Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Shows-our first day

downtown-tucson

Sunny 74

The Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil show is expected to host 60,000 visitors as well as around 70,000 locals to the myriad of gem shows this year. The show officially opened on January 28th this year and will run until February 12th.

We decided to skip the first weekend rush and fly in on February 1st. I hope only 11 days solves my rock-buying issues!

We have heard estimates that this show will generate 76.5 million dollars and sales tax revenues of 6 million. I had to smile at the latter figure. We have never really had anyone at these shows collect any tax from us. Some honest vendors may include tax in their sales, but what we have found is that most foreign vendors like American greenbacks, and many cannot get authorization to accept credit cards so cash money is king in many places.

We generally will use our credit card with American-based vendors and others we will pay with a check or cash. I have said it before that $100 bills flow here like $1 bills flow at home.

We arrived in Tucson in time to take our first shot at unloading some money at the JOGS Gem and Jewelry Show is not far from the airport at the Tucson Expo Center (A large convention center). The show is all on one floor so it flows well and it is fairly easy to get around there, except for the occasional “bead lady”, pulling around 100# of beads in a suitcase as large as a small river barge. Many of our favorite dealers are there. This is a wholesale show that requires a sales tax license and established business credentials. You cannot, by show rules, take photos at this show. Will Don risk arrest for your benefit? Hey, maybe I can get Bonnie to take a few candid shots!

aquaYes! Don did throw caution to the wind and took a picture of this rock. I still have all my fingers and the camera.

One of the amazing things on display at the JOGS Show was the worlds largest Aquamarine displayed at the Swami Brother’s booth. The gem is rated AAA and the color shows a brilliant blue. Vitaliy Maysenberg, the promoter for JOGS Gem and Jewelry Show invited the brothers to display their stone for the first time ever, and they were kind enough to do so. Ashok Swami reveals his brother Arvind Swami found the gem inMozambiquein the year 2000. Ajay Swami, the third brother, who is usually the one who finds the gems at the mines was proud for his brother for finding this 24kg (53lbs) 120,000 carat stone. Measuring 15″ x7″x4″ it fit tightly into the safe which housed it for the last twelve years until being brought to the JOGS Gem Show.

Also I bought a substantial amount of expensive drusy of really strange colors and some new gemstones called “Bumble Bee” from Indonesia. I will expand on this one tomorrow when I take a picture.