Gaumer's Jewelry has been in business since 1967. Founded in partnership between Al and Mabel Gaumer and their son John and his wife Terry, the business has continued to grow with the addition of a third generation of jewelers and rockhounds through Bill Gaumer. Gaumer's carries a great selection of fine gold and silver jewelry, original hand-crafted jewelry, semiprecious and precious stones, lapidary equipment and jewelry-making supplies.
The giftware portion of the business offers books, coasters, vases, unique decorative items and beautiful hand-crafted jewelry boxes.
The giftware portion of the business offers books, coasters, vases, unique decorative items and beautiful hand-crafted jewelry boxes.
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Before becoming a rockhound, my first love was the life sciences.
It was 1965, and I had just finished my bachelor's degree at San Jose State in biology.
To become a professional biologist, we were required to take a statewide test.
I was pleased that I came in 30th out of about 200 test takers.
I also had the best grades in my class, so I was hopeful that I could get a job with the state of California doing fieldwork.
One day, the director of the California Department of Fish and Game came to our class to talk about employment opportunities.
It was 1965, and I had just finished my bachelor's degree at San Jose State in biology.
To become a professional biologist, we were required to take a statewide test.
I was pleased that I came in 30th out of about 200 test takers.
I also had the best grades in my class, so I was hopeful that I could get a job with the state of California doing fieldwork.
One day, the director of the California Department of Fish and Game came to our class to talk about employment opportunities.
Many years ago, my grandfather owned a gold mine in Dry Creek Canyon in Butte County, CA.
He named it the New Era Mine, to signify the new mining technology he was going to bring to the land.
He brought in a big compressor and jackhammers, rails and ore cars.
All of these were novel for the time.
After 25 years of active mining, my grandfather's left arm was badly broken when a cable broke loose from one of the ore cars on the incline.
He knew it was time to retire, so he sold the mine and the land.
He named it the New Era Mine, to signify the new mining technology he was going to bring to the land.
He brought in a big compressor and jackhammers, rails and ore cars.
All of these were novel for the time.
After 25 years of active mining, my grandfather's left arm was badly broken when a cable broke loose from one of the ore cars on the incline.
He knew it was time to retire, so he sold the mine and the land.
Back in high school, my brother Tom and I headed north to the Owyhee Canyon in southeastern Oregon.
It was 1955, and I was 15 years old at the time; my older brother was 16 and had just gotten his driver's license.
We decided to go through Oregon and cross the Owyhee River to get to the Morrisonite jasper diggings, at James Morison's ranch.
The area is quite remote, and we ended up getting lost.
Eventually, we found Vale, which we knew was close to Graveyard Point.
So, we decided to give up on the Morrisonite, and headed to Graveyard Point to dig for white plume agate instead.
It was 1955, and I was 15 years old at the time; my older brother was 16 and had just gotten his driver's license.
We decided to go through Oregon and cross the Owyhee River to get to the Morrisonite jasper diggings, at James Morison's ranch.
The area is quite remote, and we ended up getting lost.
Eventually, we found Vale, which we knew was close to Graveyard Point.
So, we decided to give up on the Morrisonite, and headed to Graveyard Point to dig for white plume agate instead.
Happy Camp Jade is found in Northern California, where Indian Creek flows into the Klamath River.
It's color is similar to Pulga Jade, but the Happy Camp Jade material is a darker spinach green.
Upstream on Indian Creek, there's another site where the material is translucent white.
Happy Camp Jade is very prized, as you may only get a pound of high grade material from a hundred pounds of rough rock.
Like Pulga Jade (Californite), it is actually Idocrase.
A man by the name of Kraft (a member of the Kraft cheese family) was instrumental in mining the first big deposit of Happy Camp Jade.
It's color is similar to Pulga Jade, but the Happy Camp Jade material is a darker spinach green.
Upstream on Indian Creek, there's another site where the material is translucent white.
Happy Camp Jade is very prized, as you may only get a pound of high grade material from a hundred pounds of rough rock.
Like Pulga Jade (Californite), it is actually Idocrase.
A man by the name of Kraft (a member of the Kraft cheese family) was instrumental in mining the first big deposit of Happy Camp Jade.
Nipomo, California, was our destination.
It was 1952, and we were on a quest to find marcasite.
Marcasite is iron sulfide, which can be found in fragile, flower-like, plume structures.
If the iron sulfide is encased in chalcedony, the beautiful plumes are preserved making for beautiful gem material.
We had learned about the deposit of marcasite from the field guide, "California Gem Trails" and wanted to make the trip.
The land was owned by Louie Freddy and he allowed visitors to dig on his ranch for a small fee.
It was 1952, and we were on a quest to find marcasite.
Marcasite is iron sulfide, which can be found in fragile, flower-like, plume structures.
If the iron sulfide is encased in chalcedony, the beautiful plumes are preserved making for beautiful gem material.
We had learned about the deposit of marcasite from the field guide, "California Gem Trails" and wanted to make the trip.
The land was owned by Louie Freddy and he allowed visitors to dig on his ranch for a small fee.
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