Tucson 2024 dinner

[Stephen Challener]

Hi everyone!
It's that time again. Who's coming to Tucson? When should we have our annual dinner? Last year's was really fun!
My brother and I are selling at 22nd street once agajn so we're there for a broad swath of time.

[1bwana1]

Just let me know the date and time and I will try to adjust.

[Barbra Voltaire, FGG]

I also have every intention of attending this year. I've been a deadbeat since Covid.

[path914]

It does not look likely that I will be going to Tucson this year.

[Stephen Challener]

Oof, that's a bummer. Glad we got to meet up at Denver anyway.

[vistagrande]

I will arrive in Tucson from Saturday, January 27th and be there until the following Saturday.

The dinner last year was great. Looking forward to another.

[gembug]

Soooo… after taking about it for something like 45 years I’ll be attending Tucson for Jan 26-31! Love to meet all of you in person if I can

I know nothing about the gem shows nor Tucson in general so open to any and all suggestions. Only thing I know for sure is I’ll be staying near the 22nd St show

-Allan

[Alberto]

we will be there and I really hope we will be able to attend the GO dinner!!!!

[dchallener]

Soooo… after taking about it for something like 45 years I’ll be attending Tucson for Jan 26-31! Love to meet all of you in person if I can

I know nothing about the gem shows nor Tucson in general so open to any and all suggestions. Only thing I know for sure is I’ll be staying near the 22nd St show

-Allan

Last year I read there were 72 shows going on at once. Of course it is sometimes hard to tell where one show stops and another starts. A lot depends on what you are looking for? 55 gallon containers of rocks, straight from the mine? Sliced up pieces, suitable for lapidary? Finished cabs? Crystals? facet rough? Specimens? Finished jewelry supplies? Stuff to sell in a rock shop? Fossils? Dinosaur skeletons? Faceted stones? beads? raw opal? finished amber? ..... Everything is in at least one show, and many shows have many of the above. It takes a minimum of 9 days for me to see (almost) everything. Last year I was there 3 weeks and finally thought I had at least seen every show.

Let us know what you are looking for, and we can probably help direct you.

[Barbra Voltaire, FGG]

Shoot. Something has come up and I can't attend the show again this year.
poop.

[gembug]

Hey Stephen - I’m looking for some special pieces of facet rough, if I can find/afford them

Specifically things like purple and cuprian tourmaline, alexandrite and other collector gems for my own hoard. I’m really open to suggestions - maybe also special cabbing material too. I have been wanting to visit since I started lapidary as a child so just being at one of the shows will be fantastic

I’m staying at the Super 8 near the 22nd street show.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

-Allan

[Stephen Challener]

Pueblo has probably the biggest concentration of facet rough, 22nd street has a bit of everything. Tourmaline rough should be around but pricey.

So.....would the 30th work for people?

[1bwana1]

Hey Stephen - I’m looking for some special pieces of facet rough, if I can find/afford them

Specifically things like purple and cuprian tourmaline, alexandrite and other collector gems for my own hoard. I’m really open to suggestions - maybe also special cabbing material too. I have been wanting to visit since I started lapidary as a child so just being at one of the shows will be fantastic

I’m staying at the Super 8 near the 22nd street show.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

-Allan

If those are the kinds of Tourmaline you are interested in be sure to bring a proper spectroscope (capable of over 900nm) to test for the presence of copper in the required amount. For the last few years there has been a good amount of very dark purple and other tourmaline being sold by African dealers as cuprian. I have tested lots of it that is being offered. Although it looks exactly like African Cuprian Tourmaline Almost none of it is actually cuprian. Of all the rough being offered in Tucson in recent years a very small percentage actually is. If you don't have the knowledge or equipment to properly test then you can usually get the MagiLabs (Albert & Mikko) guys to do it for you. They are usually in the lobby of the AGTA show, so you don't need to have an AGTA badge to visit their table. Do not by any Tourmaline rough (or cut) without having it tested first.

Unfortunately, this extends to a lot of other rough being sold around the various shows. I saw a lot of mislabeled, fake, and synthetic rough at recent shows. Some, even at well known dealers.

[gembug]

Thanks for the advice. It seems the dynamics of the tourmaline market have really shifted from the days when it was mostly ignored.

In general I'm looking for special collector facet rough to add to my personal collection. I have way too much smaller and what-seemed-to-be-a-good-idea-at-the-time rough and want to focus on more of the rare and intriguing gems. If you have any suggestions of reputable dealers to check out I'm all ears

Jan 30 works for me

-Allan

[1bwana1]

Thanks for the advice. It seems the dynamics of the tourmaline market have really shifted from the days when it was mostly ignored.

In general I'm looking for special collector facet rough to add to my personal collection. I have way too much smaller and what-seemed-to-be-a-good-idea-at-the-time rough and want to focus on more of the rare and intriguing gems. If you have any suggestions of reputable dealers to check out I'm all ears

Jan 30 works for me

-Allan

I will let you know what I am seeing with who and where at the dinner.

Steve