About Us

Founded in 2005, our business (originally started as modern bohemian to include plant care and interior design) has evolved into Atmosphere Minerals and Meteorites, to fit our more specific mission. We are a family owned mineral and meteorite business, located in sunny Tucson, Arizona. Tucson is home of the world's largest gem show, the Tucson Gem Show, held every year during January-February. Gem and mineral dealers, wholesale buyers, collectors and enthusiasts come from across the globe to meet, buy, sell and trade here in Tucson.

We're members of the TGMS, Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, and the University of Arizona Gem and Mineral Museum. My life passion and purpose is exploring and discovering Earth's most beautiful natural art pieces, gems, crystals, minerals, tektites, meteorites, fossils... and sharing these extraordinary natural treasures with our community and all crystal lovers around the world. We add new items to our website every week!

Since we began our business, we've continued to build connections and longterm relationships with trusted mineral suppliers, miners, mine owners, mineral collectors, gem cutters, jewelers and designers from around the world. Although we're all individuals, spread out across the globe, we are also a team, a community of many small businesses and villages, working together and supporting each other. We couldn't do this without each other, or you.

Thank you!

Founder/Mineral Photographer

Christine Kobzeff

Crystals, minerals and astronomy have been a lifelong passion for as long as I can remember. I got my first crystal, Amethyst, at a flea market when I was 6 years old. At an early age I started going to the library, browsing the earth and space science section. I would checkout the same mineral books, over and over again so I could study the minerals. I've been fascinated with earth/space science and obsessed with minerals ever since.

I grew up in a small town on the Oregon coast, spending most of my free time outdoors in nature, exploring our rainforests, beaches, rivers, creeks and sand dunes. I was very interested in earth and space science and had a drive and desire to always be learning, combined with never-ending curiosity and an excitement for natural treasures. Growing up my family didn't have money, so building a collection by purchasing items wasn't an option. Instead I was hunting in nature for my own interesting finds, such as Obsidian arrowheads. At 19, I headed out on my own into the world and moved 3,000 miles away to the Hawaiian Islands, Maui became my home for the next 17 years. During that time I met my husband, Michael, we traveled and backpacked through 7 countries. I started my business originally as a jewelry designer, handcrafting jewelry, wire-wrapping crystals, stones and fossils. We setup at local markets and events, selling and wholesaling jewelry on Maui for 10 years.

In 2017, we felt inspired to relocate to the mainland but we wanted to be somewhere warm and sunny. We'd been traveling to the Tucson gem shows over the years and I had always loved the desert, so we chose Tucson, Arizona to be our new home! We arrived on the mainland in Summer, just in time to race over to Glendo, Wyoming to watch the Total Solar Eclipse in August, 2017. After getting settled here in Tucson, we began expanding our business with more focus on crystal and mineral specimens. We're now able to be more involved in the gem and mineral shows, closer to our connections and we can offer even more minerals and meteorites!

 Co-Founder/Sales

Michael Kobzeff
I was born and raised in gold country, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California. I grew up exploring old mines and treasure-hunting along the Cosumnes river for rocks and fossils. I've always been fascinated with minerals and unusual stones. In the early 2000s, I moved to Maui, Hawaii and met Christine. I'm a home builder by trade but I started helping Christine at shows and events. In January 2007, we went to the Tucson gem show for the very first time, we had a booth space at Electric Park (now the Kino gem show). Experiencing the Tucson gem shows was overwhelming and exciting. I knew instantly I had to be in this mineral community. 

Gallery

RMGM Mineral and Fossil Show at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, 2024.

Flagg Mineral Foundation Gem & Mineral Show 50th Anniversary, Mesa, AZ

Our pop-up booth at Apache Junction Mineral Show, Mesa, AZ

 
Meeting up with our South African friend and this 4.5 billion year old Gibeon meteorite from Namibia, 1.7kg. Originally acquired and exported in the mid-90s. Its changed hands a few times, now it's our turn to preserve this spectacular meteorite specimen. 

Thank you for supporting our small family-owned business, we're able to support other small businesses and continue sharing our passion for minerals and meteorites because of you.

Thank you!

Christine and Michael Kobzeff
Atmosphere Minerals