DICHROIC GLASS - new sets !

Without a lot of fanfare, here are some lightweight new Dichroic Glass designs

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FIESTA OF GEMS - 50th Anniversary Show

Southwest Gem and Mineral Society

50th Anniversary Fiesta of Gems Show

The 2011 Fiesta of Gems will be held

March 19th & 20th 2011

at the Live Oak Civic Center

Mark your calendars now so you don't forget to attend

GEMSTONE COMBINATIONS !

To be a bit different and let my designing juices flow a bit, decided for this Spring and the upcoming ROSC Joint Services Luncheon at Lackland AFB on March 25th, to come up with some changed variety in gemstone combinations for several new Jewelry Sets..

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Turquoise, Coral and Silver is an old standby, but this time I added some Wild Horse Magnesite to the mix.

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Combining Russian Amazonite with some Denim Lapis, and an Ocean Jasper Pendant with Silver Accent Chain, makes for a totally different look.

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Silver Fresh Water Pears, Pink Zebra Jasper highlighted with pink Crystals and then twisted with a Pink Zebra Jasper Pendant gives a striking demension to this necklace.

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Peppermint Jasper inserted between various shapes of Ivoryite and Black Onyx provides a dynamic and bold look.

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And for the Classy, a Blue Chalcedony Marquise Pendant hanging from Kyanite discs, Montana and Clear Crystal rondells, provides the evening-out look.

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These and other new designs will be available on the Web-site over the next week and for those in the San Antonio area that will be attending the luncheon, please come and look at these and other new items close-up.

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LAZURITE - Varieties, Trade Names & Misnomers !

After posting a picture of some new material that was recently acquired, several e-mails were received with information that one of the stones had been misidentified. Misidentification is a very easy thing to do, but one must also remember that the same exact stone may be called one thing in one place and a totally different name someplace else, with all names being correct. Thus we have what are called Varieties, Trade Names and Misnomers.

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The stone in the picture was identified as Afgan Lazurite Quartz. Now the mineralogy world says this about Lazurite. 'Lazurite is a popular but generally expensive mineral. Well-formed, deep blue crystals are rare and valuable. It is found combined with other minerals, most commonly combined into a rock called Lapis Lazuli, as shown in the second picture. Lapis Lazuli or Lapis for short is mostly made up of Lazurite, but commonly contains Pyrite. Lazurite can also contain Calcite and is sometimes mixed with various colors of Quartz.'

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The name means "blue rock" and it is always a brilliant blue with violet or greenish tints. The rich blue color is due to the sulfur that is inherent in the structure of Lazurite. Small crystals of Pyrite are always present in Lapis and their brassy yellow color is both attractive and diagnostic in distinguishing lapis from its also blue cousin - Sodalite, which lacks Pyrite. The Calcite produces white streaks in the Lapis, thus forming a multi-colored stone many times also containing pieces of various colored Quartz, as seen in the first picture. This particular pendant could be call Quartz, Calcite or Lazurite, maybe even Granite or Marble, because all are present. But since the Lazurite is the rarest of the minerals present, it is being referred to as a Lazurite Pendant. Since it happens to be known where it also came from, the name Afgan is added to its identification.

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Just for comparison purposes, the small carved cross is Sodalite. To really keep one on their toes when looking for or shopping for specific stones, here is a partial listing of the names that Lazurite goes by ---- Lapis Lazuli, Afgan Lapis, Chilean Lapis, California Lazuli, Lasurite, Persian Lapis, Russian Lapis, Sapphiros of Phiny, Siberian Lazuli, Ultramarine Pigment, Canadian Lapis, German Lapis, Hackmanite, Sodalite, Ditroite. Many of these 'variety' names are based on the amount of Lazurite and other minerals also present in the specimen.

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No matter what the name, fantastic and unique pieces of jewelry can be made out of this material, and look great in combination with other gemstones.

Afgan Lazurite Quartz Pendant with Jade and Copper

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TUCSON - for the Beaders !

The following pictures will say it all for the quantity of beads and pendants available, but one does need to know what they are buying especially in the way of quality. Chinese Turquoise was plentiful, in every color of the rainbow, and when asked if it was dyed Howlite, all the vendors would say is that it is 'enhanced". Somewhere, hundreds of people or some fancy machines must be working away turning out the thousands of beads and pendants that are available.

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And for those that want a nostalgic touch, Bakalite could be found all over the place.

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Thanks again to Ron, theimage1.com, for his excellant photography at the shows.

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TUCSON - Public Shows and Venues !

If you look at the individual shows as listed in the newspaper and the Tucson Show Guide, many are listed as buyer-only/wholesale shows. This is only about half true, many will let you in, you just can't purchase. However, one will find as you wander that most 'buyer-only vendors' generally will sell to the general public also. If they don’t want to sell to you, you haven’t lost out on anything, and there’s nothing to be fearful, uncomfortable, or embarrassed about. It’s just business, and the vendors would be lucky to have you want to buy their merchandise!

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So, leave the big shows and head to the Frontage Road Vendors, who will sell to anyone and everyone. In fact many times the prices will be better at these open venues. But as with everything in Tucson, "Buyer Beware", most of the time rules do not apply to the street vendors and unless you know what you are looking for or see something that is just plain exciting, be sure of what you are buying before you plop down your hard earned cash as there are NO RETURNS. Oh, and yes "cash", most street vendors do not take checks or credit/debit cards.

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TUCSON Gem Fair 2010 - now in full swing !

Here is a listing of the larger shows taking place during TUCSON GEM FAIR 2010 with links to many of the individual shows. But remember there are many additional vendors and dealers at most of the motels around town and in special locations set up for street vendors.

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The main Tucson Gem, Fossil and Mineral Show, ™ sponsored by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, is held at Tucson Convention Center Exhibition Hall and the Arena. An estimated 240 retail dealers share the Exhibition Hall and the Arena areas of the Tucson Convention Center with a variety of mineral, fossil, jewelry, and lapidary crafts. Tickets are available at the door of the Tucson Convention Center (Ticket Office 520-321-1000) and all Tucson Convention Center outlets after January 15, 2009. Admission is $8.25 plus a $0.75 Tucson Convention Center ticket tax. Tickets will be available at the door (cash only) of the Tucson Convention Center (TCC) from February 12 -15, 2010. The 2010 Gem Ride Guide will be available after January 24, 2010.

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Globe-X Gem Show – Days Inn, (222 S. Freeway Ave.), 200 dealers of gems, minerals, fossils, mostly direct-import merchandise from around the world, including gem stones, decorator minerals, polished minerals, rough minerals, beads, opals, fossils, amber, crystals, Arizona minerals, septarians and carvings,8:30 am – 6:30 pm, http://jewelryshowguide.com/ or http://www.daysinntucson.com
Rapa River Gem & Mineral Show – a wide variety of many unique and unusual products from all parts of various countries, 520-743-0866 or www.rapariver.com or www.tucsonshowguide.com
1820 Oracle Wholesale Mineral Show – TopGem Warehouse, minerals, 520-622-6633 or www.topgem.com
Tucson Showplace – quality dealers who are a direct source for the material they sell, offering rough rock, minerals, designer cabochons, jewelry, and copper, 262-377-4804 or www.tucsonshowplace.net
African Art Village – (1134 S. Farmington Rd., 85713), approx. 100 African exhibitors showcasing African masks, beads, statues and various other African artifacts from countries throughout Africa, 8 am – 6 pm, 520-869-7895 or http://jewelryshowguide.com/
January 29 - February 9: J.O.G.S. Gem & Jewelry Show, Tucson Expo Center, 3750 E. Irvington Rd. www.jogsshow.com.
January 30 - February 13: Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show. 505-867-0425. www.mzexpos.com. Held at Quality Inn Benson Hwy, 1025 E. Benson Hwy; Hotel Tucson City Center Conference Suite Resort (Formerly InnSuites City Center), 475 N. Granada Ave.; Mineral & Fossil Marketplace, 1333 N. Oracle Rd.; and the Ramada Limited Hotel, 665 N. Freeway Ave.
January 30 - February 14: Tucson Electric Park Gem & Mineral Show, Tucson Electric Park, 2500 E. Ajo Way. 520-883-6447. TEPGEMSHOW@CS.COM.
January 31 - February 5: To Bead True Blue, Doubletree Hotel Tucson at Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way. 530-284-2244. www.tobeadtrueblue.com.
February 2 - February 7: AGTA GemFair Tucson, Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. (Granada Ave Entrance). 520-622-8877. www.agta.org
February 3 - February 8; 17th Whole Bead Show, The Windmill Inn, St. Philip's Plaza, 4250 N. Campbell Ave. 530-265-2544 Fax: 530-265-2776. www.wholebead.com
February 4 - February 8: The Best Bead Show, Kino Veteran's Memorial Community Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way. 610-909-2674. www.bestbeadshow.com
February 5 - February 8: Rio Grande Catalog in Motion Jewelry Equipment Showcase, Hilton Tucson East, 7600 East Broadway, 505-839-3247. www.riogrande.com
February 6 - February 8: The Tucson Bead Show, Doubletree Hotel Tucson at Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way. Contact: Anna Johnson, 530-274-2222. www.thetucsonbeadshow.com.

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