Along The Strip- Tucson Gem Show 2017

Pueblo Show on the Strip

Pueblo Show on the Strip

Days Inn

Days Inn

S0186026

Fairly nice crystals

Fairly nice crystals

Sunny and 70

Along the west side of the Interstate is an area collectively known as The Strip. We parked in the middle, walked to the north end and worked our way south. Wear your walking shoes! You can see the show list at the end of the blog.

This is how you pack crystals for shipping

This is how you pack crystals for shipping

Pueblo

Pueblo

Sorting Korite Boulder Opal

Sorting Korite Boulder Opal

Found a possible

Found a possible

Koroit carvings

Koroit carvings

Koroit carving

Koroit carving

Nice stuff

Nice stuff

We spent around an hour at Rod Griffin Opals talking with his son Hugo and picking through loads of trays. He has Koroit Boulder Opal in trays of different prices. It was a treasure hunt where we sifted through them trying to find the best ones in several price ranges. Hugo referred us to a new video showing how the opals are mined. You can see our Opal pendants.

 

I lusted after a bead-drilling machine that I saw along the way. I will go back and have a closer look at that another day.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Some labradorite cabs called out to me. Often people cut it at an incorrect angle and it doesn’t have the shiny gleam that it should have. Well-cut pieces should shine their blue, green and yellow colors at viewers when you wear them.

Carved skulls and dragons

Carved skulls and dragons

Lots of skulls

Lots of skulls

More skulls

More skulls

Looks like these guys got their heads blowed off like that add on TV.

Looks like these guys got their heads blowed off like that add on TV.

The largest gem tree we found. It was several thousand dollars

The largest gem tree we found. It was several thousand dollars

A fine gem tree

A fine gem tree

Little trees

Little trees

Every year we see things that show up at every show. Carved skulls seem to be every popular. We saw lots of turquoise and also dyed howlite masquerading as turquoise. Gem trees have always been a popular craft, but this year we saw many large trees. You could spend $11,000 on your centerpiece tree! A couple of these show have large areas of metaphysical vendors with crystals, wands, massage tools of every important variety.

Great Perifot

Great Peridot

At Rapa River in the back we talked with an Arizona man who had historical stories to tell. He was representing Blue Bonster-Collectibles with some wonderful Peridot from the Apache reservation. Bonnie Sarnelli the owner had made some fun items out of wood and gem “found” objects.

Nice home decor

Nice home decor

This used to be Amethyst

This used to be Amethyst

Bonnie liked this one

Bonnie liked this one

Oh My!

Oh My!

Very colorful

Very colorful

Large amethyst geodes are always a big draw. Sometimes amethyst has been heat treated to convert it to citrine, man replicating a natural process. Not all amethyst will convert to citrine, sometimes it turns gray instead. So they do a test on a small piece to make sure they will get the result they want. Geodes from both Brazil and Uruguay are everywhere.

Oiled Emerald

Oiled Emerald

Can we get this for my rock garden?

Can we get this for my rock garden?

We noticed that many dealers have begun oiling their large mineral specimens. This makes them look shiny and bright, but can cover up flaws. This seems to be a new trend. We saw oiled adventurine, emeralds, rubelite, tourmaline. Buyer beware.

Hmmmm?

Hmmmm?

Beat that drum

Beat that drum

Madagascar Amonnite

Madagascar Amonnite

Pink Tourmaline

Pink Tourmaline

Koroit Boulder Opal

Koroit Boulder Opal

Azurite/Malachite in Matrix will make unusual jewelry

Azurite/Malachite in Matrix will make unusual jewelry

Bonnie's sharp eye found Copper in Larimar (Petolite)

Bonnie’s sharp eye found Copper in Larimar (Petolite)

All oiled Amethyst

All oiled Amethyst

 

Bonnie found a few beads today, dark blue Lapis chips and pink Rhodochrosite. I bought some Larimar cabs because Bonnie found one cab with copper in it. We think our Copper Country folks will really like it.

Grateful Don's was very retro

Grateful Don’s was very retro

If you need some 60’s era tie-dyed clothes, just follow the powerful speakers to the acid rock. The music was bouncing off the Interstate wall and bounding around happily. Peace, love and all that.

The shows along this Strip are the Globe-X Gem & Mineral Show at Days Inn, Rapa River Gem & Mineral Show, the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show at River Park Inn, The Howard Johnson Gem and Mineral Show, and the Quality Inn Gem, Mineral and Metaphysical Show. All of these have vendors in tents and in their hotel rooms, so you move along in and out of tables, rooms, and large and small tents. It is easy to see different things if you take a different turn on a second visit.