New Show: Denver and Beyond

I'm excited to introduce a new travel and purchasing trip this year: the gem shows in Denver.  Every September, there are approximately 10 overlapping gem shows: The Intergem show, Denver Coliseum Show, The Denver Fine Mineral Show and the Denver Expo Fine Mineral Show, among others.

For a complete show schedule, go here: https://xpopress.com/showcase/profile/2/denver-gem-mineral-showcase

Most shows focus on minerals, but you can also get beads, gems and jewelry, as well as fake dinosaur eggs and all kinds of other entertaining stuff.  

My friend Jochen Hintze from Jentsch Minerals is exhibiting in the Coliseum show, so I've decided to hop along to check out what's happening. I will be attending shows from the 14th to the 17th of September, and on the 18th we are leaving on a road trip to Tucson crossing over the Rockies and turning south into Utah for a few days so that Jochen can put his minerals back into storage until the Tucson shows.  Jochen's promised me a couple of Canyons - as a rock hound, he's been through much of these areas with an RV, and I'm sure he will have a lot to teach me about the geological history of the region.  I'll be sure to post pix in addition the obligatory gem photos.

I am planning on a gem sale starting the 24th but you will see me trickle out listings from the show beforehand as time permits.  Karen, Debbie and Joanne will be working from New Jersey to continue with shipping and custom orders.  Items listed from Denver will be shipped after the 22nd.

The Denver shows do not have as many high end gemstones as Las Vegas or Tucson, but I will be meeting up with a couple of vendors that I don't otherwise get to see to stock up.

My friend Dudley Blauwet is exhibiting as part of the Main show and I have already requested sapphire pairs, sapphire singles, larger kornerupine (insofar as possible), Burmese spinel, kenyan tsavorite, and emerald.  Dudley said he was working on several parcels of Afghani emeralds, no oil, that he will have ready for me.  I get to come to the show during setup so I can pick from the rarer goods early!

At the Merchandise Mart I will meet up with my Benitoite supplier to get some more ombre suites (currently oversold), some larger (ish) singles, and also some Sweet Home rhodochrosite, which he cuts little by little only for these shows.  (Production of both benitoite and rhodochrosite ended a few years ago.)

In addition, Jochen has promised me some grandidierite from a recent find in Madagascar, the pieces will be larger but not as clean.  

I also plan on stopping by the Denver Expo in the Quality Inn to say hello to Steve from New Era Gems.  I'm sure he will have some nice new Mahenge garnets and other stuff.

So as you can see, I will be pretty busy, and I'm really looking forward to this because I've never been to Colorado or Utah.  

I will keep you posted on Facebook, Instagram and Etsy. Stay tuned.