There have been a few times when I’ve been accused of having rocks in my head. If those accusations are directed towards my love of gems and minerals and fossils, then I’d have to agree with them. For as long as I can remember I’ve been picking up interesting rocks I find and putting them in my pocket. As a kid it would make my mom crazy on wash day! I wasn’t sure then why I did it, but looking back, I think it was giving me some kind of a connection to Earth’s past. Layered rocks were always more interesting to me. Then I discovered crystals and my rock collection grew exponentially! All this could have had something to do with growing up in Arizona and having access to the outdoors. It may have also been because Tucson is home to the world’s largest gem and mineral show. Thousands of people come from all over the world to sell and buy the many treasures of the earth.
As a kid I remember going to the Gem Show when it was housed only in the Tucson Community Center, which in and of itself was a large indoor venue used for things like the circus or rock concerts. Back then there were a lot of “Rock Hounds” and jewelers. One of my favorite things though, were the giant mining trucks they would bring on-site from the Pima Copper Mine. I could stand in the wheel well with my arms straight up and still be 5 feet away from the hub! Then there was always the newest “World’s Largest Chunk Of Something”, copper, silver or gold mostly, which was guarded by two huge men with guns. Gradually the Gem Show grew into the giant phenomenon that it is today. There is still the one at the Community Center, but many other venues have spread out around the city , to the tune of maybe 20 or more! Needless to say it’s huge!
The fun part is that there are more things now then when I was kid. Fossils of pretty good quality can be found. Trinkets from Tibet or Peru. Clothing , handmade furniture, rugs, sinks made of crystals and Native American jewelry, just to name a few things.
This years show was cancelled for it’s usual time slot in January-Feburary and it seemed that an impromptu smaller show was set up for April. There were many small venues set up throughout the city and I don’t think the Community Center was among them. I chose to go to my favorite outdoor venue the Kino Show. This is one of the biggest venues in Tucson, but sadly this year it was maybe a quarter of it’s usual size. Still there were venders from all corners of the globe and in someways having fewer places to chose from made it easier to decide what to buy!
I have a thing for fossils so I usually try and find some that are unique. This year I almost bought the bookends carved from Trilobites but I didn’t really need them. It seems there is an area in the Middle East where there are vast deposits of these fossils that are dug up and can be carved into many objects. The giant crystal displays are also a point of interest. I have only seen one person’s house with two 9ft tall Amethyst columns in their entry way but they’re still fun and amazing to look at. When I see things like that I always wonder,”who’s going to dust that thing?”
If you’re into making jewelry this is the place for you. You can buy entire lots of gems and tumbled stone and crystals at wholesale prices. Jewelry making tools and metals are also available. Many crystal store owners venture to Tucson to stock up their stores. Kim from Crystals On The Rocks, in Nyack is among them. I’m amazed at the amount of buying, wrapping, storing and shipping that takes place every year here. I’m certain millions of dollars exchange hands and tons of merchandise is shipped all over the world. It’s no wonder the Tucson Gem And Mineral show is the oldest and largest in the world. If you’ve ever wanted to visit the desert southwest the gem show would be one thing you really should see and the fact that it takes place in the winter is even more reason to come for a visit. When it gets back to full swing there is also an outdoor food court with many types of cuisine from around the world and of course delicious Mexican food too!
If you have any comments or questions about the Gem Show, please leave them in the box below. If you’ve ever been please tell us of your experience. Sorry there’s nothing about food this time, but man does not live by bread alone! Until next time Boone Appétit!
