TUCSON GEM & MINERAL SHOW
The highlight of my trip was the famous Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
which happens every year in late January and early February. Friends and fellow jewelers often ask me which gem shows I like best. I suppose the answer depends on what you are looking for.
OTHER TUCSON AREA GEM SHOWS
There are about 45 different show scattered all over Tucson, so there is a lot to choose from. There are several wholesale only shows which require registration with a business license. The one I like best for meeting most of my stone needs as an artisan jeweler is the JOGS show (https://jogsshow.com/ ) on Irvington Ave. I usually spend several days there, and it is so big.
Another wholesale one that I like to attend if I have the time and money left is the Gem and Lapidary Wholesale Show at the Holidome (https://glwshows.com/ ).
If you don’t want to bother with registering for a wholesale show, the 22nd Street Mineral, Fossil, Gem & Jewelry Show (https://22ndstreet.show/ ) can’t be beat. It’s huge and stretches for about a half mile along I-10 through Tucson. There is a showcase tent with vendors with pricey stones. This year, opals, primarily from Australia, seemed to be featured. In addition to the showcase tent there are two huge tents with everything you can imagine from faceted gems to rough stones to metal sculptures. If you want it, it is probably there. You can still buy wholesale if you share your business card and relevant info such as a business license.
OTHER TUCSON AREA GEM SHOWS
Presented by A.S. Shows Inc.
I did find time to attend the Pueblo Gem Show located on Cushing St. in downtown Tucson. You can find specialty items like Specrolite from Finland and ancient Roman glass that were on my list. I found out about both shows while A La Carte Cafe at the Tucson Art Museum.
If you’re into beads of all kinds, the Colors of the Stone, To Bead True Blue Show at the Casino Del Sol just outside of town is not to be missed. There were not as many vendors as in pervious years which was disappointing, but I did manage to work in a class in metal clay while I was there.
Please contact me at info@martyhoganjewelry.com if you have any questions, thanks!