EditorsJun 04, 2021
Out & About: The Stories Behind These ‘Beautiful Creatures’ Events & AwardsJun 28, 2021
Univ. of Arizona’s New Gem Museum Opens with ‘Sneak Preview’ Tours
The two-hour immersive experience gives visitors the chance to see all three galleries before the official grand opening early next year.
The University of Arizona’s renovated gem and mineral museum offers a look at minerals from around the world, including the display seen here on famed Arizona locality Bisbee, where 330 mineral species have been found.
Tucson, Ariz.—Great news for those who have been eagerly following its development: the University of Arizona is opening its new gem and mineral museum for tours.
For a limited time, the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum, located in the Historic Pima County Courthouse in downtown Tucson, will offer “sneak preview” tours, two-hour immersive experiences guided and narrated by staff and docents.
They will give 20 visitors at a time the chance to see the museum’s three galleries before the official grand opening early next year.
The museum is named for the late Alfie Norville, a co-founder of the Gem and Jewelry Exchange (GJX) trade show that takes place every year in Tucson.
A gift from the Norville family made the relocation and renovation of the mineral museum possible.
Construction started in 2018.
Related stories will be right here …
For a limited time, the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum, located in the Historic Pima County Courthouse in downtown Tucson, will offer “sneak preview” tours, two-hour immersive experiences guided and narrated by staff and docents.
They will give 20 visitors at a time the chance to see the museum’s three galleries before the official grand opening early next year.
The museum is named for the late Alfie Norville, a co-founder of the Gem and Jewelry Exchange (GJX) trade show that takes place every year in Tucson.
A gift from the Norville family made the relocation and renovation of the mineral museum possible.
Construction started in 2018.
Displaying more than 2,200 specimens, the new museum’s three main galleries and showcases are dedicated to the evolution of minerals, minerals native to Arizona and Mexico, gemstones, jewelry, and gem science.
Notable pieces include a 400-pound malachite specimen from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; a 410-pound silver nugget found outside Globe, Arizona; a 210-pound azurite specimen from the late 1880s; the Wells Fargo Arizona Gold Collection; and a display of gem and mineral art pieces created by local artist Nicolai Medvedev, an award winner and master of the inlay technique called intarsia.
Sneak preview guided tour tickets are available for advance purchase on the museum website.
General admission tickets are expected to be available for purchase before the start of the University of Arizona’s fall semester in August, aligning with a “soft opening” to the public.
The official grand opening event for the museum will occur in 2022, coinciding with the Tucson gem and mineral shows.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
GradingAug 22, 2025
Former Head of GIA India Promoted to Oversee Global Operations Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
CollectionsAug 22, 2025
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s ‘Diamond Vein Bond’ CollarThe one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.
MajorsAug 22, 2025
Kendra Scott Returns as CEO of Her Jewelry EmpireThree C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Claire’s Finds Buyer, Could Save up to 950 StoresThe retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.
Weekly QuizAug 22, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Target Names New CEO as Sales Continue to Lag Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.
Policies & IssuesAug 21, 2025
JA, IDMA Talk Tariffs With Execs in DC The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Pops Up at 2025 US OpenThe pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.
IndependentsAug 20, 2025
Bellman’s Jewelers Opens Second Store After COO's TikTok Takes OffThe New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”
CrimeAug 20, 2025
Another CA Jewelry Store Rammed With Car, RobbedThe latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
SourcingAug 19, 2025
Dubai’s Jemora Group Buys Diamond Miner LucapaThe investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
CrimeAug 19, 2025
Customs Seizes 7,300 Pairs of Fake ‘Alhambra’ EarringsThe counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
