The 2016 Tucson Gem Show was amazing as usual. This year we were especially impressed by all the gigantic specimens. There usually are some extremely big pieces at the show, but this year topped the charts. We saw the largest amethyst cathedrals we’ve ever seen as well as some odd specimens such as ruby in zoisite concretions the size of cantaloupes, a football-size pink tourmaline crystal and a humongous kunzite crystal! (See pics below.)
This year was fraught with some sadness as a vendor we’ve been buying from for the 26 years we’ve been in business passed away in September. We’re used to seeing the same people every year and when people start disappearing, it impacts me greatly. That’s just about the only thing that puts a kink in the “Groundhog’s Day” feeling we get every year: same place, same time, same people, same weather, etc.
One thing that struck me this year is that I noticed more than ever, how much I love the stones. Not only how much I appreciate them, but as in the verb love: how much care I give them. There are many vendors and buyers that toss their merchandise around as if it were landscaping material to be shoveled into someone’s backyard. Since most vendors do not wrap our purchases for shipping, we have to go through each box and rewrap everything we’ve bought. As we wrap each piece, I often gaze lovingly at them with great appreciation. We wrap each piece protectively with an affectionate touch.
I also noticed I was finding myself a little jealous of the buyers who are able to purchase massive quantities of things. I caught myself in my jealousy and focused instead on how we purposefully and carefully select the highest grade specimens for our customers. We may not wind up with a million of something, but we get the best! After all, it’s not the quantity that matters — it’s the quality!
We’ve started unpacking, pricing and putting everything out on the shelves. We’re excited to have you see all the new and wonderful goodies we brought back for you! I now understand our customer’s dilemma when they have a hard time deciding between 2 or 3 great pieces. I have the same problem shopping for the store! Here are some of the things we’re especially excited about:
- Pyrite balls from China. These are black concretions with lines of druzy pyrite circling the stones. Some of them have a design that look like secret symbols inscribed in the middle.
- Super 7 and Auralite 23 crystals!!!
- Blue Lace Agate drilled pendants, earrings and tumbled. The quality on these is so gorgeous, I almost cried when looking at them. We also got to meet the son of the owner of the only blue lace agate mine, in Namibia! He was at the show to dispel the myth around the closure of the mine.
- Faceted rhodolite garnet stud earrings. If you’re a rhodolite or purple fan, you’re going to love these! Cute design and unbelievable quality stones.
- DIOPTASE! We haven’t had dioptase specimens in years. The ones from Kazakhstan got so expensive, but we found some decent affordable ones from Africa.
- Madagascar carnelian bowls, hearts, eggs, spheres and slabs. This material really gets me, it’s so pretty. The bowls are to die for. We’ve never had those plus slabs of this material before!
- Green fluorite clusters from China. I just love these. They look like light green ice. We had just about sold out of these, they’re so popular. We’ve replenished the stock!
- Bright, deeply colored amazonite eggs and blue calcite spheres from Madagascar.
- Lots of great Spirit Quartz
- Carborundum
- Amazing star ruby rings
- Splash copper
- Satin/velvet malachite
- A bison jaw
- Cavaniste
- And much, much, more!
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