source:city sun times
It has been said that there are two things you must see when you come to Arizona: the Grand Canyon and Rare Earth Gallery in Cave Creek.
The moment you walk through the doors at Rare Earth Gallery, one finds themself awestruck; you can’t help but take in the rainbow of dynamic colors and textures.
The showroom sits on over 1.25 acres, which host spacious grounds for outside landscape art while home to an indoor gallery of 9,000 square feet of hand-selected treasures of the earth.
“Rare Earth Gallery prides itself on housing one of the largest private mineral collections in the world under one roof. Not only do we have breadth but we have depth,” said Chad Brandfass, vice president of the gallery.
“There are thousands of different minerals at Rare Earth Gallery and each one of them is hand-picked. There is nothing bought in mass. Every single item in the gallery was individually hand-chosen one-at-a-time for its beauty, quality and presence.”
How does Rare Earth Gallery find these wonders? Well, the search and passion to find unique treasures is key for Wayne Helfand, president of Rare Earth Gallery. Helfand and Brandfass have traveled the globe to bring their unique finds back to Cave Creek.
It’s no wonder the showroom is filled with spellbinding natural stones, glass art, jewelry and décor and has something for everyone.
For more than 40 years Hefland has been discovering rare and unusual gems and minerals. You can’t help but relate and feel his enthusiasm for the gifts of the earth. It's his passion to share these treasures with everyone he meets.
“There is no one-size-fits-all for minerals and home décor. Every item is a piece of art. We call it ‘art of the earth,’” Brandfass explained.
“It is hard to say what is going to move someone as everybody has such unique differences in the types of art that they like,” he continued. “When procuring these items Wayne absolutely looks for things that catch his eye but also takes into consideration the quality of specimens and diversity.”
In addition to their current offerings, the co-owners also launched a fountain company in 2022, bringing the most incredible stone fountains in the world to rock enthusiasts.
“These fountains are constructed out of the natural materials that you see in Rare Earth Gallery, and we have our own coring and installation facility. Somebody can come in and choose any item in the gallery and have it made into a fountain,” Brandfass said.
They also have a multitude of fountains pre-made for customers to choose from.
In addition, Rare Earth Gallery is also home to a sound healing center—incorporating the gallery’s wide selection of sound bowls made of genuine quartz crystals and infused with natural gemstones like amethyst, citrine and tourmaline. They offer live sound healing demonstrations as well.
“We also have our own custom metal fabrication studio here in Cave Creek. All of the stands that our minerals come on within the gallery are made in house by our metal artisan,” Brandfass added. “Our metal shop is growing leaps and bounds; the quality that we’re producing is incredible and second to none.”
A selection of Rare Earth Gallery’s treasures can be seen online (rareearthgallerycc.com) but the gallery’s vast array of one-of-a-kind pieces is something you really must see in person.
The Rare Earth Gallery showroom is located at 6401 E. Cave Creek Road. For more information, call 480-575-4360 or visit rareearthgallerycc.com.