Mineral Kingdom

The studio at 1221 Potomac Street NW has been at this Georgetown address since 1979, which makes Mineral Kingdom one of the neighborhood’s oldest continuously operating specialty retail businesses. Jacqueline Martin founded the studio after a career in education that preceded her enrollment at the Gemological Institute of America, where she studied gemology and jewelry design before bringing those skills to the Potomac Street space. The combination of a teaching background, GIA gemological training, and study of antique and period jewelry in London produced a practitioner whose range is broader than most jewelry studios at any size.

The loose stone collection is what distinguishes Mineral Kingdom from the finished jewelry boutiques that populate Georgetown’s jewelry retail landscape. Loose diamonds, colored gemstones, and mineral specimens from the finest global sources are available for examination and purchase as individual stones, either for clients who want to set them in custom pieces or for collectors who want the stones as objects in themselves. The gemological training that Martin brings to the selection process means the stones in the studio are assessed against the standards the GIA applies, and the descriptions of quality that accompany them reflect that rigor.

Custom jewelry design at Mineral Kingdom takes the loose stone as the starting point. A client who has a specific stone, either from the studio’s collection or from their own existing jewelry, can commission a setting that is designed for that particular stone’s dimensions and character. The design process is a genuine collaboration between the client’s aesthetic preferences and Martin’s technical knowledge of what a setting can achieve and what the stone’s proportions require. The production is done in gold and platinum, and the craft level reflects the studio’s forty-year history of producing pieces for Georgetown’s discerning clientele.

Antique and period jewelry restoration is the third major service category. A piece from the early twentieth century with a worn prong, a Art Deco necklace with a broken clasp, or an estate ring with a damaged shank can be brought to Mineral Kingdom for the restoration work that the piece requires. The study of antique jewelry in London that forms part of Martin’s background gives her a historical knowledge base for the restoration decisions that the piece’s period requires: what materials and techniques are appropriate to the era, and what restoration approach will preserve the piece’s historical integrity while making it wearable.

Estate jewelry appraisal is available for clients who have inherited pieces and want documented valuations for insurance, estate settlement, or sale. The Potomac Street address has been in Georgetown long enough that the studio’s appraisal history for some clients extends across multiple generations of the same family.

Hours run Monday through Saturday from 11am to 5pm. The phone is (202) 338-5505.