Only two days left to check out the 2008 Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show in Tucson. I visited a few of the sites on Wednesday, and spotted some really interesting pieces of jewelry. The Tucson Gem show is a HUGE event for our city...
The two week gem and mineral showcase draws about 50,000 participants and attendees to the Tucson area, making it the largest show of its kind in the world. You can always tell when the gem show vendors arrive in January because you'll begin to see white tents popping up in parking lots and empty fields all over Tucson. The event brings in approximately $100 million a year, so it's had a major impact on the Tucson economy since it first began in 1955. Certain shows are open to only wholesale buyers, while others are open to the public. As you can expect, parking can be difficult to find, so the City of Tucson provides a free shuttle service that stops at all the key gem show locations.
The two week gem and mineral showcase draws about 50,000 participants and attendees to the Tucson area, making it the largest show of its kind in the world. You can always tell when the gem show vendors arrive in January because you'll begin to see white tents popping up in parking lots and empty fields all over Tucson. The event brings in approximately $100 million a year, so it's had a major impact on the Tucson economy since it first began in 1955. Certain shows are open to only wholesale buyers, while others are open to the public. As you can expect, parking can be difficult to find, so the City of Tucson provides a free shuttle service that stops at all the key gem show locations.
You can find some amazing things at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show; gold and silver, pearls and beads, diamonds and other gemstones, really cool fossil and mineral pieces, and much more. These show owners come from all over the world to display and sell their pieces. My husband and I were once in the San Juan Puerto Rico airport and we met a gentleman that was bringing his Tanzanite jewelry display to the Tucson Gem Show. He was actually from South Africa, but he had stopped in the Caribbean to check out gem stone jewelry at some of the island retailers before heading to the states.
If you've got time this weekend I suggest you stop by at least one of the showcase sites just to see what the gem show is about. During the last few days of the event the vendors are more likely to haggle down their prices because they don't want to ship all the merchandise back home. It's better if you know what you're looking for before you buy; that way you'll be better prepared to negotiate a fair price. Most sellers are honest but there are a few that will take advantage of inexperienced shoppers. When the salesman starts telling you how beautiful you look in their $350 necklace, take a walk around the site before you buy. You might find a better deal at the booth next door.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing...
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Julie
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