| 2007 Tucson Bead & Gem Show...I want to | | | | just a little of that "keshi" lettuce edge coming off |
| put this info down on paper...first for me because | | | | one side, they really were beautiful...ah well! |
| I want to remember every minute of this | | | | OK let's do a quick tour of the AGTA Show at |
| amazing trip, and second because I think that it | | | | the Convention Center: |
| may inspired some people who are sitting on the | | | | After checking in (which BTW I would suggest |
| fence when it comes to making the decision to | | | | you do before going to Tucson - most shows |
| take the trip! | | | | allow you to pre-register) you walk down a hall |
| Let me dispel some of the misconceptions I had... | | | | filled with photographic displays and individual |
| 1. The Tucson Gem Show is this giant show with | | | | booths manned by all of the various trade |
| tons of booths...not quite...the Tucson Gem Show | | | | organizations that support the Jewelry Industry |
| is actually 46 separate shows and each individual | | | | (both in the US and Internationally) and all the |
| show can house 50 to 500 vendors. | | | | major schools and testing laboratories are also |
| 2. After reading the Show Guide and seeing | | | | represented. |
| where the shows were located, I figured I would | | | | The first major Hall was the "Designer Pavilion" |
| need a car...don't do it...I probably spent a total of | | | | housing work by people you have only seen in |
| $150 on taxis (you would eliminate this cost totally | | | | the pages of glossy fashion & society |
| if you stayed at a hotel near one of the venues). | | | | magazines along with the 2007 AGTA Spectrum |
| Tucson is undergoing a 5 year freeway | | | | Award Winners (AGTA Spectrum Awards is an |
| renovation project and the traffic is a pain, aside | | | | annual natural colored gemstone & cultured |
| from the fact that finding parking near most of | | | | pearl jewelry design competition.). You can see |
| the venues is very tough. The city of Tucson | | | | the winners here: [ |
| provided (FREE) a system of shuttles that went | | | | Next you visit the Main Gem Hall - literally aisle |
| to the various shows, so if your hotel was near | | | | after aisle (17 rows back to back) of some of |
| one of the shows - you had free transportation | | | | the most spectacular gems I have ever |
| from 8am to 7pm every day. | | | | seen...most humans will never in their lives see |
| 3. You have to have a business license and re-sale | | | | gems of this quality! There was also a small |
| number (one show actually required letters of | | | | display of some of the museum-grade gems that |
| reference from companies you've purchased | | | | have been donated to GIA's private collection and |
| from in the past) to get into (and buy) at most | | | | small grouping of items from the traveling exhibit |
| of the shows...as a student this was a huge fear | | | | from the Smithsonian Institution. |
| for me as I no longer have a business. Most of | | | | Gem Hall II housed the new "Colored Diamond" |
| the shows will admit Students without question, | | | | area and very interesting and surprisingly |
| some want a student ID. The majority of the | | | | affordable "Estate Jewelry" area all along side |
| venues offered "Visitor" passes and you can buy | | | | several rows of Metals, Findings and Tools |
| from most of the vendors. The vendors that are | | | | vendors. Tucked in the corner of this room was a |
| "Wholesale Only" or required a "Minimum | | | | surprise that I wasn't aware of MJSA was |
| Purchase", display that info prominently. | | | | offering a series of seminars called "At The |
| 4. You can get amazing prices that will beat the | | | | Bench..." each subject was different but in total |
| Local Bead Store...True and False! If you are going | | | | gave a great representation of the industry. For a |
| to Tucson as a designer of one-of-a-kind pieces, | | | | list of seminars see: |
| while prices will definitely beat your LBS, you | | | | [ |
| aren't likely to get any great deals. If you have a | | | | OK, Moving On...Tucson Electric Park, here we go... |
| beading supply business and can afford to | | | | When you take the GemRide shuttle to the |
| purchase multiples, most vendors will offer deals | | | | Electric Park you enter between the two |
| by the gram, kilogram, or pound. You need to do | | | | seperate shows the Tucson Electric Park Show |
| your homework - most of the vendors deal in | | | | on the left and the Electric Park RV Show to the |
| millimeters, centimeters, grams or kilograms, | | | | right - we are going to start with the larger of |
| know your weights and measures, nothing says | | | | the two shows. |
| amateur like messing up a weight. One way to | | | | For those of you who are wondering Tucson |
| get your bearings is say an item is priced per | | | | Electric Park is a Sports Complex, home of the |
| carat...get the vendor to weigh out and price a | | | | Arizona Diamondbacks and Spring Training Camp |
| medium size of the stone you are looking at so | | | | for the Chicago White Sox. |
| you will have an idea what you can find in your | | | | This is probably the most rugged venue...you not |
| price range. At the bead vendors watch them | | | | only need comfortable shoes for this site but |
| weigh out a kilogram of beads for someone | | | | rugged, comfortable shoes! The entire event is |
| (most will let you mix and match and one vendor | | | | outdoors on gravel. Most of the shows are open |
| gave a $100 in free beads to anyone with | | | | to the public with just a couple roped off as "for |
| business ID)...it will give you an idea of whether | | | | wholesale only". That doesn't mean that you can't |
| this is a deal or not. | | | | get wholesale deals here, just offer your re-sale |
| 5. Looks Matter - you know, the more I dressed | | | | number and a sizable order. |
| down the easier it was to talk to some of the | | | | There is one HUGE main tent this was anchored |
| vendors...there are shows that I feel that | | | | by a large Indonesian company that carried an |
| "business attire" is necessary (the AGTA, GJX | | | | assortment of products (I particularly loved the |
| & GLDA Shows in particular). But the bottom | | | | carved burls) and Southwest Silver on one end |
| line on the dress code is "business casual" - if you | | | | and Kents Tools and Alpha Supply on the other. |
| are like me, you are going to do alot more | | | | With an assortment of various shops in |
| walking than you have done in a while (and it is | | | | between...a few carving shops (one of my favs |
| continuous day after day), so the most important | | | | was here), some rough, some beads, a couple |
| piece of wardrobe is your shoes!!! | | | | faceters and lots of finished jewelery. |
| I think the easiest way to do this is by venue...so, | | | | This tent held my attention for hours...Alpha |
| come on everyone here we go! | | | | Supply (very friendly and helpful folks) had demos |
| AGTA at the Tucson Convention Center: | | | | going on everyday...Tony Aldrige would demo any |
| This is probably the most high-end and popular | | | | feature of the Foredom that was important to |
| show...it will truly leave you breathless. Most of the | | | | your field; Ed Johnson cut Ocean Jasper to the |
| people I talked to didn't go into this show because | | | | pattern on the stone in an amazing demo of the |
| they felt it was just faceted stones and | | | | new "ring" saw, it is like haveing a scroll saw for |
| diamonds...while that is a big portion of the show it | | | | stones (this may be my next major purchase) |
| also included beads and pearls (a shape I didn't find | | | | and several different people did faceting |
| anywhere else) and due to the larger market | | | | demos...and my personal favorite demo was the |
| presence and budget of the companies | | | | Tools by Miland booth...a tool geeks haven! |
| represented, this show is key to learning trends | | | | As if this wasn't enough there were two other |
| and directions in fashion. When you go into the | | | | tents that housed tool companies...the Diamond |
| main Gem Hall and see a strand of emerald beads | | | | Pacific Tent and the Crystalite Tent. The other |
| you have an example of what AAA Grade | | | | large tents housed Village Originals - yes their |
| Emerald Beads should look like. While they may be | | | | product looks just as good in person; Blake |
| way out of our price range it gives you an ideal | | | | Brothers (Wholesale Only!); the balance were an |
| for shopping at some of the other venues. | | | | eclectic mix of products, rough, jewelry and even |
| Trends I noticed at AGTA: | | | | clothing! There was a very cool company (can't |
| Cuprian Tourmaline: no matter how controversial | | | | remember the name, unfortunately) that would |
| this stone is, it is beautiful and it is everywhere! In | | | | wire-wrap a piece that you bought while you |
| the "Paraiba" color and a range of new colors (I | | | | waited...great idea! I got my favorite purchase |
| am especially fond of the strong, almost neon | | | | from Wild Ginger Imports - an incredible selection |
| quality of the violet) from Africa. | | | | of moths, beetles and a leaf bug (yes real!) behind |
| Micro-Beads: these tiny (most are 3-5mm) little | | | | glass in a shadow box. |
| smooth or faceted rondelles are HUGE...most | | | | Most of the other vendors either had their own |
| vendors are carrying them...but buyer beware the | | | | tent or were in the open space in a central booth |
| quality varies from vendor to vendor and from | | | | "village" area! This was definately the venue to |
| strand to strand. These are being shown in | | | | find great deals on gem rough, jars of opals, |
| Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Mixed Corundum (Ruby, | | | | agates of all kind, jade and really nice rugs & |
| with Blue and Yellow Sapphire), Emerald with | | | | wood carvings. |
| Mixed Corundum and Diamonds (all colors, blue, | | | | Now - to the real reason I spent so much time at |
| champagne, yellow, cognac, milky white and clear | | | | the Electric Park, the Electric Park Learning Center: |
| white). | | | | This couldn't have been a more welcoming venue |
| Diamonds: not only in the micro-beads but also | | | | - friendly staff and truly world class instructors. |
| really cool looks using natural rough diamond | | | | Their schedule was very complete and was a |
| crystals. These came in a variety of styles and | | | | great fit with the other seminars available...from |
| looks from 1ct crystals caged in 18kt gold to | | | | Beading to Faceting (including an entire day of |
| nugget beads chained together - Rosary style! | | | | faceting from across the pond, with Scot - Danny |
| Pearls: I must say that pearls were in abundance | | | | Hargreaves - he was a wealth of information and |
| with strands of every color, shape (crosses, biwa, | | | | a eager to share his craft) |
| mabe', keshi, coin, potato, rice, button, even | | | | For me, the highlights were... |
| faceted) and size (micro 3mm to 12-16mm). | | | | Setting a Stone Within a Stone - Hans Durstling |
| Several vendors are showing the keshi pearls in | | | | Selecting Good Faceting Rough - John Franke |
| new shapes...some have the ruffled lettuce-edge, | | | | Selling Your Craft - Tony Aldridge |
| some shaped more like leaves, side-drilled, | | | | Getting the Most from Your Diamond Saw - Bill |
| center-drilled...I guess I'm saying if you like keshi - | | | | Ritter |
| it is still big. I really felt I had probably seen every | | | | Cabachon Cutting, Step-by-Step - Bill Depue |
| shape when I saw something that was really | | | | Tumbling for Jewelers - Ed Johnson |
| unique. One vendor (I didn't see them anywhere | | | | Drilling Holes in Gem Material - Bill Ritter |
| else and I am kicking my self for not picking up a | | | | Check the links above for info about the offerings |
| strand) had really beautiful champagne pearls that | | | | for 2008! |
| were a nice round pearl (approx. 9-10mm) with | | | | |