Whidbey Island Gem Gallery

Langley’s cutesy antique stores and overpriced gift shops don’t really do it for me, but I love stopping to visit Whidbey Island Gem Gallery. Whether you like rocks and minerals, gemstone jewelry, or New Age meditation and chakra crystals, this store is full of good stuff!
As you come in, you’ll see shelves of inexpensive but nice-​looking stones by the door (amethyst, rose quartz, pyrite, etc.). A large jewelry counter goes all the way around the center of the store and it’s full of silver and semi-​precious stone jewelry that is made by one of the owners. In the back, you’ll find fossils and meteorites, as well as display cases of larger and more impressive mineral specimens. The left wall has stone bead necklaces and pendants, meditation wands and crystals, and other gift items. Prices are a little high, as you’d expect in a tourist town, but there are plenty of things for $ 5 and under, so don’t be too intimidated to come in and look.
For kids, there are rockhound starter kits with small specimens of a variety of minerals, and reference guides and posters, plus some science activity kits and break-​your-​own-​geode type stuff. I liked the tumbled eggs and spheres in a wide range of colors — a nice and inexpensive little gift or something to display in your home or office.
I chatted a little with one of the owners, who (along with his wife) took over his father-in-law’s collection and business when he retired. The father has cut some really amazing gems, including a gigantic yellow topaz that is now located at the Smithsonian in the same room as the Hope Diamond! I’ve seen it in person and had no idea there was a Washington connection. The wife is a gemologist, so there is always someone knowledgeable to talk to if you have questions.
A great little store that’s packed with cool stuff to look at! Highly recommended if you’re shopping in quaint downtown Langley.

We really enjoyed this little store in Langley. They have a nice jewelry selection — all kinds of interesting gems in unique settings. I am not much of a jewelry shopper so that’s not what held my interest. They have lots of cool minerals, fossils and gemstones for collectors. I got a great little fossilized sea urchin for just $ 3. I will definitely be back next time I am in town to check out their new stock.

This is a great place to find some wonderful deals on gemstones and simple, but beautiful jewelry. Most pieces are set in silver. Precious and semi-​precious stones are their principle trade but the also have fossils, stone carvings, crystals and polished stones from all over the world. Overall, the prices lack the usual exorbitant markups common in most tourist towns.