Tag Archives: Crystals

Photos from Tucson Gem & Mineral Show-Main Show Part II

I took massive photos at the show. You’re not seeing everything, but enough for you to get an idea of some of the things at the show.  We were interested in the large variety of Rhodochrosite crystalyzations, the Pyrite, and our Native Copper from Michigan and throughout the world.

Pyrite-Haunzala Peru

Etched Green Fluorite Brazil

Rhodochrosite Sweet Home Mine, John’s Pocket

Smithsonite, Yellow–Sardinia Italy

Turquoise–Arzawa Minerological Inc. I thought as I looked at this it could be a meteorite with a different mother.

Selenite from China, quite a coffin lid!

Calcite after Ikaite-Glendonite “White Cliffs Opal Pineapple” 526 g. Red Earth Opal.  The dealer said there are only about 250 in the world.

Pretty Intarsia square box with picture jasper and so much more!

Look closely: carved pots, old walls, hanging masks, and bowls. Laser etching inside of Lodelite.

A carved lizard. Front center.  Best I could do with my camera.

On the arena floor, more vendors!

In 2013 the Cruiziero Mine in Mines Gerais was experiencing high costs and log production, but a huge collapsed pocket was discovered in the pegmatite and is now known as the “Cranberry Pocket”. It took workers 4 weeks to collect the crystals.

Stibnite, China

Iridescent Rainbow Pyrite, Peru

Different crystal of Pyrite

“Ripple Fire” Rare Native Ripple Sheet Copper in black shale from Michigan’s White Pine Mine

Beryl var. Aquamarine on Muscovite from Pakistan

Rhodochrosite and Quartz

Assorted Fossil Forms

Chinese Mineral Specimens.

Bonnie buying Boulder Opal from a friendly Aussie.

One of the bazzilion displays of jewelry at a Tucson show.

Plenty of cabochons for you to covet or buy.

Agates and more, galore

Fossil sculpture

In the stone carver’s display, small fish, dolphins, sea coral in a bed of lodalite quartz. About 10″ across, this was stunning. Carvings inside Lodelite.

Intarsia Box by Nicolai Medvedev. with Malachite, Gold in quartz, Azurite, Turquoise, Sugilite, Lapis, Opal, 18k Gold

Elbaite, var Rubellite, Lepidolite from Brazil

 

Superior Amethyst

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Amethyst Garden

I’ve been holding close this little story from the Tucson Shows until I had the time to make jewelry from one special cabochon I found in the recesses of the show. I spend every day searching the crevices of the shows for the unusual, rare, and remarkable, and I saw something at DiWolf’s booth that I had to have. Diana and Wolfgang Wolf really had some great Cabochons.

Amethyst; Yes, I know Amethyst at the Tucson Shows is as common as chicken at KFC. No matter where you are, just look around and there it is. In this case my eyes were focused on one of the most beautiful Amethyst Cabochons I’ve seen this year. It was like a garden of crystals growing proudly in one stone. Something about the color and composition made me salivate.

Wolfgang was a very knowledgeable and obviously a skilled Lapidary artist. This particular cabochon was masterfully cut from one special rock he said he found in Superior. When he told me he found it in Superior, I was not surprised. I’ve seen some great Lake Superior Amethyst from Thunder Bay. Even the Keweenaw has Amethyst that sometimes rolls up on the shoreline, and my diver friends say there are some wonderful pockets off shore. He said he wished he had found more, and actually searched for more, but failed to find any,

I bought the cabochon, and already pictured it as a finished pendant for one special Amethyst lover. Here’s the kicker. It sat in my RV patiently awaiting its’ turn to be jewelry, this wonderful piece of Superior Amethyst. I often have dreams of a particular stone, and this was the case with this stone. I got up at 3am one morning (hey, you do this when you are retired), put the coffee on, and began working on this pendant.

Imagine my surprise when I unwrapped this lovely cabochon from its envelope, examined it closely, and noticed a sticker on the back of the gemstone, that said: ” Amethyst, Gila County, Superior, ARIZONA“! I had to laugh out loud. He was talking about Superior Amethyst from Arizona, and I was taking about Lake Superior Amethyst. I am not distressed in the least about this location change, but it’s comical sometimes, based on where you are from, and where you hunt rocks, how you perceive something as the truth, and not even be on the same close!

I told Bonnie when she awoke at the smell of fresh coffee. She got a good chuckle about this also. There is no laughing about the beauty of this piece of jewelry. It came out better than I dreamed it might.

I know also that most of my friends would have assumed the same thing I did. I got a laugh, made a nice piece of jewelry, and had fun telling you this story; a story about things not quite evolving as they are initially expected.

Snob Appeal Jewelrysuperior pendant

I’m sure you will agree that it matters not whether this Amethyst is from the Big Lake or some other locale called Superior. It is still a very stunning finished pendant, Garden of Amethyst Crystals.