More Gem Show Stash

Friday, I was able to get in one more run to the Tucson Gem Show. I needed a few sterling silver toggle clasps, and I wanted to look at turquoise.

(Click on any photo to enlarge)


This was the last day for the G&LW show on the south side of town. This is the one I always go to, because it is so convenient for me. I skipped the Gem Mall and headed right for the Holidome. I wanted to check out Kalpataru Beads for my sterling. I kept my blinders on as I passed pearls and turquoise and other wonderful beads. Some of the vendors were already starting to pack up, and they all looked pretty tired. I found Kalpataru, but was disappointed that their silver was $1.39 a gram. A bit too steep for me! So I headed over to the Inn to check out Colbaugh Processing. These are the folks that process the turquoise from the Kingman mine. I didn't buy anything. Not sure why, maybe because there wasn't anything new, and it was crowded in the little room.

So, I was heading back to the holidome tent when I decided to go into the Blake Brothers tent. They do mostly sterling silver jewelry, charms, chains. I thought I would take a look, see if they had some toggles. FINALLY found a table with some sterling silver beads and toggles that were on special for 89 cents a gram. Yay!! So I got a handful of toggles. :) And still had enough money for a few more beads.



So, into the Holidome tent I went. And I found the booth for Intrinsic Trading, the folks I had bought from on my first trip to the Gem Show. I just seemed to be drawn to chunky jasper and agate this year! First, I got these two horse beads. The dark gold and reddish one is mookaite. Isn't it pretty? The blue one is sodalite. Both of them are drilled to be threaded on beading wire.



These are some mookaite beads to go with the horse



A strand of large moss agate beads. I haven't measured them yet, they look around 12mm or so.



A strand of amazonite, which will go lovely with the carved amazonite floral bead I got earlier in the week.



This strand of beads is Mexican Onyx. When the helpful young lady running the booth told me this, I must have looked a little skeptical, because she quickly explained, yes, it's called onyx. It's a form of calcaite. My "skeptical look" was only because I had always associated onyx with black, not that I doubted what she told me.



And finally, a strand of Botswana Agate. I don't think you can tell from the not-so-good photo, but they are faceted. I like Botswana Agate, and I like SAYING Botswana Agate. :-D



And that is this year's Tucson Gem Show! :)