Tucson 2012 Kick-Off

 This weekend starts the kick-off of the biggest shopping in Tucson, Arizona from hundreds of vendors. One of my favorite locations I call the Street Vendor shows, this is where I have gotten some of the most unique and unusual items that I incorporate into my jewelry designs. I love to rummage through tons of barrels, boxes, tubs, and miles of tables.

The shows stretch for miles and miles as vendors take over the hotels, parking lots, and anything in-between; starting at Congress Street and running all the way down past Freeway Avenue. A person can find any type of vendor selling everything from beads, findings, silver, raw materials, lapidary, finished products, gemstones, clothes, bags, and so much more.

And best of all, most are open to the public, however check with vendors before purchase to make sure they don’t require a wholesale license.

Good Luck and happy hunting!

More Tucson 2010 Shows

There is plenty to see at Tucson 2010; precious faceted gemstones, raw material slabs, lapidary, equipment, beads, findings, finished jewelry, minerals, and fossils and much much more! It’s almost enough to make one’s head spin, but Tucson 2010 has now been in full swing for a week. Plenty still to see next week, with the Original Tucson Mineral & Gem show towards the end of the week; here’s some shows remaining to check out…

Madagascar Minerals Gem Show – Visit Norcross-Madagascar Gallery

Globe-X Gem & Mineral Show - Located as part of the “Street Vendor I-10”; many different Amethyst geodes, minerals, lapidary, beads, and much more!

1820 Oracle Warehouse Show – TopGem Minerals, Fossils and more

Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show – Located as part of the “Street Vendor I-10”; features jewelry, colored gems and minerals from all over the world!

Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show at Mineral & Fossil Marketplace – Selling of mineral & fossil specimens, lapidary material, gemstones, jewelry, and other nature related materials.

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show – “Where the Best Happens”

Rapa River Gem & Mineral Show – A wide variety of very unique and unusual products from all parts of various countries.

For more details and lists of shows check out the Tucson Jewelry Show Guide.

Tucson 2010 It’s Almost Here

Just about that time of year again when for the big Tucson show! It’s the biggest event here in the United States; where the quite town of Tucson, Arizona is descended up on by thousands of people. All wanting to see 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’ in beads, stones, lapidary and jewelry.

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 top 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.

Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers, Inc., (G&LW) hosts about three different shows in the Tucson area. Gem Mall right down the street from Holiday Inn & Holidome Pavilion and also at Grant Inn.

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.

Howard Johnson Gem & Mineral Show; for jewelry, silver, minerals, gemstones, lapidary, metaphysical objects/art and beads. They are along the freeway among the many ‘street vendor’ shows.

Madagascar Minerals Gem Show, which is hosted by Norcross-Madagascar Gallery featuring minerals, fossils and other lapidary.

Tucson Electric Park RV Gem Show, is where you’ll find all kinds of hidden treasures in minerals, gems and some jewelry.

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

Tucson 2010 Countdown

The big event is almost here; time to get ready for Tucson 2010!! If you haven’t already made your reservations (plane, hotel, car, etc.), now is the time to do so before you miss out on the biggest event for all gem, mineral, and rock enthusiasts.

Every year, Tucson is host to the United States largest Gem and Mineral show; starting late January and running thru the middle of February. Dealers, wholesalers, and buyers all converge on the small southern Arizona town to discuss, barter, sale, buy, meet & great, and see what is new (and old) in the industry. There are hundreds of shows with thousands of vendors from all over the globe and across the United States, with one thing in common; show what they have and entice us with the newest, latest and greatest.

Some of the following shows are ones that I recommend and do attend. You’ll find a wide selection of finished jewelry, tools, findings, displays, beads, gems, lapidary, and much much more. These shows as most in the Tucson area require wholesale and business industry credentials to get into them. Check with each show’s site to pre-register for many of them, see details and check for dates; as this year, several of the shows do not overlap as in past years.

Street Vendors: This is my favorite place to shop; I’ve gotten some of the most unique and unusual items here. Miles and miles of vendors take over the hotels, parking lots, and anything in-between. Across the street from the freeway, starting at Congress and running all the way down past Freeway Aveune, you can find any type of vendor; beads, findings, silver, raw materials, lapidary, finished products, gemstones, clothes, bags; just to name a few. And best of all, most are open to the public, however check with vendors before purchase to make sure they don’t require a wholesale license.

JOGS: If you’re looking for Amber or Southwest jewelry, this is the place to be. Dealers from around the globe bring the best and finest in Amber and southwest products. The show also hosts many vendors of finished products, collectables, and raw materials. This is a wholesale only show and requires a Tax ID to register and attend.

G&LW (Gem Mall, Holidome, Grants Inn): At many of these shows you can find international dealers and wholesalers; pearls, turquoise, silver/copper, finished products, beads galore, beading findings/products, displays, and much more. This show is a wholesale only and requires Tax ID to register and attend.

China Mountain: If Turquoise is what you are after, then you’ll need to visit the buildings located between Gem Mall and Holidome, where you’ll find the well known vendor China Mountain. Plenty of Turquoise and Coral in all different cuts and styles to chose from. Also a wholesale vendor, but you’ll need to check with them at the site to see if they will sell retail.

Electric Park RV: Though I’ve only attended this one once, I understand it is a great place to get lapidary, rocks, minerals, or slabs; so I’ve added it back onto my list for this year’s trip. Most sell either wholesale or retail so check with each vendor before purchase.

While this is just a hint of what’s at Tucson, there are also many other shows like the AGTA GemFair Tucson, GJX Gem & Jewelry Show, Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, Madagascar Minerals Gem Show, Rio Grande Catalog In Motion and Swarovski Elements-Create Your Style 2010 shows. Several are also offering many of the national instructors for classes and seminars, so check with your favorite instructor or show for schedules and details.

Mark your calendar, make your reservations and start the count-down! Tucson 2010 is just around the corner.

Tucson 2009 Street Vendors

If it’s good weather, one can walk the length of the I10 freeway hotels and shop among miles of street vendors. These vendors take over almost every inch of hotel space/rooms, parking lots and sidewalks, ballrooms and lobbies, and even around the pool and courtyard areas.

Here one will find anything and everything you can image from raw materials cut from the mine, custom cut materials strung for beading, jewelry and gift items, equipment and tool for the beading enthusiast to the professional lapidary, and even see geodes the size of small buildings! There are merchants local to the area, vendors from across the country and many from around the world. Some vendors sell direct to the public while others will only sell wholesale; check with each vendor before purchase to determine if they sell to the public or wholesale only.

Last year, this is where we found a lot of great deals and very unusual gemstones; our resident gemologist added more raw materials for his collect during our Street Vendor day than anything time in Tucson.


For more information on one of the big Street Vendor shows check out the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show, see their website.
For information on the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show 2009 visit Jewelry Show Guide or Tucson Show Guide.