The sun was back out today. The main event at the Tucson Convention Center opened today and we were there when the doors opened.

This is an open show and everyone is encouraged to attend. Jewelers abound as many retail customers attend just to buy jewelry.

The show is in two areas, the Convention Center and the arena that connects via a short hallway. What is unique about this show are the displays in lighted cases and the surprising things you might see right out in the open.

Wonderful gem specimens in this case.

Adventurine and Smokey Quartz from Pikes Peak.

I also like to visit at least one vendor that has the best rock slabs anywhere, but if you don’t get there first thing those slabs get picked over fast. I found a couple of Luna Agate that no one recognized and scarfed them up, as well as some nice red dinosaur bone.

I also found a pair of ammonites that were real nice.

One of the amazing things we saw was a marble carving of a woman reclining on a grand piano. This was all carved from one giant block of stone by Francisco and was named “American Woman”. It took him two and a half years and it was for sale on E-Bay for 5 million. This display and his appearance had several major sponsors.

The other neat thing was the Psittacosaurus fossil from China that was only $40,000.

There was no sign as to what this was. I think maybe a Morganite. Other IDs will be accepted.

Pictures are allowed at this show so no problem with the picture police here.

We plan on going back Sunday.

More jewels on display

Center just right of downtown is the Tucson Convention Center. On the left is the GJX or Gem & Jewelry Exchange tent. On the right is the JG&M Expo tent. In the foreground is the Riverpark Inn on the near side of the freeway.

I should subtitle this one “Rocks in the Rain”. I’ll explain later.
We drove up Sentinal Peak or as the locals call it “A” mountain.
The “A”, of course, is for the University of Arizona and this peak sets right in the middle of Tucson. Tucson spreads out over 156 square miles, mostly desert. This place is huge. I’d guess at least 30 miles from one end of town to the other, but I could be in error on that. Bonnie hiked up the treacherous path of loose rock and shear drops, risking being bitten by a snake or a gila monster to get these pictures that kind of show the lay of the land.

La Quinta Inn on the corner and Howard Johnson on the left of the photo.

We parked and walked up and down the strip as we have in the past few days. Prices seemed to be coming down as they usually do the last week. Bonnie found some bargain beads, and I found a vendor selling the most amazing brown, gemmy, Rhodocrosite rough rock. I had to have some to cut at home.

'A" mountain where Bonnie tempted death to get photos.

We

Crinoids!!

again saw our buddy Jeff Anderson selling his agates, said hello and continued on. We checked out shows Bonnie had not been to at the La Quinta and Howard Johnsons, then leisurely re-checked the other motel shows. It rained off and on and the weather was only in the mid fifties.

My buddy Jeff Anderson and his agates.

The second time it rained most of the outside vendors closed up shop. When we left the area, the sun had returned.

During the second rain I knew from experience to look at some of the rough rock at the shows. You can really see what you are getting when it is wet.

The $16,000 dino eggs Gary should get for his office.

For you real rockhounds I bought a parcel of quartz crystals with inclusions including a small quartz crystal containing Edenite, some Epidote included quartz, A crystal of Lepidocrosite, and a large clear quartz crystal with very unusual green phantom crystals inside, and a few beautiful rutilated quartz crystals, some with the rutile needles running in the same direction. These will make spectacular cabs. Bonnie found a wonderful star rose quartz which we’ll add to our booth display.

I took a photo of a dinosaur egg klatch with an orange clearance tag of only $16,000, and also a better view of how the motel rooms are used for vendors. We’re looking forward to the big show at the Tucson Convention Center which starts Thursday. We might take the day off tomorrow to contain the hemorrhaging of my wallet. I gave you guys bonus pictures today. I hope you enjoy them.

Rained out! Check the motel rooms (mini showrooms) to the rear of the tarp.

Is there a shortage of Ocean Jasper?

A gem with a gem! Bonnie obviously liked this one!

You just don’t tell a guy that you are going shopping with your daughter, and “You’re on your own” without expecting the guy to spend some money. So Bonnie and Holly went to buy plants and I went to buy rocks.

Just another million tons of rocks

Imagine the giant orb spinning on water. I can only imagine the water pressure this took.

I drove down to the “strip” and went to a couple of shows.
One was at the La Quinta Inn and one next door at the Travelodge. I found very little of interest to me at each place, except some nice red and green Sunset Chrysocolla (some refer to this as Sonora Sunset). I acquired a two pound chunk to slice up at home.

Dino at the La Quinta show.

There was quite a fossil display in one of the tents with both fossil reproductions and real fossils. I’m not that interested in fossils, but I took a couple pictures for you guys. I went to the Gem Shops’ store down the street from the La Quinta and looked at his nice Mexican agates and rough. I also met the man that owned the old Ocean Jasper mine in Madagascar. This mine played out three years ago. All the material was removed starting in 1999, so the Ocean Jasper was totally collected in an eight year period. He sold me a bit of the remaining material.

Bonnie gave me a mission to go back out to the Gem Mall and buy some jade beads that she saw last time we were there, so being a top-notch husband I did my duty. While I was there I bought a couple of Montana Moss Agate cabs also.

The Gem Mall is a giant hard-sided tent.

I knocked off early today and enjoyed the 65 degree sunny weather.

We had sort of a lazy day today. We took advantage of a couple of seminars that Rio Grande sponsored. Bruce Baker

Rio Grande had a great Catalog in Motion Show. Loads of people trying out tools and equipment and great seminars.

is a marketing expert that specializes in jewelry marketing. He is a great speaker and highly entertaining and informative. We spent about four hours absorbing information that should help the marketing of Snob Appeal Jewelry.

Buckets and buckets of rough turquoise at J.O.G.S.

I had the urge to shop so we went to the J.O.G.S. International show. This one is an average sized wholesale show with lots of variety.

Bonnie found some wonderful gemmy Rhodocrosite beads.
I found some pink/brown Rhodocrosite like I’ve never seen. I had to have some even though the stuff was a bit pricey. I bought some and lusted after more, but made myself be reasonable. I found a guy selling untreated Cripple Creek turquoise. It looks very promising. I can’t wait to cut it.

Seems like these rock chairs would give you a sore butt!

Bonnie and I could not pass up a cute little opal-backed turtle for our booth. I took photos of a couple really weird things. One was a booth selling rock chairs and towers with lights inside, and the other was an Alaskan, Chinese, robot, new age thing that I took a picture of because it was SO hard to explain.

Today was 63 and sunny.

The really weird "whatever ethnic we might sell" booth

We started out early today by going to the Catalog in Motion Show sponsored by Rio Grande. Rio Grande is possibly the largest supplier to the lapidary arts in the world.

This show does not sell anything, but brings in experts in the use of the products they sell in their catalog. We looked at some new wire wrapping tools that make loops, and a tool that makes ear wires. I talked to the inventor of Argentium Silver, which we use in our jewelry. I was even able to speak to the head buyer at Rio and was able to suggest a additional silver wire product that they should carry. This was Bonnie’s favorite morning so far. All in all a worthwhile experience.

My saw just is not big enough to cut these.

We headed to the Gem Mall where G&LW (Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers) has their show. Its a big show with loads of beads. Bonnie found some really nice beads and I located some really unusual Rhodocrosite Cabs (Yes John, I’ll share them). I also bought a star ruby and a large facetted smoky quartz.

Vendors set up their tents where ever they see open ground at Electric Park.

This show is large but beads all look the same after seeing millions of them.

We took the shuttle from the Gem Mall over to the Holiday Inn and checked out this one. The only excitement was as I glanced into one of the rooms as I walked by and what did my wondering eyes behold? Boxes of Cocoxinite rough. I have not seen any of this stuff since the 70’s. I rushed in to the room and the dealer said he had found an old stash of 1000 pounds and bought it all. Most people would not even recognize this stuff as unusual. I probably should tell you that Cocoxinite is a amethyst/quartz mix containing what looks like tigers eye but is actually Rutile. The material is hard to explain but gorgeous when it is cut. The best Cocoxinite came from Brazil, and this was the good stuff. I bought all I could afford.

Electric Park-more stuff than you have money for.

The weather today was rainy/cloudy and only 58 degrees.

After the happy experience at the Holiday Inn we met Holly, our daughter, and went to the shows at the Tucson Electric Park. Electric Park is where the local semi-pro baseball team plays. We just looked around, had lunch, and I bought a couple tools I needed for wire wrapping as well as a new pump kit for my rock grinder.

This was in general a fairly fun day!

Petrified wood at the Electric Park RV Show. This show was mostly closed due to rain.

Rocks all over at Electric Park.

Today we walked the “strip”. This is a group of several shows on the frontage road along I-10. These shows are located in

I bet you wonder why I took a picture of this ugly egg

the lots, courtyards and rooms at the various motels. We went to the Pueblo Gem and Mineral Show at the Riverpark Inn, the Rapa River Gem and Mineral Show and the JG & M Expo. Bonnie found some quality agate beads, some nice pink pearls, and splurged on some ruby beads. Her biggest hunt was for some larimar beads, and was happy to find something she could afford!

I stumbled across a pietersite dealer that I had met in 2008 at the JOGS show. He is the owner of a pietersite mine in South Africa and has what I consider the finest pietersite cabs available. You pay for quality and I was able to lighten my wallet considerably at his room. I also bought a nice piece of blue pietersite rough for our rockhound buddy Debbie. Several unusual cabs were purchased which I will share with my pal John when I get back. There seemed to be a large quantity of imported jewelry and trinkets, along with mineral specimens, jewelry, rough rock, scuptured rock and finished cabs. Lots of shoppers were there, both retailers and hobbyists buying up whatever caught their fancy.

I am always interested in the over-the-top specimens displayed in the front of the various motels which might include huge quartz crystals, geodes, and statues. We ended our day early to rest our tired feet and will hit the pavement

This is the front!!

again tomorrow.

Sunny, 72 degrees.

An amazing Ammonite!

Early this morning we went over to a Lake Superior Agate dealer friend and bought some of his best agates. The Lakers come from his “private” stash and not available to but a few.
I use these flawless beauties to make the pendants we sell on this site.

We went to the Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at the InnSuites Hotel this morning. I located some Muonionalusta meteorite slabs I use in my jewelry and Bonnie bought some assorted drilled fossil beads. I bought a few real nice Queensland Agate cabs, and some other assorted things of little interest. We enjoy the dinosaur display that The Black Hills Institute has.

We went to the Tucson Bead show and found it disappointing in size and selection. It was not our style of show, mostly retail prices.

Tomorrow we will go to some of the shows next to the freeway in Tucson. These are usually interesting shows in variety and quality. Each dealer has a hotel room like the fossil show today. We roam from room to room in search of bargains. Anyone can go to these shows and you do not have to be a dealer to buy. It is also a wonderful opportunity to talk to the dealers close up. Today I met Jeff Scovil, one of the top rock and gem photographers in the world. He was taking a photo of a mineral and it was interesting to watch the detailed lighting set-ups he uses. I watched for 20 minutes as he meticulously adjusted reflections of light onto the specimen he was taking a photo of. I can see why he is considered the best.

Today sunny and 68.

The Black Hills Institute DisplayWe happily sorted gemmy "Lakers" in the sun

The dealers could pluck juice right off the tree!

Today we started out at the Gem & Lapidary Dealers Association show at the spectacular Starr Pass Marriott Resort.
I wanted to see it I could find some killer Black opal cabs.
I was successful in locating just what I wanted and found that they were about twice what they cost just two years ago. Considering the low crowds at that location and fewer dealers then normal I may have paid a little too much.
Having said that I found no better opals anywhere else I went today, so I feel better. I will pay good money for quality goods.

The next stop was the Tucson Convention Center for the American Gem Trade Association Show. This is a hugh wholesale show this mountains of gems all over. Really over the top and any gem and size you can imagine.

We bought some real nice sunstone, but mostly looked and ogled. This show caters to those that trade in facetted stones. As you all know, our stones are much more rare than the common jewelry store fare.

Wading through the convention center took us until noon, then we waled across the street to the giant tent that holds the Gem & Jewelry Exchange (GJX) show. There are in the neighborhood of 1500 dealers at just this one show. We waded through most of the show, but we may or may not go back for the rest. This show got into my wallet fairly heavy with loads of good merchandise for reasonable prices if we carefully shopped. We found some great Druzy quartz treated cabs that I purchased for my friend John (I’ll keep what he doesn’t want). I also found some wonderful pink Moonstone that I have plans for. I found some unusual Amethyst/Goethite/Iron cabs which are exciting to see. Bonnie found a few beads and some nice pearls to string into necklaces. Other assorted cabs were also found that I liked.

We left that show around 3PM with heavier bags, but lighter wallets.

I’ll add in here a couple pictures: One is the Tucson Convention Center showing some of the hundred of booths. Photography is not allowed at this show, but I risked being arrested because you needed to see it. The other photo is a sampling of some of the stuff we bought today.

The Convention Center was packed as was the parking lots. We had a problem finding a spot in the $8 lot, but drove around and eventually one turned up.

Everyone seemed to have money and we did not see anything that would indicated a resession here in Tucson.

It was near 70 today, t-shirt weather. I liked this!

Stand by for our continued adventures!

These cabs will make great jewelry!

Well, we spent the whole day in three planes (every one full). No time for any shopping today. The only excitement is that we almost hit a deer before we got to the airport this morning. Now that would have been a terrible start for a vacation.
Traverse city this morning 19 degrees and snowing
Minneapolis 0 degrees and clear
Tucson 54 and scattered showers
We’ll be up and hitting the shows starting tomorrow. We will keep you posted.

Bonnie and I are flying out to the Tucson rock and gem shows for the next couple weeks. I try to attend every couple years, not because I need any more rocks, but just to soak in all the excitement of attending forty plus trade shows and seeing all that is new, old, and exciting.

The attached photos were taken in past trips to Tucson. We don’t have these funny looking trees, that you see in one of the pictures, where we live. This time of year rain is not uncommon in Tucson, and according to the weather report is does indeed predict some rain. But any rain and 65 degrees is better than the snow we have and 10 degrees.

Each show has from 100 to 500 dealers from all over the world. This is a great time to connect with others who have mutual interests to ours.

Rather then doing a normal monthly blog, I thought it would be fun to write a journal as we explore the shows. I hope to include photos so you can share in the thrills with us.

I think Bonnie would like to help with the blog and you all can pick up a woman’s prospective also. Should be fun!

A few things you need to take if you go to the shows are money, money, credit cards, and checks to spend. OK, that was just a joke (sort of). Some of the shows are strictly wholesale, so you need a sales tax license, and business ID to get in. Other shows are what is called wholesale/retail, and anyone can attend. If you want wholesale prices at these shows you need to show your business credentials, but anyone can go to these shows. It helps to know what you are buying and what you should be paying for it. There seems to be a wide variety of prices and qualities of items, so intense shopping may be in order.

I usually take a quick check over the shows the first few days making careful notes as to where and how many items I’m interested in are. If you don’t make notes you will NEVER remember where you saw something later. I then go back and bargain in earnest on items I’m interested in. There are also dealers I know have the best stuff, and I am willing to pay top dollar for the best stuff. My customers deserve this. There are also a few dealers that have merchandise so unusual or spectacular I buy immediately.

I also take a jeweler’s loupe for closer examination of stones, a camera to take photos (with permission from the dealer), and a sharpie marker to label the bags–how much I spent, where I obtained the rock, and any other information I might need later. I always get a business card, write on the back notes on the items and put everything in small plastic lockable bags.

Come back tomorrow for our latest info!