Pacific Northwest Gemstones: What Makes Them So Special?
If you've spent any time browsing our jewelry — either online or at a market — you've probably noticed something we come back to again and again:
Pacific Northwest Gemstones
There's a reason for that.
Living and working here in Oregon, we're surrounded by some of the most unique and beautiful stones you'll find anywhere. And the best part? Many of them are collected locally, cut locally, and turned into one-of-a-kind pieces right here in the Pacific Northwest.
Why We Love Pacific Northwest Gemstones
There's something different about stones that come from places you know.
From the high desert of Eastern Oregon to the rivers, mountains, and coastline, each stone carries a sense of place. These aren't mass-produced or imported materials — they're often hand-collected, naturally formed, and completely unique.
No two are ever exactly the same — and that's a big part of why we love working with them.
Locally Sourced, Locally Cut
Another reason these stones are so meaningful to us is how and where they're processed.
Many of the materials we use for our jewelry are found by us or sourced from local rock shops or gem and mineral shows in the region. I've even found some nice pieces on Facebook Marketplace! There is a never-ending supply.
We have most of our Pacific Northwest gemstones (like the ones above) cut locally at Neukomm Rock & Gem Shop, a long-standing shop right here in Corvallis. Working with a local lapidary shop means we know exactly how our stones are handled from start to finish — and we're able to support another small business in our own community.
And when it comes to Oregon Sunstones, all of ours come from Spectrum Sunstone Mine in south central Oregon. These stones are known for their incredible natural color and copper shimmer, and it's important to us that we know exactly where they come from. We also make at least one trek each summer to go mine our own stones.
Being able to trace our stones back to specific places — and specific people — is something we truly value.
A Local Gemstone Expert We Love
One of the things we really appreciate about being part of the Corvallis Makers Market is the community of talented vendors — and one standout when it comes to Pacific Northwest stones is Jody Eaton of Northwest Stone Chaser.
Jody has spent years collecting PNW gemstones herself, and her booth is always full of:
- Polished rocks
- Cut slabs
- Raw specimens
- Handmade jewelry with her own finds
If you're curious about these stones beyond finished jewelry, her booth is a must-stop. It's a great way to see the raw beauty of these materials before they're ever set in silver.
She doesn't have a website, but you can visit her in person at the Corvallis Makers Market — and if you've read our blog series about how the market was rebuilt, you'll recognize her as the one who stepped in and made it all happen.
Our Favorite Pacific Northwest Gemstones
Here are some of the stones you'll see most often in our jewelry:
Oregon Sunstone
Oregon Sunstone is one of the Pacific Northwest's true treasures — and one of our favorites.
These stones are known for their warm, glowing colors ranging from soft champagne to peach, pink, and even deep red and green. Some have a natural shimmer called schiller, caused by tiny copper inclusions inside the stone.
Our highest quality stones are sent to a friend who facets them like the stones below, and the rest get cut into cabochons for pendants. We rarely put Oregon Sunstones into ring settings because they are soft and tend to scratch easily.
Because we source directly from Spectrum Mine, we're able to offer stones that are:
- Mined by us right here in Oregon or sourced from our local rock shop
- Cut by people we know
- Completely unique in color and character
If you see Oregon Sunstone jewelry come available in our booth or on our website, know that they don't usually last very long — especially stones with any color or shiller.
Holley Blue Agate
If you've followed us for a while, you know this one is a favorite.
Holley Blue Agate is found near Sweet Home and Holley, Oregon and is prized for its soft, dreamy blue tones and banding. It's subtle, calming, and incredibly wearable — one of those stones that goes with everything.
It's also harder to find, which makes each piece even more special. Most of the land where it's found is privately owned timberland that is no longer open to the public.
Our Holley Blue Agate jewelry is also popular both online and at markets. Local rockhounds covet this gemstone and tourists like to take a little bit of the Willamette Valley home with them.
Montana Agate
Montana Agate may not be from Oregon, but it's still a Pacific Northwest favorite.
These stones are known for their natural inclusions and dendrites — often resembling landscapes or abstract artwork frozen in stone. And, they are only found in the Yellowstone River and its tributaries.
Gary Green Jasper
Also known as Larsonite or Petrified Bog Wood, Gary Green Jasper is known for its incredible mix of browns, greens, blues and striped patterns.
It's a newer favorite in the jewelry world, and every stone has a really distinctive look — and is always popular in our booth. These also don't last very long in our market booth.
Various Other PNW Gemstones
These are other stones from the region we have used in our jewelry:
- Owyhee Picture Jasper — often look like tiny landscapes
- Blue Mountain Picture Jasper
- Graveyard Point Plume Agate
- Oregon Orbicular Jasper from near Grants Pass
- Biggs, Deschutes, Maury Mountain
- Thunder egg slices
- Obsidian from near Bend
- Opals from Spencer, Idaho (below)
- Howardite or Rattlesnake Jasper from Nevada
Ethically Sourced and Transparent Materials
One thing that's becoming more important to us (and to many of our customers) is where gemstones come from — and how they're sourced.
When gemstones are purchased from large, unknown suppliers — especially overseas — it can be difficult (or impossible) to know:
- Where and who mined it
- Who cut or faceted the stone
- What working conditions were involved
In some cases, those supply chains lack transparency — and that's something we try to avoid whenever possible.
By working with locally sourced Pacific Northwest stones and trusted partners, we're able to:
- Support small-scale miners and local lapidaries
- Keep more of the process close to home
- Have a clearer understanding of how our materials are handled
It also means we can confidently stand behind what we're selling — not just in terms of quality, but in how it was made.
For us, it's not just about creating something beautiful — it's about creating something we feel good about from start to finish.
Why These Stones Matter to Us
Using Pacific Northwest gemstones isn't just about how they look (although they are beautiful).
It's about:
- Connection to where we live and travel
- Supporting local businesses
- Creating meaningful, one-of-a-kind pieces
When you wear one of these stones, you're wearing a small piece of the Pacific Northwest.
Because these stones are natural and often hand-collected, most of our pieces are truly one-of-a-kind.
If you see something you love, it's always a good idea to grab it — once it's gone, we usually can't recreate it exactly.
Where To Find Our Pacific Northwest Gemstone Jewelry
You can find our latest pieces:
- On our website
- In our Etsy shop (we often have even more listed there)
- And in person at local markets (including Corvallis Makers Market) — we usually have the most selection and rare items in person.
Our inventory is always changing depending on what stones we're working with — and what we can get our hands on.
Final Thoughts
There's something special about working with stones from your own region.
We feel lucky to be able to design with materials that come from our friends, the places we explore, and call home — and to be part of a community of makers who value those same connections.
And we love sharing those pieces with you.