Donald K. Olson & Associates

Owned and operated by Don and Gloria Olson, Donald K. Olson and Associates started in 1985 near Milwaukee, WI and in 1990 moved to San Diego County, California.  Donald K. Olson & Associates encompasses two businesses:  Donald K. Olson Minerals, and Donald K. Olson Gemstones.

Don and Gloria both started collecting minerals when they were eight years old and have each been in the mineral and gem business for over 40 years. They travel across the country, buying and selling minerals, displaying at over a dozen trade shows every year in California, Texas, Massachusetts, and the large wholesale and retail shows in Tucson, Arizona (in February) and Denver, Colorado (in September).

A large portion of their mineral inventory is obtained by purchasing mineral collections requiring extensive travel in North America and overseas to Europe, China and Africa. During these trips they also hand-select the gem rough necessary to manufacture the beautiful cabochons you see on this site.  All of the slabbing (cutting the rough rock into slices) and templating (choosing the shape, design, and pattern) of the stones is carefully executed by Don and Gloria at their offices and cutting facility in Southern California.  The slabs are then sent to expert lapidaries (in the U.S. and overseas) and skillfully finished and polished to produce distinctive gemstones for jewelry designers and collectors.