Listing of Tucson 2016 Events

Barbra Voltaire, FGG · **Posted:** Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:38 pm

Click above

Wybee · **Posted:** Thu Jan 28, 2016 1:09 pm

I'm heading out to Arizona today for the first time! I'll be visiting Tuscan sometime this week and was wondering if anyone has a recommendation on events to check out. I'm interested in faceting rough more than anything else. I'm not looking for cheap junk or the really super expensive stuff. More so middle of the road good quality stones that are worth cutting.

TOM KIDWELL · **Posted:** Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:50 pm

Finding good buys at the Tucson shows requires work and some luck. There are bargains at the high end shows and you can get taken at the lesser shows. So go look at as much as you can, and don't spend your money on the first day. The hunt is most of the fun.

PS you might consider joining Arya's tour of rough dealers to get an over view

Precision Gem · **Posted:** Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:00 pm

Some of the better pieces, and better buys are to be had in the parking lot, hall ways, and private hotel rooms.

Barbra Voltaire, FGG · **Posted:** Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:13 am

That, my friends, is the tip of Tucson.

Stephen Challener · **Posted:** Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:19 pm

Syed Nafeesali is a facet rough dealer who is in Tucson for the first time (hence the post, since people won't have already been looking for him). I've bought a lot of stuff from him over the years online and always been pretty happy. He's in 218 at Hotel Tucson City Center (formerly Inn Suites, the one with dinosaur models everywhere). He has some nice Tourmaline and Morganite rough. I picked up some of the cheaper but very nicely colored orange morganites, plus some really nicely colored faceted tsavorites.
Here are some pictures of his rough:

BandMan · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:14 pm **Posts:** 34

Thanks Stephen, I fly out late today for Tucson and I've only have 4 days. I've added him to my must see dealers.

Precision Gem · **Posted:** Mon Feb 01, 2016 4:06 pm

The tourmaline prices, based on what I can see in the pictures seems pretty high for the quality of the stones.

Stephen Challener · **Posted:** Mon Feb 01, 2016 9:41 pm

I don't buy tourmaline rough so I'm not sure. I will say my photos look pretty bad in retrospect. They're better in person, anyway, but of course I leave the judgment to the buyer.

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