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FEATURE STORY

If You Go With so much to see and do, newcomers often feel overwhelmed by their first visit to Tucson. “You can write about Tucson, tell people about Tucson, show them maps, and show them list after list of vendors, and their jaws still hit the floor just driving along the freeway before they even enter a show — they’re already overwhelmed with the possibilities,” says jewelry designer Caryn Walsh, who often plays guide for friends making their first trip to the shows. You may not be able to avoid a sense of amazement, but you can avoid being completely overwhelmed and exhausted by the experience. To help you make your Tucson experience more profitable and pleasant, experienced visitors offer the following tips: Do some advance planning. Colored Stone magazine normally mails subscribers its annual Tucson Show Guide before the shows, which can be an invaluable asset for laying out your must-sees in advance. “One of the most valuable things about the Tucson Show Guide is the advertisements,” says jewelry artist Beth Rosengard. “That’s where I have discovered new dealers. For example, I discovered satin flash opal a couple of years ago [in an ad].” If you don’t subscribe to Colored Stone, a prior year’s copy borrowed from a friend can also be useful. Although some dealers and shows will change, enough stay the same for you to get a good idea of who you’ll see at different shows, and allow you to decide which shows you’ll visit first. The guide also publishes a list of shows on their Web site, at www.tucsonshowguide.com. Make a list and check it twice. Before you head to Tucson, sit down and list all the materials you usually use in your jewelry making, and how much you normally pay for them, suggests Walsh. “I’ve seen people get to their first show and drop several hundred dollars in their first hour or two, and they don’t remember what they bought — they just saw things and started buying,” she says. Having a shopping list in your hand can help you tame those impulse purchases — and leave money for the really great buys you may come across later. “Knowing your prices is really helpful, because if the vendors are selling your staples at [the same price you normally pay], there’s no reason you should pay that price right now,” she adds. “You can buy those things in a month or two, and [in Tucson] buy things you can save a lot of money on.” Set a budget. With so many new, unique, and truly beautiful items on display, it’s easy to get carried away in Tucson. “Impulses are going to hit you from every direction,” says Judy Willingham. “You look at tables piled with glittering faceted stones, and boy, is there temptation.” She suggests taking the same approach you might before traveling to a casino: decide how much you’re going to spend before you walk through the door. Expect the unexpected. Although a list can help you organize your trip and keep your buying within budget, it’s important to leave yourself enough leeway to make that purchase you hadn’t anticipated, but is just too good a deal to pass up. “Leave a 10 percent flux [in your budget] for that wonderful, incredible thing you come across when you’ve met your limit,” suggests Willingham. Whenever possible, preregister. The biggest shows held early in the two-week season are wholesale only and strictly regulate entry. “Always preregister when you can — it’s a whole lot easier,” says Rosengard. “You don’t need to stand in long lines, and you don’t need copies of invoices. Also, if you plan on going to the Holidome show, note that G&LW (Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers) has a jump-start show at the Rodeway. If you registered there as a buyer, then when you get to the Holidome you can just walk through the door.” Even if you’ve preregistered for the shows you plan to visit, pack a copy of your sales certificate or tax certificate to document your involvement in the industry. You never know when you might want to visit a show you hadn’t planned to attend before you left, and having the documentation at hand will permit you easy access to wholesale-only shows. It’s a good idea to bring a couple of invoices showing purchases of gemstones or other jewelry-making supplies, as well — just in case. Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing lots of walking, so now is not the time to bring that high-fashion pair of shoes that you’ve never quite broken in. And no matter how comfortable the pair you choose is, pack a second pair as well. “Even your most comfortable pair of shoes will become uncomfortable,” says Rosengard, noting that’s a lesson she learned the hard way during her first visit to Tucson. Carry food and water with you. Tucson is a desert town, and even in February, when the weather is normally mild, you can become dehydrated very quickly. Walsh recommends carrying a water bottle wherever you go and taking frequent water breaks. A few snacks tucked into the backpack can make life a little easier, as well, she notes. “Sure, you can get something to eat in the parking lot, but sometimes all you need is a few crackers to carry you along.” Remember, you won’t see it all. Even if you go for two weeks and walk the shows from opening to closing, it’s impossible to see every item offered by every dealer. “There’s no way you’re going to see every dealer at every show in Tucson, so just assume you’re going to miss some and take a break,” says Rosengard. “So you’ll miss a dealer — it won’t be the end of the world. You’ll still see plenty.” A brief rest will help revitalize your flagging energies, and allow you to get more accomplished. —SW “What is Tucson?” someone recently asked on the Orchid online forum for jewelers. “Is it worth traveling a distance for?” Dozens of responses came from as far away as Thailand and Brazil — and were all a resounding, “Yes, it’s worth the travel — wherever you’re traveling from!” But the first half of the question — “What is Tucson?” — proved to be a little trickier. The simple answer is that Tucson is a collection of gem and mineral shows. But that doesn’t even begin to do justice to the glorious hodge-podge of merchandise on display in this desert town during two hectic weeks in February. An elbaite (tourmaline) specimen from Mozambique, 7.8 cm; from the Bill Larson Collection. Photo © Jeff Scovil. Quartzsite may offer more bargains, Munich more artistry, but Tucson offers everything, from the work of world-renowned gem carvers to rough material sold out of the back of a pickup truck. And that’s just the beginning: in various venues at Tucson, you can find delicate mineral specimens and five-foot-high amethyst geodes; handcrafted lampworked beads and heaps of mass-produced gemstone chip beads; exquisitely preserved fossil fish and coprolite by the pound. If you wander just a little way from the 25-odd official gem, mineral, jewelry, bead, and fossil shows, sidewalk vendors offer pottery, African art, and T-shirts. When you’re ready to take a break from shopping, you can take courses in everything from gemology to bead stringing, and perhaps even try out that rolling mill or graver that you’ve been eyeing in the mail-order catalogs. “Going to Tucson is like going to the local swap meet, going to the Louvre, and going to Disneyland, all rolled into one,” says Caryn “Bede” Walsh, a jewelry designer and bead enthusiast from Apache Junction, Arizona, who has visited the Tucson shows for each of the past six years. “It’s a lot of fun, and there’s excitement everywhere. It’s traditional to unveil new treasures at Tucson, so you’re looking at new minerals, a new way of cutting, a new way of presenting [gems], or some fossil exhibit that’s new. And you’ll hear not just different accents, but people speaking their native tongues, so it has a very international flavor.”   Gem cutter Gerry Galarneau and his partner, Larry McCoy, start cutting stones in the summer to be ready for the Tucson shows. Shown here is a pair of concave-cut ametrines, cut by Galarneau, set in earrings by Donna Law. Photo: Jeff Scovil.   “There’s this international community there for about a month every year, which is quite amazing,” says Los Angeles jewelry designer Beth Rosengard. “[It’s amazing] the resources and the people and the energy and the spirit — and the incredible variety of materials. I don’t think you can find it anywhere else.” Tucson is a giant, exotic bazaar,” says Judy Willingham, a relative newcomer with two years of Tucson under her belt. “It’s not just one parking lot or even in one section of the city. Every fraternal hall, every open space, every hotel is hosting some sort of show.” This year, the total of shows will top 30, ranging from shows featuring thousands of gem dealers from around the world to showroom shows exhibiting the eclectic wares of a handful of local artisans. While many are wholesale only, others will be open to both wholesale buyers and retail customers, while others will focus on the retail trade almost exclusively. A complete list of shows is published in the Lapidary Journal calendar and by the Tucson Show Guide on their Web site. New this year will be a Bead Renaissance show at the Shriners Sabbar Temple on South Tucson Boulevard. The show will feature 35 exhibitors offering both handcrafted and manufactured beads, as well as vintage beads, bead books, and beading tools. The theme of this year’s Tucson Gem & Mineral Society show (the “Main Show”) is African materials — covering such specimens as this azurite crystal from Tsumeb, Namibia. 4.7 cm high; from the E. Asselborn Collection. Photo © Jeff Scovil. Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers will also expand their show offerings with the opening of the Gem Mall site, two blocks from the Holidome show. Although a permanent structure is planned for the future, this year a giant tent will house the expected 100 to 150 exhibitors. The site will also continue to provide hundreds of free parking spaces, which Walsh calls one of the best bargains in Tucson. A familiar sight to returning visitors: a table groaning with agate at one of the open-air markets that stretch along the freeway that parallels Highway 10. Photo: Michael Leslie. For gem enthusiasts who don’t have a retail license — and so are denied access to the large wholesale shows — a new retail show run by GJX (Gem & Jewelry Exchange) may make a trip to Tucson even more worthwhile this year. The show, which will be open to the public for a small admission fee, will be held in the big GJX tent near the Tucson Convention Center on February 14-17. The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show — the club show that started the whole Tucson phenomenon — will be held February 14-17, and will feature exhibits focusing on the gems and minerals of Africa. Open to the public, the show also incorporates a strong educational component for children, including a hands-on maze of earth science displays. Adult educational opportunities will be found at AGTA’s (American Gem Trade Association) show at the Tucson Convention Center February 6-11, where a full spectrum of classes in gemology and jewelry design will be offered. Tucson offers a wealth of gems, both in the form of loose stones and carved objects. A Brazilian blue-green tourmaline cut by Mark Gronlund (photo © Jeff Scovil) Classes can also be found at Rio Grande’s Catalog in Motion show at the Tucson Hilton East, February 8-11, where the company will host several introductory jewelry-making courses, including classes on stone setting and bead stringing. This year, several prominent jewelry schools, including the Revere Academy and the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology, will sponsor presentations as well. Two Nigerian spessartine garnets, 7.81 tcw. (photo © Jeff Scovil). For pure gemstone artistry, visitors can stop by the Gem and Lapidary Dealers Association show at the Radisson Hotel City Center to view a special exhibition from the German Gemstone Museum, brought to Tucson by the Idar-Oberstein Group gem dealers. The hotel will also host a Crystal Galleria in the patio, featuring carvings and sculptures by such noted artists as Lawrence Stoller, Amador Braojas, and the members of North American Gem Carvers.Although dozens of shows and thousands of vendors would seem enough of a draw to make Tucson supreme among gem shows, Tucson lays equal claim to fame in its role as the place to see the new and noteworthy. “I go with the idea in mind that I want to look for the unusual and the unique and different — stuff that I can’t get in the Los Angeles area, where I live. And we have four excellent commercial gem and mineral shows a year, plus tons of club shows,” says Beth Rosengard. “But I can’t stay within my budget [in Tucson] because there’s always something else unique and different to see.” An exquisitely carved bottle of chartreuse quartz with a Mexican opal stopper, by carver Gil Roberts With such a reputation, Tucson draws gems dealers, bead makers, and mineral and fossil sellers from across the globe. “If you are a cutter or a wholesaler, Tucson is the place to be,” says gem cutter Gerry Galarneau of Phoenix, Arizona. “Tucson is the biggest venue we have for reaching customers who use new [gem] designs. They are very interested in seeing new - that’s what they’re there for.” Galarneau’s preparations for the February shows begin the summer before, when he and partner Larry McCoy start cutting hundreds of unique concave-faceted gemstones to sell at the show. “The buyers we’re after appreciate the uniqueness of design and the quality of the work,” he says. “We will have buyers in Tucson who can step up and buy the whole line of custom stones that we have made.” Betty Sue King of King’s Ransom in Sausalito, California, also tries to introduce new material at Tucson — this year her big find will be a fossilized coral with distinctive grey and white patterns. “I always try to find something new. It might be a new color, a new shape, or a new combination, but there’s always something,” King says. “New [items] are exciting because designers get something different to work with, and that puts them on the creative edge. Plus I have other things to offer in combination with pearls, and that makes it more fun for me and more fun for my clients to come by and sniff and scratch.” Beads — stone, glass, handmade, vintage — are among the fastest-growing segments of Tucson trade. Amber French made this necklace using beads she bought in Tucson. Beads have become another big Tucson draw in recent years. “I find a lot of beads in Tucson and I find every year there are more and more,” says Walsh. “There are vintage dealers now, for example, and I didn’t find that at first.” Walsh notes that beads are readily available at a number of wholesale shows as well as the dedicated bead shows, and the options include glass, stones, pearls, handcrafted, and manufactured beads. Caryn Walsh made her Sonoran Sensation necklace using Bali silver she bought at the Rodeway, pearls from the Holidome, citrines from the shows along the freeway, and glass beads that she made from supplies she bought at the Best Bead Show. Photo: David Orr. The shows also attract a variety of bead buyers, says Amber French, a bead maker from Texas. “There’s more art appreciation [in Tucson] than I’ve seen in New Mexico or Texas,” she says. “And the more appreciation you get for a specific work, then the more you’re going to see of it, and you’re going to have higher quality.” French notes that the Tucson shows have proven to be an excellent opportunity to introduce jewelry designers and store owners to high quality, handcrafted beads. “People get really interested, and start asking where the technique originated, how it’s done and what it is, and then they start really looking at the beads and often times they start buying,” she says. The result is that in a relatively short period of time, Tucson has become one of the biggest bead draws in the country, as well as a gem, mineral, fossil, and jewelry extravaganza. “There were so many [bead] artists whose work I had seen in books, but had never met,” French recalls from her first trip to Tucson. “And that’s where they were.” “That’s where they were,” could be the Tucson motto. Whether you’re looking for fine rubies or faceting rough by the pound, mineral specimens, great fossils, beads by the bushel, or the newest jewelry tools, you’ll find them somewhere in this desert oasis. Happy hunting!

Why They Do It

The Tucson gem and mineral shows are a whirlwhind for buyers, a head-spinning combination of things to see and buy. At the end of a Tucson jaunt, buyers will inevitably find themselves extremely footsore, bone-tired, and at least a little disoriented. But what about the vendors, who not only face the physical endurance of two weeks of shows, but also the knowledge that their businesses may very well depend on how well they do at Tucson? Vendors face early mornings and late nights, repeated packings and repackings, long waits to store and then reclaim their merchandise, the constant worry that their booth is arranged properly for maximum enticement, the knowledge that the wealth of stuff on offer that makes Tucson such a Nirvana for shoppers constitutes competition for them. The many foreign vendors, without permanent bases in the U.S., face a must-sell situation in order to cover the expenses of being there and to turn a profit. >> Tucson is a wonderful, often bewildering mix of impressions and a diverse collection of shows. Photo: Michael Leslie. << Visitors to the American Gem Trade Association show take a look at the winners of the Cutting Edge Awards. Photo: Kevin Myers. So why do they do it? Robert P. Lowe, Jr., of Lowe Associates in Brazil, answers, “We are all addicted to the adrenaline and the expectations — otherwise we would be in a business that is not so fickle and bound to the fluctuations of just about every other market. We always think tomorrow is going to be better — and we’re always looking forward to the next Tucson.” —HLW

Suzanne Wade has written about the gem and jewelry industry for more than eight years. Formerly editor/associate publisher of AJM Magazine, she is now a part-time freelance writer and full-time mom.

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