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After 13 years of selling online and at gem shows up and down the East Coast, Mark Oliver Gems now has a front door. The shop is open at 76 Broadway in Denville, and it is stocked with handcrafted gemstone jewelry, loose natural stones and mineral specimens that most jewelry stores in Morris County will not carry.
It started the way a lot of good local businesses do. Mark was a collector first, drawn to the colors, inclusions and origins that make every natural stone different. Collecting turned into making jewelry for friends and family, and a nudge from his girlfriend, now his wife, Kim, turned that into a business on Etsy in 2013. It joins a growing list of new businesses opening across Morris County this year. We asked Kim and Mark about the new shop, the stones they hunt for, and where a first-time buyer should start.
Why Denville for the first storefront?
“Denville has been home to our family for more than 10 years. We are raising our son here, and we have really come to love the people and the small-town community feel. When we decided it was time to take the next step beyond selling online and at gem shows, Denville felt like the natural choice.”
“After more than 13 years in business, we are especially excited to introduce our community to the natural gemstones, minerals and handcrafted jewelry that we have been passionate about for so long. We are looking forward to becoming part of the local business community and welcoming our neighbors into the shop.”
What can people expect when they walk in?
“We want the shop to feel warm and welcoming, while still being a place where people feel comfortable exploring and asking questions. Customers will find handcrafted gemstone jewelry, natural loose gemstones, mineral specimens and other unique stones, with an emphasis on pieces that let the natural beauty of the stone be the star.”
“Many of the stones we hand-select will not be seen in most jewelry stores. We source from rare locations, gems with interesting inclusions or that are flawless, gems that are mostly untreated, and we know where in the world each stone was mined. There is something for both longtime collectors and someone who has never bought a gemstone before. We want people to be able to walk in simply because they saw something beautiful in the window, start asking questions, learn something new and discover a piece that speaks to them.”
You only use natural stones, never lab-created. Why does that matter?
“For us, there is something special about owning a piece of the natural world. Every natural gemstone has its own history, where it formed, what minerals went into creating it, its age, color and inclusions. Those natural differences are part of what makes each stone unique. There is also something meaningful in saying this stone was mined and sourced in this village, then cut in house by our cutting family, instead of manufactured in a lab.”
“We appreciate gemstones for what nature created rather than trying to make every stone perfectly uniform. Mark personally selects everything we offer. Every stone really does have a story, and we want our customers to be able to appreciate that story.”
What is the rarest piece in the shop right now?
“This is a very tough question. We deal with so many unique pieces. Stones found in only one location in the world, gems that show star patterns under bright lights, change colors in different lighting, or glow under UV. I am going to cheat and give two answers.”
“The first is a special type of garnet found in Arizona on the Navajo lands, a rare deep red Chrome Pyrope Garnet that is actually mined by ants. As they build their tunnels, they run into the rough pieces, bring them to the top of their hills and throw them out like trash. Typically small, but they pack a punch with the rich color and an awesome story.”
“The second is one of my absolute favorites, Hematite included Quartz. It is a rare stone with red and black speckled inclusions inside a clear quartz crystal, formed when iron oxide minerals get deposited in the crystal naturally. Most people keep those crystals intact and sell them as is. We love to facet them. The result is a cut gemstone with its own pattern, coloring and sparkle. You may never see someone else wearing one, and if you do, it will never look like yours.”
Where should a first-time gemstone buyer start?
“We always tell people to start with what catches their eye. You do not have to know anything about gemstones to appreciate them, and there is no right or wrong stone to choose. Maybe you are drawn to a particular color, a certain type of stone, a special inclusion, or simply something you think is beautiful.”
“From there, we can tell you where it came from, what makes it unique and how it can be used in jewelry or displayed at home. One of the biggest parts of the gemstone industry is education. There is always something new to learn and we are always happy to teach. Whether someone has a specific budget, is looking for a birthstone, wants a particular color, or simply wants to discover something new, we are happy to help them find a place to start.”
What should Morris County know about you as new neighbors?
“We are excited to be here and excited to become part of the Downtown Denville community. After living in Denville for more than a decade, opening our first storefront here feels very personal. After years of selling online and at gem shows, it is incredibly exciting to finally have a place where we can share our passion with our neighbors in person.”
“We are looking forward to growing the collection, searching for unusual and beautiful natural stones, and creating a shop where people can shop, learn and enjoy the world of gemstones. We are also a family business, and our six-year-old son Raymond is already getting involved with his own collection of $10 gemstone cabochons. We are excited to see where this new chapter takes all of us.”
Mark Oliver Gems: Hours and Location
Mark Oliver Gems is at 76 Broadway, Suite 102A, Room 1, in Denville. The shop is open Monday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other days and times are available by appointment, with extended hours for holidays and local events. The full collection is online at markolivergems.com, and they can be reached at markolivergems@gmail.com or on Instagram at @markolivergems. You can also find them at the Franklin Gem Show on September 19 and 20 and at the Denville Farmers Market on November 1.
