Minerals from the Tucson Gem Show

My husband and I are always picking up rocks in the desert, we love it.

We've found some pretty nice ones.

So when we go down to the Tucson Gem Show, it's just amazing to us to see all the different minerals and rocks from all over the world.

This year we decided to start a mineral collection, here's a few pics of what we got:

Pyrite, I know, I know, it looks fake huh !  Isn't it awesome!!  It grows in perfect cubes!

Here's a big hunk of Azurite/Malachite, the color is unbelievable !!

This one is called Crocolite, its from Australia, some of the specimens had these really large orange spikes coming out all over, there were very expensive !!

Can you imagine digging somewhere and finding these beauties ?  Wow, just Wow !

Tucson Gem Show Time !!

It's that time of year when all jewelry designers, rock & mineral hounders, bead makers, stone gatherers all migrate down to Tucson for the greatest Gem Show in the World, yes it's the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, and it's spectacular :)

I found some beautiful stones, can't wait to start designing and stringing them !

Here's just a few pics:

These are Peruvian Opal, just gorgeous color :)

Here's some Agate slabs

Beautiful Turquoise

Check this out, its a Petrified Chrysocolla pendant, awesome !

I'm going back Friday and Saturday to do some more rock/stone/bead shopping !

If you get the chance, you should visit this show, it's unbelievable !

There are so many shows in town it's crazy, here's a link for info:

http://www.visittucson.org/events/gem-show/