Kristalle: A Laguna Beach Gem For 50 Years

LAGUNA BEACH—Kristalle opened its doors in May of 1971 on Forest Avenue and has been located in an historic cottage in North Laguna since 1994. Though many commuters through North Laguna may have passed by wondering what was behind those doors, this is no new age crystal shop. Founders Wayne and Dona Leicht are world renowned experts in the area of minerals, California gold, and the mysterious crystallized gold.

The latter type of gold is extremely rare, believed to make up less than 1 tenth of 1 percent of all the gold in the world.

The Leichts’ gold collection has been on loan to natural history museums around the globe and as close by as Bowers Museum in Santa Ana for a show titled "California Gold" in 2012.

With Kristalle as their headquarters, the Leichts travel the world to exhibit at gem shows—from Tucson to Tokyo—to purchase collections and visit mines. Dona, in particular, has delved into “emerald mines in Colombia, the jade deposits in China, the gem deposits of Sri Lanka, the mines of Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia.”

Wayne, who has degrees in physics and earth sciences, lectures and shares his expertise in film and on such TV shows as “60 Minutes.” He even discovered two new species of mineral. While under government contract to map an old copper mine in Grand Canyon near Grandview Point, he found and named the new minerals: “grandviewite” and “parnavite.”

The Leicht’s relationship is quite the adventure-romance. Wayne served in army intelligence on the east coast and lived in Maryland when he met Dona. The couple’s first date was to a Pennsylvania quarry while it was raining.

Since they wed, their mutual passion for learning about minerals and gems has been a solid adventure.

The couple relocated to California when Wayne’s army service ended, and he resumed work at Aeronutronics, a division of Ford Motor Company in Newport Beach. But the two wanted to spend all their energy on minerals.

They took the risk and opened Kristalle in 1971. It has paid off handsomely, affording the pair a life together doing what they love.

An early ad for the store promised: “Exotic gems and jewelry, minerals for the collector and decorator, bizarre fossils and relics, remarkable curiosities, unique gifts.”

A chance to examine a rare specimen of crystallized gold inspired a visit to the shop, and discovering what those “remarkable curiosities” was all it took for Patch to visit.

We’ll be heading to the gallery later this week. Expect a full report this weekend.