, my interest was sparked in 5th grade with a gift (from my teacher!) of a small boxed collection. I was hooked. By age 20 I had already been collecting for a decade, had started cutting gems (lapidary) and was majoring in Geology at Brooklyn College. A career in mineral research seemed like a good idea, and I was accepted at the Harvard Graduate School where I received a Masters (in Geology, 1967) and PhD (in mineralogy, 1970). My collecting background made me an ideal candidate for a newly created research position at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and I wound up spending 3 years as a Curator and Research Scientist at the National Museum.
I had already been doing gemological testing while in graduate school, but in 1976 I made this occupation somewhat more official by becoming a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. I received my FGA diploma with honors and also (as the first ever American recipient) the Association's Tully Memorial Medal for excellence in gemology. A year later I founded and named the Accredited Gemologists Association, and as its President for 3 years I expanded its membership nearly 10-fold. The AGA is still going strong with ongoing activities and members all over the world.
I started my own gemstone marketing company in 1974 and since then have traveled to more than 35 countries, sometimes with my wife Debby who is a well-known jewelry designer. We had many adventures together in exotic places. In fact, she was the first woman ever allowed into the emerald mines in Swat, Pakistan, and was quite a 'center of attention' in Peshawar, near the Khyber Pass, while I was occupied buying tourmalines!
Early in my gemology career I started writing books (two of them while still at the Smithsonian); at this point I have published 7 books on gems, minerals and crystals, including the world's most-used reference book on gemstones (Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones, 1st ed. 1977 Van Nostrand-Reinhold, 2nd ed. 1987) and the all-time best selling introductory book on gemstones (Gems and Jewelry, 1975, Bantam Books) with more than 1 million copies in print in 4 languages.
I have finally decided to part with some of the many gems and minerals I have accumulated over the past 60 years. A number of these items are from localities that no longer exist as productive sources and are therefore "vintage" in the truest sense.
Many of the gemstones are illustrated in my published books and articles. The collection includes rare stones, commercial stones, museum-quality gems, carvings, art objects, gem rough and books, as well as mineral specimens and single crystals.
You can rely upon getting from me exactly what is represented in my descriptions.
I am widely considered to be the leading authority in the U.S.A. on colored gemstones and I stand behind the authenticity of everything I offer for sale.
I can send a complete CV and Biography upon request to: joelarem [!at] gmail.com, or you can view it by going to my website at: www.joelarem.com
On my website I have also provided a complete copy of the 2nd edition of the Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones, including all text and photos in the form of a group of pdf files. Many of the gems that are shown in the Encyclopedia photos are ones that are in my personal collection and are available for sale. Please write to me if you want to verify the availability and cost of anything you see in the book. In a way it is a kind of "color catalog" of the items I am offering for sale.
I will be happy to share with you whatever information I have regarding gemstones, minerals, collecting sites and experiences, and perhaps some of the interesting stories behind the objects I have acquired over many years.