Tucson Day 5 (Thursday)
It was Holidome Day at last. Gorgeous beads, jewelry, findings, calibrated stones, etc. It’s the place to be seen…if you can find anyone among the masses. It’s a wholesale show that attracts bead stores, designers, gift stores, jewelry stores, and everyone in the jewelry business. Unlike the AGTA and GJX shows, which are mostly calibrated gems and fine jewelry, this show has those as well as beads and pearls from India, China, and elsewhere in the world.
I generally don’t care for the shopping experience there because of the level of chaos, but this time did enjoy some of the people and interactions. As I was waiting for Cynthia to buy some copper beads, I stood on the side of one of the main isles and watched people. A couple guys came buy from India speaking Hindi, then a few women walked by speaking Italian. The guy behind me was speaking Chinese on his phone. In the 10 minutes I stook there, I also heard some Slavic language that I did not recognize, and saw several people with badges from France and Japan. It’s truly an international show! Fun to be in an environment with all that diversity.
We actually finished most of our shopping before the show opened since we have many sources for most of the items we buy. But, it’s the still only place we can find certain items and vendors.
After we finished up in the Holidome, we spent the afternoon visiting with some new potential business partners who represent new products lines. Quite fun and informative, but we are all talked out and looking forward to being home on Friday!
Here’s a few more shots from our journeys. You were all asking us for some more focal beads, so we bought a few tons of rough Rose Quartz for some very large focals (NOT), we orders some Chandelier Crystal from Preciosa that you can wrap for focals (NOT). Seriously, if you haven’t seen rough gem stock, this is the type of thing sold throughout Tucson in the gem mineral shows. The last pictures are a couple shots from the Holidome.
Rose Quartz Rough Stock being sold in Tucson Mineral Show
Just for fun…Preciosa Product Line Chandelier Crystal Samples
One of 50 tables just like this in the Holidome
Crowded isles and boths in Holidome.
