Tuscon Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show

Amethyst Geodes

Tuscon's february show has the set the standard for gem & mineral shows around the world & attracts thousands every year from around the globe.  Three main types of sellers:  retail, wholesale (largest quantities) and commercial collectors (those that dig minerals throughout the year, with exclusive claims).   



Amethyst geodes (some can weigh up to a ton)



 Spread throughout Tuscon are about 40 sites of shows that take place at the same time in giant white tents, at hotels and resorts, with the largest exhibits being held in the Tuscon Convention Centre.

Pyrite (fool's gold)

Australian opals (raw form, polished stones & fine jewellry), Tibetan jewellry, beads and prayer boxes, African carvings, baskets, trade beads, beads from snake skeletons, Madagascar gems, U.S. gems, minerals and jewellry, China, Brazil ... the list goes on and it is an amazing show - and we have only seen about 1/8th of it. 



Amethyst Tree (Brazil)



African Trade Beads

Some of the attractions at the Convention Centre include lectures, dinosaur fossils (including a full sized T-rex), statues and more gems, jewellry and carvings.

With our 'winter snap,' wind chills from -5 to -10 at night, the hardwares stores, Target, Walmart have sold out of space heaters and line ups at opening hours for insulation and outdoor power cords.   The mineral & gem show has been quiet both days we attended for an hour late afternoon.  Those vendors backed onto their hotels roomed faired fine but those out under the tents were in full-on cold winds and freezing with no heat.