About The Villages Gem and Mineral Society

The Villages Gem and Mineral Society is a Lifestyle Group in The Villages, Florida. All members must be residents of The Villages.

Our workshops are held at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center in the central part of The Villages.

Our members pay dues that support the purchase and maintenance of equipment dedicated to the lapidary arts. Members teach and encourage each other in the various skills of the lapidary arts. No previous knowledge or training is required, just an interest.

Members’ areas of expertise include stone cutting, jewelry making, silversmith, gem faceting, wire wrapping, beading, metal forming, geology, gemology, fossil collecting, and more.

Business meetings are the first Thursday of the month at 7:30pm

Workshops are held all other Thursdays 5:00-9:00pm and Sundays 9:00-noon.

The annual Gem and Mineral Show, hosted in The Villages allows members the opportunity to sell some of the items they have created. The even attracts vendors from around the country who also display and sell their wares. Items for sale range from raw materials to finished jewelry. There is something for everyone available at this event, in every price point.

The group also helps sponsor the The Batey Girls in The Dominican Republic. Their mission is “to protect, empower, and restore women and children from human trafficking and domestic violence in the Dominican Republic.” They achieve this goal by teaching lapidary arts skills to women and children. Their work specializes in the beautiful Larimar stone, only found in the Dominican Republic.

Batey Girls jewelry is handcrafted by women and girls escaping human trafficking, exploitation and domestic violence in the Dominican Republic.

For further information about The Villages Gem and Mineral Society please stop by any of our workshops or meetings or contact one of the TVG&MS officers.