Ventura Gem & Mineral Society

06/02/2026

💎 The Gold Coast Gem Show returns to the Ventura County Fair grounds!

Join us June 6 & 7, 2026 for a weekend filled with gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry, beads, crystals, lapidary supplies, demonstrations, and more.

📍 Ventura County Fairgrounds
📅 June 6 & 7, 2026
🕙 Saturday 10am–5pm
🕙 Sunday 10am–4pm
🎟 FREE ADMISSION

Bring your friends and family and discover treasures from around the world!

Minerals Crystals Fossils Jewelry Lapidary RockCollector FreeAdmission

05/30/2026

This is a fun Rockhound event!

05/21/2026

Come join the Fun! 🤩 VGMS is proud to participate in this family event May 30, 5-8pm at the Moxi Museum in Santa Barbara. Level up!

05/16/2026

So funny. 🤣🦕🦖🪨

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day! 💐

05/08/2026

Wow! What a beauty! 😍💎

Miners in Myanmar have discovered a rare ruby measuring 11,000 carats - or 4.8 pounds - considered to be the second-largest by weight ever found in the conflict-battered Southeast Asian nation.

For the full story, see the link in the comments

04/30/2026

Fun summer job opportunity.

04/30/2026

Hey VGMS….Roadtrip anyone? ❤️⚒️💎🤩😍

Want to come dig at Diamond Mountain FOR FREE??? 😮😮😮
We're excited to share that we'll be offering FREE MINING FIELD TRIPS for mineral clubs again for the 2026 dig season!
We're proud to share that last season we welcomed 28 clubs to the mountain!!! With approximately 20 members per visit, that's over FIVE HUNDRED visitors we helped access our world-class Herkimer diamond mine, free of charge! 😮💎⚒️
We are excited to offer the opportunity again this year--Accredited mineral clubs from anywhere in the USA are welcome to book a hand tool digging experience for up to 20 people.

All public digs at DiamondMountain include an educational introductory tour that provides an overview of Herkimer geology, an orientation to our dig site, and tips on digging techniques to help your group plan for success!

💎⚒️The DETAILS: ⚒️💎

FREE ADMISSION (one free visit per club per year)

All ages welcome!

Up to 20 diggers welcome per visit!

Available to book 7 days a week!

HOW TO BOOK:
Tell your Field Trip Coordinators and Club Presidents to email us at [email protected] to schedule your club's FREE HERKIMER DIAMOND MINING FIELD TRIP!

04/24/2026

Interesting! 🌋 Nextdoor to Ventura county. 😱

Fire crews are on scene at the Hope Ranch hillside Thursday after the Santa Barbara County Fire Department reported a “geological event”

04/22/2026

If you have the opportunity to go to New York and want to dig your own Herkimer Diamonds here is a guide of where to go.

Liz of Herkimer Diamonds is the BEST! I have first hand knowledge of her guiding experience and I highly recommend her if you are looking for a private guide. Herkimer Mountain is a unique geographic location that is owned by a geologist. It’s a special location.

Check out this list to see all the places to explore and hunt for your own Herkimers! ❤️💎⚒️🥰😎

As the season ramps up, I’ve been getting a ton of questions about where to dig—so here it is! This is the most up-to-date list of Herkimer Diamond mines, all thanks to Jeanne Smith. Whether it’s your first time or you’re planning the whole season, this is your go-to guide!