Just Around the Corner – Tucson 2012

It is just around the corner when thousands of people descend into Tucson, Arizona for the big Mineral, Fossil, Rock, & Gem shows. It is the biggest event to be held here in the United States in this quaint little town, where thousand of people, hundred of shows and millions of tons of rocks, minerals, fossils and everything in-between can be found.

 Up for site will be the latest and greatest the jewelry, lapidary and beading industry has to offer. Hundreds of shows with vendors from all over the world bring their beads, findings, minerals, rocks, slabs, equipment, jewelry, and much much more. It’s the event that sets the stage for the coming year in ‘what’s hot and what’s the trend’ all across the jewelry, lapidary and fossil industry.

Tucson is much more than shows; it’s about the land of opportunity too. Connecting and networking with vendors, miners, artists, instructors, industry professionals; hearing what they have to say and bring it into your own business for success. Listed below are some of the bigger shows among the many at Tucson.


JOGS Gem & Jewelry Show, the largest and most popular independent jewelry trade show in the Tucson, Arizona area. Wholesale jewelry manufacturers, miners and international dealers gather at the Tucson Expo Center, the site of the JOGS show, every February. Buyer attendance is said to exceed 27,000 composing over 4,000 jewelry firms. Visit the site for more details and registration; note that this show is a wholesale only show, but check at the show for a guest pass.

Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers Inc (G&LW) hosts two different shows in the Tucson area. Gem Mall and right down the street the Holiday Inn & Holidome Pavilion. Both are excellent shows and provide a wide range of jewelry industry (finished and raw) vendors. Visit the site for more details and registration; note that these shows are wholesale only and not open to the public.

22^nd Street Show, at the corner of I-10 and 22^nd Street is a new show (only in its 2^nd year) that is fast becoming a well known show for fossils, minerals and rocks. Visit the website for more information, this is both a wholesale and public show.

The Rock Show (formally the Tucson Electric Park RV Gem Show), is where you’ll find all kinds of hidden treasures in minerals, gems and some jewelry. Dealers and miners alike bring in huge flatbeds with large saws to cut slabs and all kinds of lapidary material. This show is open to the public, check with dealers for wholesale pricing. Visit their site for more information and a show map.

Tucson Electric Park Gem Show; browse around huge tents, dig through boxes, bins, barrels, tables, and more. This show is open to the public, check with dealers for wholesale pricing. Visit their site for more information and a listing of vendors.

AGTA, American Gem Trade Association is one of the main shows. It is primarily high-end loose colored gemstones and pearls, with finished jewelry; designer jewelry section; colored diamond and estate jewelry pavilions. This is a wholesale only show and not open to the public, you must register with AGTA to attend.

Want to know more about shows, vendors, times, places and locations, check with the Jewelry Show Guide’s website for more information.

Rockhounds Dream – Biggest Small Town Show

Rockhounds, collectors and anyone interested in lapidary and more flock every year to the “Biggest Small Town Show” to find their newest treasures. In a little western town just 20 miles east of the Colorado River on I-10 is home to the town of a rock hounds paradise since the 1960's, Quartzisite, Arizona. Every year it is home to the biggest small town show reaping more than a million visitors is the Quartzsite show. About 2,000 vendors ranging from rocks, gems, minerals, fossils and everything in-between create one of the world’s largest open air flea markets in little Quartzsite, Arizona. The paradise gives way to many treasures if you are willing to dig and claw your way through tons of boxes, barrels, tubs, tables, and even trucks. There are eight major gem and mineral shows as well as vendors of raw and handcrafted merchandise selling to customers from all walks of life.


A little history on Quartziste, it was settled in 1856 when Charles Tyson built a fort to protect his water supply from attacks by Native Americas. Fort Tyson soon became a stopover on the Ehrenhurg-to-Prescott stagecoach route. It had become known as Tyson’s Wells by the time the stage stopped running and the town then became abandoned.

A small mining boom revitalized the town as Quartzsite in 1897 and it remained until 1965, when the Pow Wow Rock, Gem & Mineral Show began the rockhound winter fever migrations to Quartzsite each year. In these more modern days, the population can swell to almost a million during the January and February rockhound extravaganza.

                                                                                  Here is a list of 2012 Calendar of Events

January 01 - February 28, 2012 Desert Gardens -Gem & Mineral Show

 January 06 - January 15, 2012 Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show
January 07 - January 22, 2012 Main Event
January 20 - January 29, 2012 Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama
January 21 - January 29, 2012 Sports, Vacation & RV Show
February 1 -February 5. 2012 Hobby Craft &Gem Show
February 3 - February 12, 2012 Tyson Wells Arts & Craft Fair
February 4 - February 5, 2012 Rock & Roll Car Show

Bead Show Shopping Suggestions

It's almost that time of year again when everyone starts looking at for their favorite bead shows. You look at inventory and what you might possibly be making this year and then you start making a list, checking it two or three times, or more, and cross check it with your current inventory and future needs and of course the dreaded budget. Ok, maybe not everyone is as detail oriented as me. So, how does one try to keep their budget under control. I know it’s hard to resist buying from all the national and international vendors that bring direct to you their beads, findings, pendants, wire, tools, and even finished products. So ask yourself what to do, how to be a smart shopper and avoid the ‘impulse buys’ by getting prepared.

Here is list of a few suggestions that I follow for ever bead show I attend....ok, so not everyone is as detailed as me!

1) So when will bead shows be in your area? Check the sites of your favorite venders, they will often list what shows they will be attending through-out the year. Also, you might check with your local bead and lapidary shops for additional shows in your area.

2) Set a budget as to what you will spend; this may be determined by stock you are out of and some left over for purchases of specialty items. This is where “impulse buying comes into play”.

3) Bring a couple of checks, plenty of cash and your credit cards just in case you run into someone who doesn’t take one or the other.

4) Be sure to bring a copy of your Tax ID certificate and plenty of business cards. Some shows are known as wholesale only and will require these items for entrance. If it is a public show, don’t be afraid to ask the vendors for a wholesale discount and provide both these items to them to get a discount.  Note:  When asking for discounts be prepared to purchase in large volumes in order to get a better deal.  Many vendors are looknig for volume sales verses smaller purchase to give a buyer any type of discount.

5) Make a list of items you are out of; these will be the first things to look for at the show. If I know that I’ll be buying from previous vendors, I’ll group those items together on the list for ease.

6) I also make a list of items I am looking for and want; it could be stones or pendants I’ve seen online or a combination of colors in another design. This helps to keep the ‘impulse’ buying down by knowing what you are looking for and can afford.

7) Wear comfortable shoes and bring a bag or small rolling suitcase to load all your goodies into.

8) Include in your shopping bag several sizes of zip lock bags; as you find things that go together, put them in the little baggies, this makes it easy to determine why you purchased these little gems when you get home.

9) Paper and pen; I bring paper and pen to mark bead names if they are not already marked. This makes identifying much easier than guessing or having to go through the process to identify each unknown stone or pendant.

10) If you are looking to match a pendant, beads or color combination you already have; bring a few of these on a string or in a baggie to match-up at the bead show. This takes the guess work out of ‘thinking’ something matched and finding out later it wasn’t even close.

11) Bring baby wipes for easy cleanup; looking through tons of strands of beads and boxes of findings can get a little messy and dusty.

12) Look for suppliers whose ads you’ve seen for products you’re interested in. Bring the ad if possible and look for those products; this is the perfect place to handle these items before purchasing to determine if this is what you really wanted.

13) Take breaks and rest, get something to eat, drink plenty of fluids and take time to review your shopping list and bag; typically it takes an entire day to attend a bead show.

14) Last but not least; this takes willpower but walk the entire show first to see what is available, check out pricing and watch what others are buying. Many vendors have the same products and offer different discounts; look for the best quality and prices available. Make note as to vendors you want to return to for purchases of those goodies after you have finished walking the whole show.

15) Above all --- be a smart shopper and have fun!

Now start your shopping list, get going and Good Luck!