TUCSON, ARIZONA ROCK & MINERAL SHOWS
 

The Worlds largest Gem, Mineral, Crystal, etc. shows will begin January 20, 2020 and last till February 16, 2020. Some shows are open a few days earlier then the posted start date so there is about 1 MONTH's worth of shows to check out.

This year there will be probably 60 or more shows going on scattered thru out the city.

I have been going to these venues for about 25 years. I have never been able to visit all of the shows!

i remember our early discussions about this show from many months ago. you should definitely go and also film it, make a daily vlog about it and maybe, just maybe.. this year, you can visit all the shows :) dont forget to post here the youtube links too of this year's exposition :) have fun and enjoy!

Unfortunately I can't afford a visit but it's a great idea to post impressions and video's from those who attend. I would be very much appreciative of that. I often search for these video's and it's a joy to see. For those that go: ENJOY!

Visiting all of the shows is impossible as far as I am concerned. There is just too much to see.

'my' crystal shop will be going there too, as they do every year.
They always write in their blog about it, what they've seen and bought and some photos. Pretty stunning, and indeed huge! And time consuming, often having to help empty barrels to get crystals out and find the best specimen.

I wonder what's going to turn up this year! Usually there's new high vibrational crystals, new finds.

It must be great if you can go there, but I thought most was for business owners only? Needing a pass to prove this before you get in?

A lot of the shows are for the general public. As for shows only for businesses, some of them are hard to find but many of them will sell to the public. Money is money. Some shows sell both to the public and businesses. When the latter quotes a price, it is sometimes hard to tell if they are quoting wholesale or retail: generally you got to ask them.

This must be a huge gathering of the two extremes of "weird" people. By "weird" I mean no disrespect, but gem shows tend to bring out two types of people of two extremes.

I went to a tiny show in Honolulu, and it was a funky gathering of us, spiritual types, that see further meaning in crystals, and the scientific minded type that only find the physical composition of crystals fascinating. It interests me that something can bring two over-so competing frames of thoughts together.

I think it can go hand in hand really well? There was a crystal shop near by and the man ran it from a more scientific, non-spiritual & energywork related point of view. He just loved them, probably as the beauties of nature they are.
He sold gorgeous crystals of excellent quality, did have a real eye for it.
I could easily find what I wanted there even though I'm in it from another angle.
I think the same would go for a more scientific person who visits 'my' crystals shop, run by spiritual people for that reason as they too have great quality crystals.
Maybe crystals can bring people together by their shared love for the crystals?

LOT OF TRUTH IN WHAT YOU WROTE

At the Tucson shows, there was a 'dedicated' location for spiritual dealers. Over the years, most of the spiritual dealers have disappeared: one by one. What happened? One factor was the promoters increased the rent. Parking spaces that were free, slowly but slowly disappeared. Then there was the outrageous prices the spiritual dealers put on their product which drove customers away. Another issue was one spiritual dealer was trademarking stones and crystals and then selling them at extremely high prices. This practiced, offended some of the spiritual people.

Last year, I noticed at one show, there was about 4 spiritual dealers. At another show, they had one spiritual dealer.

Interesting, John!
But isn't it the case that many sellers want to sell their crystals to good people? I know some do from the proprietors of 'my' crystal shop. They said some sellers hold on to the best crystals for them as they know the crystals then end up in a good place. So at least some sellers care about that. That includes the owner of the Mt Shasta opal mine who -I was told- doesn't sell to many.
It would make sense after all the work and effort they put in to get the crystals to begin with that they want good people to buy them. Up to a point of course, they also simply got to make money.

It's an interesting thing to hear more ins and outs from someone who goes there!

That's an interesting aspect FairyCrystal. I know if I had a crystal shop, I would want the best ones to end up with the people who can do the most good with them.

BigJohn, I also experienced that some spiritual shops sell their crystals for a way higher cost. There's one online that marks it up a lot, but they also carry the most beautiful pieces. One in particular was kind enough to give me a 50% discount, which made me happy, but it still burned a hole in my wallet. I wonder if she felt that I would try and do good with the crystal and was willing to let it go to me with that in mind.

That's what I like so much about the shop I go to: they deliberately try to keep it affordable for people. And they are cheaper than most. And they are spiritual.
I know another spiritual shop, part of a spiritual centre. Their crystals cost at least 2x as much and are not higher vibrational than from the other shop, sooner the other way round. But this other shop opens and activates all crystal to a very high level (that's what they claim), and then charge a bomb for them.
So I guess some people indeed charge more when spiritual. Now the owner of that particular shop also runs huge premises (chakra & meditation gardens, dormatory, workshop centre, etc) so I suppose her costs are real high too. But still...

I do not know if dealers want to sell their crystals to only good people. From what I have seen, they want to sell, sell and sell so they can meet all of their expenses. As the shows start to come to an end, the show promoters come around and want to get paid for next year's rental space.

But then, prices can be extremely low. Last year I bought some really nice single pointed quartz crystals for only $15.00 per kilo. And then you can see some vendors selling the same crystals for $150.00 per pound (not kilo).

Yes, price differences can be insane, I suppose that's no different from shops.
I bought a golden phantom selenite, a long flat piece. These are all elongated flat pieces. I paid E7 (approx $7) for quite the larger piece.
I saw a similar piece, practically same size, on Etsy for... $163, I kid you not!
Now maybe they just rip people off, or maybe they bought from a seller who charged more like in your example, leading to high sales prices. I don't know.

Oh these sellers, lol. Do you think it's the case of some sellers who always think their stuff is better no matter what? I know some people in life like that, like when they want to sell you something used, they expect to get almost the same price they paid, but if you were to sell something used to them, they would expect half off.

Back to the original topic though, I really would like to go to that show some day. I would be zinging all around the halls.

I guess most dealers look at it that they can always come down in price.

Its a buyers' market. If they think they can get a higher price, they will quote a higher price. Some dealers sell wholesale and retail. Sometimes it is hard for those people to tell if the buyer is buying wholesale or retail.

As for zinging all around the halls, there generally is too much stuff out for sale for a person to go zinging.

I just read the first blog from 'my' crystal shop about the purchase in Tucson. They're still there and always post regular blogs with photos of what they've bought so far and how it is going on the fair.
What I gather is that it is a bit of a mess??
So far I've not seen anything that makes me go "Yesss!!!"
They do have Mt Shasta opals from the newly found vein. And the newly found Healerite. They bought all of what the couple who own the mine still had for sale.
Kind of funny how that goes. If one buyer buys the whole lot no one else in the world will have it.
They do have some larger Siskiyou Blue Opal that Raymone -the Mt Shasta opal mine owner- took with him for them.
I cannot find much online about Siskiyou Blue Opal, just one photo, and that does look like something I'd want, hihi.
Bummer is, I cannot get to them since my car broke down...

Virtually none of the shows are officially open except for a few.

Being there are shows spread thru out the city and if combined: constitutes the largest gem, mineral and crystal shows in the World.

You can find virtually anything you want. Hardest part is trying to find out where to go to buy it.

Oh yes, that's right, officially it started the 30th? They were there the 21st.
Not sure how hard it is for them to find where to get things. They've been going there for years and have quite the network. They're in touch with a lot of traders and agree to meet them there, like this owner of the Mt Shasta mine.
But I gather they check out other things just the same to spot new interesting things.
But in general this is their main 'inlet' for the shop for the year, even though they also have other sources from Madagascar, and buying directly in France, Germany & UK.
They got quite the nice job, haha. Traveling around, buying beautiful crystals, meeting people, then selling them during weekends to other crystal lovers in their shop. Quite the dreamjob! They say so too.

Show officially started a few days ago and I have already spent this year about the same amount that I did last year and there is 20 more days of shows.

Damn, you lucky devil. Have fun!

THe people from my shop said the same thing in the blog from yesterday: they've bought much more than before, so also lots of work to arrange shipment home.
They handpick almost all the crystals they take home when there's a lot of variety in energy/quality. She said some buyers just buy a complete barrel(s), they don't as they'd then also end up with the not so great ones.
They help sellers unpack -with permission of course- and while doing that they choose the crystals they want.
I think that's why they went over before the shows opened officially. Plus, they had agreed to meet up with a number of sellers.

Even though they apparently bought more than before, I still have not seen anything that makes me want to go to their shop. That's a first.
They still have a few days I believe before they go home so it might still happen.
I secretly hope not as I haven't got transportation, haha. So it'd be torture to be drawn to something and not being able to go get it.

I can't imagine any other type of experience then being let loose in the 'candy store'.

I found a new interest - pearls.

For some reason, I had no interest in them and now I am fascinated with their beauty.

I also found a very nice Black Jade statue from Australia.

Pearls are wonderful! I never consciously cared for them either, then suddenly fell for an one, a pendant. Not a round one, amorphous. I fell for the colours, soft peach, lilac etc. I wear it everyday with a larimar pendant on the same chain.
Pearls are called 'tears of happiness', feminine (receptive) energy. I like them!

I can't believe how great the 'candy store' has been!

I am approaching spending almost 4 times more than I did last year.

Yesterday I thought I was done. I only spent $80.00.

And of course they did purchase something that does ring my bell, haha. One of the lasts ones they got: Chilean blue opal. Apparently blue Andes opal has gotten ridiculously expensive over the years so they don't buy that anymore. Now they found Chilean blue opal, and to be honest, it's MUCH prettier and more appealing to me than blue Andes.
I want this!!! :love10:

Another one that's peculiar is cintamani. The very last type they purchased, they accidentally stumbled upon it and had not had it before in their shop. From what I gathered it's quite rare. I'm curious about them, and I think they'll sell really fast as people usually want such unusual stones, especially since this shop always sells at really affordable prices and this is an expensive stone.
I'm not sure if I'd want one. I'd have to feel it.

But the Chilean blue opal, oh my god!!! I sure as heck want a piece of that!
I hope they bought a lot as it will likely be a while before I can go :icon_frown:
They got 9 pallets total, more than they ever purchased there, but they said the quality of crystals was really good this year, so now they have good quality stock, even when next year's Tucson fair's is less.

Now I'm really rearing to visit their shop end of the month/beginning of March when the new stones will be in the shop!

The shows, for the most part, end this week.

Bought numerous mineral specimens. Can't wait to 'digest' everything.

Learn something new every year.

....and there is next year......

Several of us in the chat room were talking about a meet up at the show! It could be fun! Will have to save my pennies, make a play list for a road trip! :D maybe next year! Thank you Big John for allowing us to virtually tag along and see you enthusiasm.

Plan early. Hotel rooms are hard to get and can be 2-6 times more than the normal price.

Today is the last day for the last of the shows. One month has went by since the shows began. Now back to normalcy.

Thank you for the advice

Tucson shows are beginning....... again.

Went to one show today. Bought 4 things. It just happened that show had 'jumped the gun' and started early. I noticed another show was opened. I guess there will be some shows going on for a month or two.

I hope to visit sometime but I'm on the wrong continent :redface:

What did you buy?

I bought 2 really nice Angel Aura Cactus Quartz specimens. I bought a really nice Brucite specimen. I find Brucite to be beautiful in her own right and another crystal.

This year, the GIA Alumini Association is going to have a Night at the New Gem and Mineral Museum which is part of the University. I got my invite so got to reserve my reservation.

Sounds like a great buy. Brucite has my attention too. I need to learn more about it. Have fun!

One of the Tucson shows begins next week and one of their dealers has almost sold all of their material!

I have been buying small pieces of Aquamarine from one dealer. He has a tremendous amount of it. Some of it is in my price range to pieces over $2500.00. Each day, I have went and bought a few of the cheap pieces. I have felt good about my 'achievements'. Today, I went and bought a few pieces, went out to my vehicle, which was about 40 steps away, drank a few sips of coffee and returned. During that short period of time...... maybe 10 minutes, one person came and bought all of the Aquamarine!

That is how crazy these shows can get!

And this show opens 'officially' next week!

Wow that's a quick buyout. I sure would like to go some day, but would need to make it as part of a side trip or it won't be worth it. Maybe adding a stop in Sedona would make it worth it.

The shows are still going on.
There was an International Gem auction a few days ago. One vendor showed me a thick, high quality book of the items up for sale. I was surprised two of the items originally came from him.

As for me, I bought more then I expected; as usual.

From those who I talked to so far, nobody has seen any of the Chinese Distributors. This has caused a lot of things to be more expensive.

As for me, I got some specimens I never thought I would ever own.