I’ll be there from 25 Jan - 10 Feb; I’m with my mother and the
only date I would definately rule out would be 4 Feb since that’s
her birthday. The number is (520) 884-8277 and I would love to
see last years group as well as the new faces!
Hi Joan!
Make sure while you are in the AGTA show to stop by and say hi.
Our booth is 1309-1311, Tim and Malinda will both be there and
want to meet some of the orchid people.
Melissa
Tim Roark Imports Trimports@aol.com toll free at 888-TIM-ROCK
colored stones from A-Z
I will be in Tucson from the 4th to the 10th. Let me know if
there are any dinners, etc, planned. Rob Ringold
I will be at the show 8-10. Staying at the cricket mouth Inn in
swarrow nat. park. It would be nice to have an “orchid lunch” if
you need help organizing, let mr know. Amber
Hi everyone. Not only am I new to Orchid, I’m brand new to jewelry
making, so bear with me. I’ve heard about the Tucson gem show, but I
don’t have any other on it other than it will be held
sometime in February (?) I’d like to attend, but I need some more
could anyone help me? Thanks.
Hello, Please reply to me off-Orchid and I will fill you in on the
Tucson details.
gggemswcr@aol.com
Gerry Galarneau
Have you tried a web search using search words Tucson Jewelry Show?
The show is awesome! Tim
Hi I hope you enjoy this forum as much as I do. A great source for all
of the gem shows calender events including Tucson is Lapidary
Journal. I have seen the magazine sold at Barnes and Nobles. They are
located in Philadelphia, PA if you are interested in obtaining a
subscription. Diane
The Tucson gem show is really a collection of some 20+ separate
shows, some open to the public, some wholesale only. For more
check out the Tucson Show Guide website at
www.tucsonshowguide.com. You’ll find the dates of the shows that have
set them already (although I notice that several of the big ones,
like the AGTA and GLDA wholesale shows aren’t posted yet) plus some
local Tucson etc. There will be more on this site as the
show approaches, I’m sure. You may also wish to order last year’s show
guide for planning purposes: many of these dealers return year after
year, so you may find it a handy reference. You can pick up the 2001
guide free when you arrive in Tucson, or subscribe to Colored Stone
and get it in advance.
Also, the Tucson Convention & Visitor Bureau normally has information
on the shows, as well as free booklets listing hotels and other
attractions to see in the area. As far as hotels go, you can find
everything from roadside motels to five star spa resorts in the area
– just make sure you make your reservations as early as possible,
since the most popular hotels fill up fast. Also, if you’re attending
any of the wholesale shows, I recommend pre-registering whenever
possible to save yourself a long wait in line. You can find info on
this on the Tucson Show Guide Web site as well.
Personally, I find Tucson a lovely place to visit in February, and I
always enjoyed covering the shows for the various magazines I’ve
worked for. I think you’ll find Tucson offers an amazing variety of
materials. I hope you enjoy your trip!
Suzanne
Suzanne Wade
writer/editor
SuWade@ici.net
Phone: (508) 339-7366
Fax: (520) 563-8255
Hi,
The ‘Tucson Show’ isn’t one show, it’s actually about 20+ shows held
during the last week of Jan. & the 1st 2 weeks of Feb. Not all shows
are open for the full time. Some are open for a week or so at the
beginning of the period & some during the 2nd week. There are both
retail & wholesale shows. Some of the shows require proof (business
license, business letterhead, professional organization membership,
etc.) for admittance. The shows are held at many locations. Free
shuttle service is provided by the promoters between the various
shows. The show hours are typically from 10 AM to 9 PM. Check the
Show/Calender section of each months Lapidary Journal for a listing of
the shows’ dates & promoters addresses.
There are shows dedicated to fine jewelry, cut stones, rough, beads,
tools & about anything used in the jewelry & lapidary field. There’s
something for everyone! There are dealers & buyers present from all
over the world.
Ho/motel space gets hard to find during this period, so make your
reservations early (now is not to early).
Hope this helps.
Dave
You will love the Tucson show. But first things, first. Make your
reservations now. The hotels and motels fill up very early.
Although nothing will prepare you for your first Tucson experience,
try to get hold of a copy of the Show Guide. It is published by
"Colored Stone" and back issues may be available.
Take comfortable shoes. Carry your money in a fanny-pack or money
belt. Bring plenty of copies of your business license and business
cards, and a photo ID. Pre-register whenever possible. Don’t try to
see everything…that is guaranteed to make you crazy. Try to do
your serious buying earlier in the day, because by afternoon your
eyes will be tired (not to mention your feet) and you can make
mistakes more easily. Have a wonderful time —Batya
Yes, it’s huge, the biggest in the world I think. At last count it’s
25 or more venues, each with hundreds of vendors. If you possibly
can, find some one who has been there to take you around the first
time, otherwise it’s just overwhelming. We go every year for about a
week, and never see all of it. We do all our major stone buying in
Tucson, with the alternate choice being the Denver show in September.
Denver is about 15% the size of the Tucson show.
It is useful to know what you are doing at any show - but most of the
dealers are ethical - it’s just the few sharks that will get you.
When you schedule your visit - most schedules are in the Lapidary
Journal calendar, be sure to cover the AGTA and GLDA shows, along
with the GJX one. Those are the biggies, fabulous rare and expensive
stones - the rest are invaluable for more inexpensive cabs in unusual
materials. In my opinion, skip the gem and mineral show that follows
the AGTA one, it is specimans mostly, not cut stones. The Holidome
is greatly expanded for 2002, and that has always been a good source
too.
Go in any case - it’s an unbelievable experience.
Judy
In my opinion, skip the gem and mineral show that follows the AGTA one, it is specimens mostly, not cut stones.
Every year for the last 6 or 7 that I’ve gone to Tucson, I’ve had to
leave before “the gem and mineral show that follows the AGTA one,” and
every year I’ve regretted having to miss it. That show, the Tucson
Gem & Mineral Society show is the one that started it all. And, while
it’s true that this is not the best venue for fine cut stones, it
nevertheless has incomparable exhibits (last year the focus was on
Faberge and by all accounts the collection was unparalleled) plus
programs and lectures by some of the foremost people in our field. If
you can afford to stay in Tucson long enough to first do your major
buying at AGTA etc., and then stick around for the TGMS show, I have
no doubt you will be very glad that you did.
Beth
I’m hoping someone can tell me how one registers for the wholesale
show in Tucson. Also what business credential are required. I’m
looking forward to attending the show and the dinner as well, hope to
see you there! – Lisa Hawthorne studio.art@att.net
Lisa, Go to “www.tucsonshowguide.com” Once you have the home page
click on the “SHOWS” box on the left of your screen. That will give
you a list of all the shows. Click on "at the top of the
screen and you will find how to get complete info on registering for
those shows for which you have to register. There are, as you will
see, many show, wholesale only, wholesale/retail and retail. Required
credentials vary, but the most stringent requirements are for AGTA.
If you have an AGTA badge, it serves as credential in
itself for many of the others. Hope this helped. Jerry in Kodiak
Hi Susan,
I'm hoping someone can tell me how one registers for the wholesale show in Tucson.
There isn’t just one show to register for. Each show (there are
almost 30 of them) has it’s own registration. Many can be
pregesitered for by mail, however the time for that has past. All of
them have on site registration.
For documentation you usually need a business license or your
state’s sales tax license, some business cards showing you are a
member of the gem/jewelery trade.
Some shows will accept a badge from one of the premire shows (AGTA,
GLDA) as proof of trade membership.
Dave
I'm hoping someone can tell me how one registers for the wholesale show in Tucson. Also what business credential are required. I'm looking forward to attending the show and the dinner as well, hope to see you there! -- Lisa Hawthorne studio.art@att.net
Dear Lisa, www.tucsongemshowguide.com for show info.
Sam
I'm hoping someone can tell me how one registers for the wholesale show in Tucson. Also what business credential are required. I'm looking forward to attending the show and the dinner as well, hope to see you there! -- Lisa Hawthorne studio.art@att.net
There are quite a few “wholesale only” shows going on almost
simultaneously in Tucson in the period of January 29th through
February 17th.
If your business is in the USA, most will require a business
license, picture ID, business card, and recent Invoices showing that
you are actually a buyer of loose gem stones or jewelry related
materials. If you are from a foreign country you need a business
card and a passport with a photo.
Probably the most difficult show in terms of registration is the AGTA
show at the convention center (Feb 6 - 11). If you can get
registered for that show, you are practically guaranteed
registration in the other “wholesale only” shows. Many won’t even
issue you another badge - you just use the AGTA badge to enter the
other shows. If you get into the AGTA show, keep the badge for the
next year’s registration as it has a bar code and facilitates the
next year’s registration process for the AGTA show.
Come by our booth at the GJX and say hello, the GJX show is right
across the street from the convention center. (Feb 7 - 12)
Best regards
Robert Lowe, Lowe Associates - Brasil, Gemstones, Rough, Specimens
Tucson - February 7 - 12, 2002 - GJX # 205
NEWe-mail <@Robert_P_Lowe_Jr1>
Hi All, Sorry I wont be able to be at the Orchid Dinner. Sam has
worked hard to make it a great event.
I will be set up, on isle 9 near the entrance doors, at the Tucson
Gem An d Mineral Show on the 14 through 17 of February. If any of you
are still in town stop by and see me. I will be demonstrating how to
turn up to 3.5 inches of Ferris file a wax on my foredon. Its a poor
man s lathe. Only tools needed is a foredom, pana vice and various
inexpensive scraping tools. The process does not require any adapters
or special tools. The process allows one to turn wax without buying
expensive foredom adapters. I also demonstrate wax engraving.
You can see examples of my work on orchid galleries.
I will talk about my FIRESCALE free vacuum casting process to anyone
who is interested.
Hope to see you there.
Lee Epperson
It was my impression that the attendance to the shows this year was
down. However all the dealers I talked to indicated their sales
were up. The G&LW show at the Holidome was not packed with people
as it usually is. It was very easy to navigate through the many
dealers.
The display of gold at the Tucson Gem show was excellent. The show
was their 50th so they emphasized gold. They had a display of gold
that was recovered from a ship that went down in a storm off the
east coast. The wreckage was found at a depth of 1.5 miles. The
display included an ingot of gold that weighted nearly 1000 ounces.
It was sold 2 years ago to a private collector 8 million dollars.
Also on display was a encrusted collection of gold coins. They were
displayed as they had been found, in water. There was a gold nugget
in another display that weighted 300 ounces. It was discovered on
the Sonoran Desert by a man using a metal detector. In another
display was a copy of a 2520 ounce gold nugget found in 1869. It was
a visual joy for those who like gold. Lee Epperson