Wild Rocks
Gemmology, the saying goes, is just Geology in high heels with a nicer handbag. There are all sorts of jewellers out there. Some into design and form. But me? I like rocks. Common or garden diamond and sapphires have their place, but I also like to wear things that say something different about me. I want jewellery with a story. With meaning. With a place attached to it. Things that people want to reach out and touch saying, 'What's that?'
The Tucson Gem & Mineral show comprises 40 different shows with over 4,000 vendors, from mining companies selling by the truckload to small family firms who cut gemstones and beads. It lasts weeks and is spread across the city. If you want a ton of Tourmaline rough from a Brazilian mining company or a bathtub made of Amethyst, it's the place to go. We go there for work of course to buy material we need and meet up with the workshops we use. But as we wander around we also buy a few things that are unusual or rare to share with our customers.
Stringing and photographing single rows of something isn't very economic.
We do it because it's fun.