Tucson Gem Show 2019 - Part 1
Now that I have had nearly two weeks to recover from my 8 days at the World's Largest Gem Show in Tucson, Arizona it is back to the blog. You may hear that and think how big can it really be??? Until you see the madness in person it is hard to believe. In 2019, there were 45 separate 'shows' spread out around the city of Tucson over a two week period. This involves vendors from not just all over the country but around the world and thousands of visitors descend upon the city to see what has been shipped in from the corners of the world! One study showed more than $120 million in direct spending around the city during the two weeks of the shows.
They take over the convention center, hotel ballrooms, hotel rooms (literally they move the beds out and set up displays, and tents in every parking lot imaginable. There is stuff everywhere! Beautifully cut Sri Lankan sapphires lined up in white boxes, rough opal pieces from Ethiopia, massive Amethyst cathedrals from Brazil and the list goes on....all the way to stunning finished jewelry!
Below is a little tour through a couple of our favorite shows where we found some amazing pieces that are on their way to EAT Gallery (noted in the text below which are heading this way)!
Amethyst cathedral pair that was so cool it just jumped out of the crate at me!
Huge crystal point greeting us as we drove in to the Pueblo Show!
Amazing geodes I could not imagine finding!
Agate and crystal slices and geodes on their way to Maysville!
Incredible quartz crystals on a wooden stand. This piece was enormous!
Amethyst geodes lined up waiting for someone to take them home!
This INSANE piece of amethyst is from Uruguay and maybe one of my favorite pieces we came across. It is incredible and once it arrives I will post a video of the front and back!
We found some interesting new calcite lamps and the tall one in the middle is making its way to Maysville!
The look on our faces is about right!!! Yes, this massive calcite cube is coming to Maysville! Another awesome find in Tucson!
That is it for part one of the trip to Tucson. Next up jewelry! :-)
Till next time.
-Katherine