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The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® 2018 Featured Exhibits

February 28, 2018 Hershel Friedman (0)

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® has some of the most impressive public displays. Aside from the displays of the museums and private collectors, there are also several featured exhibits of exceptional individual pieces. This year's show featured some magnificent items, including a giant red Elbaite Tourmaline from the Jonas Mine in Brazil, which is the largest and most significant specimen from this mine. Also featured was an iconic Aquamarine crystal with internal "helix" growths, from the Marambaia Gem District in Brazil.

Giant Red Elbaite Tourmaline ("Tarugo") from the Jonas Mine in Brazil, in Display Case

A Closer Up Profile of this Large Jonas Tourmaline

Information Plaque Explaining the Above Jonas Mine Tourmaline

The Helix Aquamarine, from the Marambaia Gem Pegmatite Region, BrazilRobert C. and Fallon B. Vaughn Collection; on Display in the Perot Museum

Aquamarine ("The Helix") from the Marambaia Gem Pegmatite Region, Brazil
Robert C. and Fallon B. Vaughn Collection; on Display in the Perot Museum

Post Emerald Necklace with Colombian Emeralds
Smithsonian Institution

Carved Quartz Crystal "Eye of the Tiger" by Designer Alfred Zimmerman

Pseudomorph of Agate after Aragonite from Rancho Coyamito Norte, Mexico
Andrei CarrillloCollected August 2017

Large Floater Calcite Crystal from Dalnegorsk, Russia
Found in 1990's

Giant Turquoise Nugget (The Largest Ever Found) from the Mona Lisa Mine, Polk Co, AR
Mined in 1892 by Jack Wrigley and cut in 2018 by Michael Beck

Giant Laguna Agate "The Monarch Queen of Mexico from the Alianza Claim, Ojo Laguna, Mexico
Albert O. Ray

Show Poster of an Amethyst Scepter with the Specimen from the Goboboseb Mountains, Namibia
Scott Rudolph Mineral Museum

Zoomed in to the Above Scepter Amethyst

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® 2018 Opening Scenes

February 21, 2018 Hershel Friedman (0)

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® is the world's most significant mineral event. It is the culmination of several weeks of gem and mineral activities taking place in Tucson, Arizona, every February, transforming this desert city into a bustling oasis of crystals and gems. This show, put together by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, is known for its participation of all important mineral people, with a dazzling array of dealers, buyers, and exhibitors.

This year's show started on Thursday, February 8, through Sunday February 11. The theme was "Crystals and Crystal Forms," with a special emphasis on crystal habits and formation. As usual, the displays were outstanding, with the finest minerals in professional and eye-catching display arrangements.

Aside from having the most significant public exhibits of any show, many dealers save their most important items for this show and wait to introduce new finds at this show. The importance of this can be stressed by the presence of almost all VIP's in the hobby, as well as local politicians and native Tucsonians. Even the governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, was present for the opening ceremonies and given a special tour. He was accompanied by Tucson mayor Jonathan Rothschild.

This post, the first of the The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®, covers the opening ceremony of the show, including the governor and mayor's visit.

The Line of People Waiting to get into the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® at Prior to Opening

VIP's Looking at the Impressive Aquamarine Crystal Display

Peter Megaw, Show Special Events Chair, Showing the Governor and Mayor a Display

Gloria Quigg, Show Publicity Chair, with the Governor and Mayor

Outside the Enormous Tent of the 22nd Street Show

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild (L), Governor Doug Ducey (C), Show Event Chair Peter Megaw (R)

Mayor Rothschild Opening Speech

The Governor and the Mayor Cutting the Ribbon

The Governor with a Delegation from China

The Governor and Mayor with a Delegation from China

The Giant Gem Tourmaline Crystal from Brazil as the Main Showpiece of the Exhibits

I-10 Corridor Gem & Mineral Shows, 2018

February 20, 2018 Hershel Friedman (0)

Along the western side of the I-10 Freeway, directly south of downtown, lies a cluster of shows that stretch over several motels. Dealers sell their mineral and gemstone goods out of their motel rooms and in tents large and small throughout the motel properties. The motels include the Quality Inn, the Howard Johnson, and the Travelodge. Many of the dealers are foreign, with a large proportion of them being Brazilian. The density of dealers and sheer number of sellers at this location is truly staggering.

Cluster of Tents from the I-10 Freeway Corridor Shows from Across the Street

Dealer Tents on the Side of the Road

Dealers set up at the Quality Inn

Tents at the Hotels with Sentinel Peak in the Background

Incredibly Perfect Herkimer Diamond, Mined by Dan Sebastian from the Ace of Diamonds Mine,
Middleville, Herkimer Co., NY. (Ace of Diamonds has a Tent at this Show every Year.)

A Fantastic Herkimer Diamond on Matrix mined this Past Year by Dan Sebastian
at the Ace of Diamonds Mine in Middleville, Herkimer Co., NY

The Tucson 22nd Street Show, 2018

February 19, 2018 Hershel Friedman (0)

The 22nd Street Show is another important Tucson mineral and gemstone event. It takes place on the eastern side of I-10, directly south of downtown. It is entirely indoors, in a giant tent that seems to increase in size every year. In fact, a new satellite tent was added this year, called the "Showcase." This new Showcase tent caters to higher-end dealers and more exclusive customers.

The main large tent had the usual dealers of all types, including minerals, gemstones, jewelry, fossils, and decorative rocks. The new Showcase tent featured some interesting public exhibits, including large dinosaurs and rocks from the Moon, Mars, and Vesta. The Showcase also had a more upscale look and feel, with carpeted floors, solid white dividers, and good lighting. The signature dealer of the Showcase was the Arkenstone, with several impressive displays of attractive material. We were able to get some general photos of the show, as well as some from the new Showcase tent, with special focus on some of the minerals and cases in the Arkenstone booth.

Outside the Enormous Tent of the 22nd Street Show

Show Scene Inside the 22nd Street Show

More Show Scenes Inside the Large 22nd Street Show Tent

Small Quartz Crystals Coating an Ox Skull, Quartz City Mines (Arkansas)

Small Quartz Crystals Coating an Ox Skull from Quartz City Mines (Arkansas)

New Showcase Tent with Exhibits and Higher-End Dealers

Exceptional Dinosaur Fossil Exhibit and Rocks from the Moon, Mars, and Vesta

Very Large Agate Display Case in the Exhibit Area

Inside the Showcase Area, with a High-End Booth of The Arkenstone

Highly Colorful Display in the Showcase Area of The Arkenstone

The Arkenstone Display of Many Fine Gem Minerals in the Showcase Area

And Yet Another Eye-Catching Showcase Display from The Arkenstone

Iconic Blue-Cross Aquamarine from Pakistan with Schorl, Featured on the 22nd St Show Posters, from The Arkenstone

Blue-Cross Aquamarine with Schorl from Pakistan, at The Arkenstone Booth
This Iconic Specimen has been Featured on the 22nd Street Show Posters and Ads

Chrysocolla with Malachite, from the Mashamba West Mine, DR Congo, The Arkenstone

Exquisite Almandine Garnet Cluster from Otz Valley, N. Tyrol, Austria, The Arkenstone

The Pueblo Show at Riverpark Inn, Tucson

February 18, 2018 Hershel Friedman (0)

The Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show takes place at the Riverpark Inn, and is an important part of the Tucson mineral scene. It is a sprawling show, with many dealers selling from their hotel room as well as the dozens of makeshift tents that dot the property during the show.

This show has a wide variety of dealers. There are many mineral dealers, including a growing number of fine mineral dealers, but there is also a very strong presence of gemstone and jewelry dealers. This show is very enjoyable due to its laid-back atmosphere. Always present are gigantic Quartz and Amethyst crystals, which make an incredible site to see.