Category Archives: Rock Shopping

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show=Rock & Mineral Overload

Long lines awaiting for the show to open. It was fun chatting with people from around the world.

The show floor

The Main Show is open with about 250 vendors.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral show kicked off Thursday morning and we were one of the first ones in the door. Hosted by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, it is the oldest and most prestigious rock show. The show fills the Tucson Convention Center with 250 retail vendors. The theme is Mineral Treasures of the Midwest. Since we live in the Midwest, we were anticipating the displays from our area.

Wooly Rhino

When we first got to the convention center a wooly mammoth and her calf were on display in the lobby. Not the usual skeleton, but a fur-covered mammoth. Also a wooly rhino welcomed us. They looked very real and are certainly an eye-catching welcome to the show!

Mammoth Family

Eager visitors lined up ½ hour before the show started. We were surprised to see a friend of ours from Maryland. People come from everywhere to attend this show.

Oriental Mine Gold, Sierra County CA

Himalayan Rutilated Quartz

Fluorescent Minerals

Sugarcane Emerald

The displays at this show are from museums, universities, and private collectors. It is delightful to see how each interpreted the theme of the show.

The Seaman Mineral Museum, Michigan’s official state mineral museum, had a large display featuring copper, iron, calcite and other Michigan stuff. Nearby were two impressive displays by Donald K Olson. He was closing up one of the cases and we began to discuss the Centennial Datolite in his case, because Bonnie was wearing jewelry of the same. He had some of the most unusual copper crystal formations. We talked for a while and he also proudly showed us another case he brought, of red quartz crystals from the iron range of Minnesota.

I took lots of pictures of the cases. Some of the museums had sent some of their favorite pieces, even if they had nothing to do with the Midwest. There was the Northwest, and the Midwest Arizona, and so forth. Collector’s Edge had beryl, tourmaline, gold crystals, Rhodochrosite from the Sweet Home Mine, and every mineral specimen that you can imagine.

The local University of Arizona had beautiful malachite, chrysocolla, turquoise, copper, many fine specimens from their collections.

Bisbee Malachite

Bisbee

Copper Queen Mine-Bisbee AZ

Dioptase-Nambia

Pallasites from various locals

Malachite from the Copper Queen Mine, meteorites from many locations, Dioptase, Rhodochrosite, Calcite crystals were represented.

A dinosaur named Baby Bob was the center of attention in the second room.

Frederick C Wilda had a nice display of minerals paired with jewelry made from the minerals, and enhanced by a display setting of fine art paintings.

Tiffany Amethyst Neckless

Tiffany Opal Pendant

Three pieces earned the police guard this year. One of the finest specimens ever is the Alma Rose from the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado. Next to it the Smithsonian Institution supplied the Tiffany Amethyst Necklace. A 56 carat Siberian Amethyst most likely produced by George Kunz who was the chief gemologist at Tiffanys at the time. Lines, leaves and berries surround the deep red/purple amethyst. A wonderful example of Art Nouveau made at the turn of the century.

The other piece from the Smithsonian Institution was a Tiffany Opal Necklace designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany featuring black opals with brilliant green demantoid garnets. The black opals are from Lightning Ridge and the rare Demantoid garnets are from Russia. Made in the early twentieth century this is also an Art Nouveau.

Hallelujah

Hallelujah! Crystals were found in 2006 at Peterson Mountain in Nevada.

A replica of the Russian czarinas diamond was there.

We spent a good part of the day looking, photographing, and talking with all the folks there. As always, this is the highlight of the Tucson shows. As we sort through our treasures, we will continue to show you what we have here in our blog. Please visit our jewelry pages to see what we do with our rocks.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate all your nice comments on Facebook. Be sure to like and share!

Bonnie and Donald K Olson discuss his Red Quartz specimens.

Quartz with Hematite (aka Red Quartz). Minnesota Iron Range

Seaman Mineral Museum Case

Don Olsen Case

Don Olsen Case. Notice the Centennial Datolite in the lower Left.

Canyon Diablo (These are part of the Meteorite that created Meteor Crater)

Next years show theme

Aqua, Morganite, other stuff

Rhodochrosite-Sweet Home

Unique Flourite from Poland

Decanter set looks like Tourmaline but I believe it is glass that looks like Tourmaline.

Sorry I did not label everything, but in most of those if you expand the picture, you can read the tags. I’ve spend several hours sorting through all the pictures I’ve taken at the Main Show. You’re getting only a small taste. How about you come next year?

Another Trip to The Strip at the Tucson Shows

Pretty good Chrysocolla

Globes of Amethyst

A return to the strip as the show comes to an end often produces some bargain treasures. One of the things I wanted from our Koroite Boulder Opal source was a specimen piece of which he had several last time we were there. Upon returning I found he only had one specimen that when you pulled it apart demonstrated the opal seam. Unfortunately the one he had was a very gemmy piece, but since I was a good customer at this year’s show, and in the past, we reached an agreement on price.

Other than the opal, there were some assorted cabs; Oh, I forgot about the drilling machine: NOT!

I need one of these

Now I can make some beads with my new unit. My rock spending seems to be down, but my shop equipment spending is sure up.

The first time through the strip I looked at a Gunther Bead Drilling Machine. Today I brought in some Isle Royale Greenstones and Thomsonite to see if these materials could be drilled without shattering the stones. Both Greenstone and Thomsonite are very sensitive to Harmonic Vibrations and can just explode apart with the vibration. This machine passed the test, so now bead drilling will be one of our services beginning in April.

Jeff shows Bonnie one of his fine agates.I

We visited with my friend Jeff Anderson at his Dwarves Earth Treasures Booth at the Rapa River Show. Most any type of agate can be found there.

Other things we found were Druzy Quartz and Abalone Cabochons, and some other small random things.

Thursday the big Tucson Gem & Mineral Show Opened . We explored the show and took lots of pictures. This has delayed this post, which I apologize for. I will be posting pictures from the TG&MS tomorrow and continue to show you the highlights over the next few days.

A metaphysical spa is always available if needed. I have a friend who is a Reiki Master. I’m not real sure this is what was taking place here, but many people take advantage of whatever was happening here.

Laramar. I found the one special piece I’ve been searching for the entire show. I’ll sho you in a later blog.

Some really fine Ruby in Zoisite

We really had no room for this in the RV, but the guy selling this was interesting. He was willing to cut a deal.

A new archway for my shop? Perhaps……

Bones and Linghams at the Tucson Shows

Sunny mid 70’s

We noticed in the show guide a couple of shows we haven’t visited yet this year. We think of this first show as the Bazaar, because of all the Middle Eastern jewelry, clothing, small metal containers, a dark passageway filled with colorful lights. The main ballroom was filled with bead suppliers, and a smaller central room had ancient pieces with big chunky rough beads. There was lots of jade beads of various types and things an archeologist would love to find.

Speaking of dangers, an American with mixed heritage regularly goes to Pakistan. He said everything is done in cash. Imagine dealing with tribes in the mountains and carrying thousands or hundreds of thousands, and trying to stay safe.

There were rooms of beads, wonderful natural Southwest turquoise, and various hand made jewelry items of varying interest. A fellow in the center area had rocks and I found a solid looking azurite piece that I plan to make into jewelry.

As we were driving away we came across another Arizona Mineral and Fossil show (there are 3 locations with the same name), and they had parking available so we kicked around there a bit. This is at the Ramada Inn where most of the vendors are in the hotel rooms, but there is a large tent featuring Alaskan carved deer, elk antlers and moose buttons. A couple years ago I met a dealer sold me a piece of mammoth tooth that I made into jewelry as an experiment. I saw him again today and bought a couple more slices that looked hard enough to be wire wrapped. They are stabilized, but still a lapidary artist might have trouble with the variation in softness of the areas of the tooth, so they are tricky.

The Russian guy, that I could not understand, had some nice fossils. He moved everything out of his room so he could get the fossils in.

One room I attempted to speak to a Russian and I found that I really have a problem understanding Russian, but he seemed to be very proud of his fossils. He had his room set up like a little museum.

Miles’ Mastodon Tusk.

Miles had fair prices for tusks ivory.

I bought a few slabs of Mastodon Ivory to make jewelry.

We saw a lot of fossil mammal parts, and we noticed a large mastodon tusk for sale. Miles Martin from Alaska had photos of his recovery of mastodon tusk near Denali. He had a large collection of mastodon tusk pieces, pairs you could make knife handles with and mastodon slices for lapidary work. I have never made jewelry from mastodon tusk, but I will this year. Miles recounted how he takes a flat bottom boat 400 miles down a river with no gas stations to find and extract tusks that may be emerging from melting permafrost. He mentioned several dangers, isolation, river sand bars, bears, and “scary weird people” that might be living out there dodging the law because they are “wanted” elsewhere. He’s written seven books about his adventures. He was a colorful character.

A couple Mammoth Teeth slabs were bought from this pile; jewelry to follow in the near future.

One of our pleasures is learning the stories of the people we meet, how they got into what they are doing, and what their challenges are to get their rock products to us.

Moose “Buttons”

Carvings galore

At the Ramada Inn, Alaska Creations had unique carvings made from “Moose Buttons”. The “Buttons” are where the antlers attach to the skull. The antlers are shed and he cut these buttons off and carved these amazing things. He had lots of carvings from Antlers of all kinds.

Carborundum from China. Pretty but not for jewelry. See the yellow material? It’s Orpiment, a dangerous toxic Arsenic Sulfide. Most people would never know what this is.

The colors of this carborundum is similar to Peacock Ore. A picture does not do justice to the colors.

Shiva Linghams Increases Vitality and Pranic Energy. The dirty little secret is most of these are not real Linghams, but are made.

There were more Linghams here than anywhere in Tucson.

Lots of fun in the sun today. See you tomorrow.

Miner’s Co-op and the Honeybee Jasper

Softly cloudy and 70

So tacky it’s cool!

Morenci Az quality Chrysocolla.

We returned to the Miner’s Coop today. This is the farthest north show in the book. It was worthwhile and enjoyable to talk to some of the dealers there. The Miner’s Coop is the closest you get to a real rock hound show in Tucson, with lots of rough rock as well as cabochons, slabs, and small mineral boxes. Sometimes the dealers close up their booth so they can go to another show, so if you don’t go a couple of times, you will most likely miss some of them. The dealers are appreciative of your business, and may have some good offers.

HoneyBee Jasper

Honeybee Jasper consists of primarily Quartz with Amphibole minerals. There is also a presence of Iron and Manganese causing the yellow tinge.

I am always looking for something new for jewelry and Bonnie found a dealer selling a yellow jasper he named Honeybee, from his claim in western Colorado. We have customers who seek out yellow stone, so this was something new along that line. He told us that it comes from the edge of a cliff, not real hospitable access. Larry Wright from Aspen Rock and Gem also features Utah Lace Opal and a sage rock which he said he has to climb up and down rough terrain to get to. Bonnie commented that it was good he didn’t have bad legs. (Wonder where she go that thought?) He agreed that he had good legs and back that are an essential for miners.

Bodie and a great Amazonite/Smokey Quartz specimen from his claim.

I talked with Bodie Packham who proudly showed his prize amazonite/smokey quartz crystal, which was appraised for $250,000. Similar specimens have sold for much more. He works a claim near the Dorren family you may have seen on the Prospectors TV show. He took time to explain the difference between gem amazonite and the more common amazonite.

Peter still had some very fine Smithsonite

We bought some slabs from Peter Bruno last time we were there and he still has some nice smithsonite available.

This was a leisurely social day, learning from and teaching miners at a show we like. It grew quite a bit this year, and should grow again next year. We hope it will continue to emphasize rock!

Ever See A Golden T-Rex? Tucson Rocks 2017

Sunny and 75

A show hardly anyone came to.

Lobby of Executive Inn

Because of the weekend, the major shows around town are packed with people, and parking is far out and the whole thing is hectic more than fun. We decided to do some small shows.

We went to the Executive Inn that listed around 30 vendors on two floors. The parking was free and there were almost no cars. When we went in there were 2 mineral display cases and a paper sign that said “Shows” to point us in the right direction. A few doors were open with little paper signs alerting us they were there. We found either 5 or 6 vendors on the first floor, and nothing on the second. I kind of felt sorry for these people from foreign countries who obviously had big expenses getting here, and this seemed to be such a small turnout. And the rooms were advertised as newly renovated. New? We wondered.

A Russian vendor had quality pyrite ammonites that I have used for jewelry before, so I selected one. Bonnie admired his Eudialite and Charoite rings and pendants and he had minerals. The best thing at this spot was the free parking, because from there we could walk across the street to the Mineral and Fossil Marketplace that had large tents and looked more promising.

In the past we have found small rock pieces of interest, so we scouted carefully. Like all the mineral and fossil shows, Madagascar fossils were prominent, as were Amethyst crystals. My eye was captured by Labradorite shining in the sun. This was some of the nicest I have seen in Tucson, oriented properly to bring out the maximum shimmer. These pieces were cut into blocks and polished so you could see exactly what you were getting. I bought a fin multicolored specimen and then went back and got a very fine gold Labradorite (some people refer to this as Spectrolite).

A dealer offered nice mineral specimens at good prices.

Never saw a gold T-Rex

sea Monsters

Muonionalusta Meteorite

A permanent building on the grounds sells medium/large prehistoric beasts. They had some great sea monsters, and a gilded T-Rex skull replica. I had never seen a gold T-Rex skull. Just what every house needs!

One of the vendors was a dealer in Muonolusta meteorite material. He searches meteorite fall areas, and he indicated that these are very hard to find now, and hard to dig up. Some are 8-10 feet underground because of glacial activity causing overburden over the meteorites. A backhoe is required as well as special large ray metal detectors to find them in the first place. And property owners don’t like to have big holes dug and disturb their trees.

We had these in Michigan also-Crinoids

Another tent had some fine fossil plates, one 12’x12’covered with a large crinoid colony.

A table full of Australian rocks

Tiger Iron

Wonderful specimens both individually and in trays; all at fair prices.

Most all the major Aussie minerals on one table.

Mookaite

Glenn Archer’s Tent

Glenn Archer had great specimens from remote areas of Australia. He had all the good stuff from there, slabs, chunks and smaller specimens.

We did not have to fight the crowds at this show.

Silver Ore from the Cobalt region of Canada

If you want some fine rough, go here. Random trays abounded.

This labradorite was the best I’ve seen for the money anywhere around Tucson.

I bought this one and another all gold one

Loads of dyed Brazillion slabs. Not really my cup of tea, but many people like these.

Nice Madagascar Stuff

The wall of Chrysocolla.

Because the crowds were at the big shows, we had a very nice time talking with the vendors at this show. We walked back to our free parking and admired the foundation of the old motel sign with many Chrysocolla rocks, the best part of this motel.

JGM plus the Fossil Show

My adventures today comprised of roaming through the medium sized JGM Show. There are great vendors, I like this show, but it is a cozy show. After drifting through JGM, I took a random shuttle to see where it went. I do this on occasion and get off wherever..In this case I exited at the Hotel Tucson for the fossil show. There are a very large number of rooms I had not explored. Not much writing today, just pictures.

A 70 Million Year Old Sea Snake made me wonder if Megalodons’ snacked on them? Probably did.

“Roadkill” was the name of this fossil

We see Opal inlayed turtles all around town. The scraps from opal cutting are put to good use.

The largest Gila Monster in Arizona

I Discovered that that Ape picture from the other day (you remember do you not?) Anyway you could own that ape for $7500, which seemed like a fair price.

Cute Little Dino Eggs were $150

Polished Emerald Crystals

FINALLY found some Michigan stuff at Keweenaw Gem & Gift’s booth. It was good to see and talk to my friend, Ken Flood.

IBeautiful Silver/Copper halfbreeds

A really, really nice Amethyst cathedral in front of the Hotel Tucson City Center (AKA Fossil Show)

Mostly 22nd Street Show-Tucson Rock & Gem Shows

Near 80 and Sunny

The 22nd Street Show is always worth a second look. Things seem to appear that you had not seen before. I’m sure they were there the first time through last weekend, I just missed them. I usually just touch the surface of the shows the first week, and return to certain shows and specific dealers the second week.

At 22nd Street you can opt for free parking or paid parking, the only difference is on the paid parking you are closer to 22nd Street, allowing you to walk under I-10 to access the “Strip” on the the North side of I-10.

I took many pictures of the unusual things I saw at 22nd Street as well as a few while walking the Strip. Let’s just eliminate the chatter and show you some of the things I saw.

I thought it extraordinary that someone carved a couple skulls in a natural Pyrite Crystal formation.

I like a woman with Long Chain Hair.

Amazing metal art.

Onyx Lamps abounded at the 22nd Street Show. I loved the yellow glow of these.

Tibetan Quartz Crystals, 600 Pheasant Feathers, with Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Topaz, and Citrine. Seems like a bargain at $7500. She was called “Queen Merelda”.

It seems they harvested a lot of these from Brazil and Uruguay this last year. I see them everywhere at the shows.

The lovely Amanda Atkins from “The Prospectors” weather channel TV Show had some fantastic blue Aquamarine from the Colorado Claims. She was showing me a Flourite Plate that was very fine indeed.

Noticed several polished Smokey Quartz crystal clusters from Brazil over on the Strip.

How does this table not collapse?

A flock of Parrots.

Crystal Quartz Carving

A picture can never do justice to the shine of Pyrite in the Sun.

Some have asked me, “How much was this?” My standard answer is “Whatever you pay”. Seriously; in most cases there is a price posted or asked for, but negotiation is expected. Many dealers put very inflated prices on their goods, but will sometimes accept a fraction of the asking price. Negotiated prices are a way of life in most of the world. I find the last couple days of the show, when the dealers start thinking of putting their goods back in storage or paying to ship them somewhere else is a prime time for a bargain; sort of like end of the year car sales.

After exploring the Strip, we took the free shuttle back to 22nd Street. I took a friend who had never been to the Shows. He was looking for a set of Sapphire Earrings, but as you can imagine, are expensive, even at a discount . As we awaited the shuttle, he slid into a room at the Days Inn, flagged me in to see earrings. I had to inform him that they were not Sapphire. The dealer confirmed this; they were crystal Kyanite; beautiful stuff. They matched his wife’s ring perfectly. Valentine shopping done! Unless she tells someone no one will know he paid1/10th the sapphire price.

I’m on my own Saturday. Where do I want to fight the weekend crowds? Hmmm.

Random Wholesale Shows-The Big Tents –Tucson Rock Shows 2017

From the upper lobby looking down to the show floor before the show opens. Hundreds of jewelry stores and gem sellers.

When I first started coming to Tucson I kept thinking,”I’d sure like to see what is in those wholesale shows.” This included the AGTA show at the Tucson Convention Center, GJX show across the street from the convention center, the GLW show and the Holidome show which was actually in the Holidome. At that time I did not have a business license, but came to the shows because I was a rock hound.

Giant GJX Tent across the street from the beautifully landscaped Tucson Convention Center. GJX is a wholesale show requiring business credentials.

“A” Mountain (Sentinel Peak) looms over Tucson. In a previous blog you can these shows in a picture I took from just under the “A”.

The AGTA (America Got Trade Association) show is, for obvious reasons, the most secure show in the city.

Gem Trade related booths in the main hall above the Trade Show.

I picked up a good tip as to how I might secure our show tent in future art show on the Lake Superior Shoreline….Outside the center in the food truck area.

Parking at the the Tucson Convention Center is $9 but worth it to men(Parking is a business expense isn’t it? You can park remotely and take a free shuttle in also, if you prefer, or park for around $5 in a parking ramp nearby.

But now that I can get into all these wholesale trade shows, they don’t interest me. The AGTA show is comprised of hundreds of jewelry store suppliers, and direct importers of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, topaz, sapphires, opals, and pearls. This is the stuff you see in every jewelry store, and that is not what we sell. Bonnie accuses me of running (!) through the show, but the heaps of sparkly clear stones don’t interest me. I find a couple of vendors that have beautiful cabochons or Koroit opal like we told you about yesterday. Hugo referred us to see his dad Rod Griffin at the AGTA show which we did.

This was such fine Bumblebee (not Jasper) I decided to make the pendant immediately!

Frogs sold as Ox Bone are not carved, but bone is crushed, mixed with resin, and molded. I still like them. The underside is as shown and the top frogs appear to be had painted.

In the GJX tent the products are similar with a higher emphasis on finished jewelry. I located some beautiful old stock Bumblebee Jasper and a couple pieces of Yellow Delaware Mine Datolite. The Delaware Mine rock pile has been hauled away to be road gravel, so we can’t expect to find more of that in the Keweenaw. Gary Wison lives in Tucson, but also has a shop in Downtown Traverse City. Wirewrappers and silversmiths flock to his booth to purchase the colorful and unusual Casbochons he has. I am always facinated by the feeding frenzy at his booth. Since I cut most of my cabs (unlike the majority of wire wrappers) I don’t need to purchase a lot of finished cabochons; but I will not turn down an exceptional cab if I see it.

The prices have to reflect the costs of being in these top-drawer shows, so if you are just browsing around some of the other shows, you may find bargains better than you would get at these wholesale shows.

Fine Koroit Boulder Opal. Sorry, I really have a reflection issue with the Ironstone matrix.

Photos are not allowed in these wholesale shows. No one wants other people copying their jewelry or targeting for carrying high priced stones.

Back years ago I used to see piles of loose gemstones on tables, and buyers with optivisors sorting and selection. This policy of just pouring piles of gems on tables has ceased, but the gem dealers still allow buyers to sit and pick from trays and trays of high-end jewels.

Today I continued my search for things I didn’t know I needed. The Holidome tent and GLW comprise 4 big tents. I bought a few rose gold chains to enhance our beautiful stone pendants.

I really think we are finished with the Wholesale shows. The next week will be going back to other shows already visited to find the hidden treasures. The temps are expected to be mid-80’s this weekend, so to my Northern friends I say “stay cool” whilst I bake.

Along The Strip- Tucson Gem Show 2017

Pueblo Show on the Strip

Days Inn

Fairly nice crystals

Sunny and 70

Along the west side of the Interstate is an area collectively known as The Strip. We parked in the middle, walked to the north end and worked our way south. Wear your walking shoes! You can see the show list at the end of the blog.

This is how you pack crystals for shipping

Pueblo

Sorting Korite Boulder Opal

Found a possible

Koroit carvings

Koroit carving

Nice stuff

We spent around an hour at Rod Griffin Opals talking with his son Hugo and picking through loads of trays. He has Koroit Boulder Opal in trays of different prices. It was a treasure hunt where we sifted through them trying to find the best ones in several price ranges. Hugo referred us to a new video showing how the opals are mined. You can see our Opal pendants.

I lusted after a bead-drilling machine that I saw along the way. I will go back and have a closer look at that another day.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Some labradorite cabs called out to me. Often people cut it at an incorrect angle and it doesn’t have the shiny gleam that it should have. Well-cut pieces should shine their blue, green and yellow colors at viewers when you wear them.

Carved skulls and dragons

Lots of skulls

More skulls

Looks like these guys got their heads blowed off like that add on TV.

The largest gem tree we found. It was several thousand dollars

A fine gem tree

Little trees

Every year we see things that show up at every show. Carved skulls seem to be every popular. We saw lots of turquoise and also dyed howlite masquerading as turquoise. Gem trees have always been a popular craft, but this year we saw many large trees. You could spend $11,000 on your centerpiece tree! A couple of these show have large areas of metaphysical vendors with crystals, wands, massage tools of every important variety.

Great Peridot

At Rapa River in the back we talked with an Arizona man who had historical stories to tell. He was representing Blue Bonster-Collectibles with some wonderful Peridot from the Apache reservation. Bonnie Sarnelli the owner had made some fun items out of wood and gem “found” objects.

Nice home decor

This used to be Amethyst

Bonnie liked this one

Oh My!

Very colorful

Large amethyst geodes are always a big draw. Sometimes amethyst has been heat treated to convert it to citrine, man replicating a natural process. Not all amethyst will convert to citrine, sometimes it turns gray instead. So they do a test on a small piece to make sure they will get the result they want. Geodes from both Brazil and Uruguay are everywhere.

Oiled Emerald

Can we get this for my rock garden?

We noticed that many dealers have begun oiling their large mineral specimens. This makes them look shiny and bright, but can cover up flaws. This seems to be a new trend. We saw oiled adventurine, emeralds, rubelite, tourmaline. Buyer beware.

Hmmmm?

Beat that drum

Madagascar Amonnite

Pink Tourmaline

Koroit Boulder Opal

Azurite/Malachite in Matrix will make unusual jewelry

Bonnie’s sharp eye found Copper in Larimar (Petolite)

All oiled Amethyst

Bonnie found a few beads today, dark blue Lapis chips and pink Rhodochrosite. I bought some Larimar cabs because Bonnie found one cab with copper in it. We think our Copper Country folks will really like it.

Grateful Don’s was very retro

If you need some 60’s era tie-dyed clothes, just follow the powerful speakers to the acid rock. The music was bouncing off the Interstate wall and bounding around happily. Peace, love and all that.

The shows along this Strip are the Globe-X Gem & Mineral Show at Days Inn, Rapa River Gem & Mineral Show, the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show at River Park Inn, The Howard Johnson Gem and Mineral Show, and the Quality Inn Gem, Mineral and Metaphysical Show. All of these have vendors in tents and in their hotel rooms, so you move along in and out of tables, rooms, and large and small tents. It is easy to see different things if you take a different turn on a second visit.

How is a Holidome a tent? at the Tucson Rock Shows 2017

Kino

Bonnie cheks out this unusual colored Rose Quartz

The morning conversation always involves making a plan involving which of the 45 or so shows we are going to. The decision was to return to Kino then see what we feel like.

Fossil plates wall sized

Full of Trilobites

Arriving early morning resulted in getting a nice paved parking spot instead of a dirty field. Indeed we did find a fine spot under a large Mesquite. Shade is at a premium in Tucson.

Laguna Lace

What that lace could look like if you find a good piece

Rhodonite

We explored some vendors we had not seen in our last visit and looked through some rough rock. I saw nothing I needed, although there was some nice Mexican Lace Agate. I took some random pictures of things you may not expect to see at a “rock show,” then explored the largest tent on site.

Buffalo hides anyone?

Antique riflesand wooden Indians-Oh MY!

A four-faced obsidian Budda

Flourite Lamps

Flourite Carvings

This tent is full of dealers selling everything: Jewelry, Beads, Cabs, Knives, clothing, display and shipping things, carvings of wood and rock. It’s sort of like a fair with an excess of beads and jewelry. You could talk to people offering facials, get your jewelry cleaned, or just chat with some foreign person. Bonnie talked to one guy that could not speak English. She had lots of questions but could not understand the answers. What fun!

Gem Mall next to Holidome

Wooden Carvings

Buy-Sell imported jewelry.

Looking at beads-Yes she bought some.

We decided since we had a fine, shady, paved spot, we’d just leave the car and take the free shuttle over to the GLW, Holidome trade shows (business credentials required). You might think that a Holidome would be at a Holiday Inn instead of a huge white hard sided tent in the middle of a huge field. Well the show used to be at a Holiday Inn that is now a Radisson and has its own show. And now this Holidome Tent is about 30 times bigger than any Holidome I’ve ever seen. Maybe this show should get a new name. These are the largest combined shows in Tucson. Bonnie says I do these tents faster than anyone else who has ever come here.

Lamps

Big spender buying chains at Holidome

I covertly ask someone to take this picture

There is a massive amount of buy/sell jewelry here imported from the Far East and India primarily. You see the expected cabs, facetted stones, jewelry, and beads, but also an eclectic mix just as we saw at Kino, but thousands of booths as far as the eye can see. This show takes two days for us to see, but I skip past all the jewelry and move fast. If you come, wear your walking shoes.

The Holidome tent was “creaking” and moving due to heavy winds. I know it made me feel secure. I can see the headlines. ” Heavy Winds Kill Thousands” ( One survivor that was awaiting bead shopping wife survives). That’s Why I was sitting by the door.

I think I spent under $20 here, that’s how much I like it. Bonnie made up for me though. Enjoy my pictures from the day.