I just got back from Tucson last night, and I had a blast! Here’s my final update from the Tucson Gem Shows.
Oh, and before I forget – to let you get some of the great wholesale deals folks are getting at the Tucson shows, all Wire-Sculpture Tools are 20% off, now through February 15! And if we don’t have the tool you’re looking for, use promo code TUCSON20 on The Jewelry Tool Shop to save 20% on your order on our sister site, www.TheJewelryToolShop.com! More on the sales in a minute –
As our time in Tucson was winding down, it was time to visit some fun shows, say hi to friends, and enjoy the sunny weather. Although many shows were indoors, with strands of Swarovskis and enchanting gemstone beads draped by the dozen across tables and covering the walls, my favorite shows that I saw were outside, under tents and pavilions. Next time, I will bring a hat for the bright sun!
I’ve been trying to explain how big the Tucson shows are to my coworkers who didn’t come down. Imagine your city, or the city closest to you. Think of all the hotels and convention centers downtown: the entire first floor of each hotel is filled with strands of beads, pearls, and cases of finished jewelry! The convention centers filled with exhibits and vendors! And on the outskirts of town, county fair-sized sprawling shows made of tents and RVs – a total of over 40 individual shows, with scores of vendors in each venue!
White tents just seemed to pop up everywhere!
Yet somehow, parking was always easy to find, thanks to workers with signs and directions. Not only was I able to find some fun stones and lots of ideas for my own jewelry making, but I also found some finished jewelry for gifts for my family and friends, at wholesale prices – what a bargain!
During this trip, I got to see some amazing finished jewelry, including beadwork, wirework, and glass jewelry, as well as art pieces, and polished and cut fossil displays. I really wish you could have been here with me to see all the amazing pieces, because so much of it was photography-restricted.
With the weather back up to 70° and warmer, it was perfect weather to go look for uncut rocks and explore the outdoor shows. So let me show you some of my favorite finds from the Tucson Electric Park show, which is an outdoor show with a huge range, from rough stones for lapidaries, to polished rocks and animal pelts, to inexpensive finished jewelry, carvings, and scarves at wholesale prices:
A huge piece of malachite, glittering in the sun: this piece is about 8" across, priced at $275 (but vendors are often willing to haggle!)
A bowling ball-sized piece of Tiffany Stone. Tiffany Stone is only found in Utah, and it’s named for the black ribbons throughout the rock, which are reminiscent of
Tiffany Stained Glass.
A serving tray made from the fossilized remains of Orthoceras, an extinct sea creature, similar to a squid, which grew to about 6" long. Many orthoceras were fossilized at the same time, resulting in distinct white remains among the black rock.
A round sample of Picasso Marble, about 12" in diameter – this piece was marked at $5,000!
One of the most fascinating booths was a talented wire artist who
created fascinating figures out of wire – each of these wire statues
was at least a foot tall, with incredible detail!
Dale showed me how to shop for rocks at this show. Most rough rocks are found in big 4-foot square crates, with squirt bottles to show the gleaming colors beneath a layer of desert dust. This vendor, Stone Circles Lapidary, had already cut slices of rock, and had them in pans of water, ready for cutting in to cabs:
Tubs of submerged slabs
Here’s a nice piece of Birdseye Rhyolite from Mexico – how pretty!
Miscellaneous slabs up for grabs
There’s a lot of petrified wood this year – cut it across the tree branch to expose the rings!
And then, all too soon, it was time to go. We took down our booth at JOGS, shipped everything back to the warehouse, and headed home.
Flying Home with the Sunset
I can’t wait to go back next year!! These weeks seemed to just fly by.