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[Carles Millan]

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 02/11/2015

Setup Day in the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™ (Main Show). A very busy time!

More to come...
European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Jean Sendero]

At the Main Show this afternoon. Just as few quick pics, and yes all Mexican despite the theme of Western Europe which delivered some super exhibits. Mexico is well represented in the competition cases with cabinet size specimens of the Mexican classics.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Today I went to the main show and then to the Fabre/Spann party at Casa Vicente.

I photographed some cases at the main show. First are Western European minerals from the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa - I particularly liked the galena, strengite, and ferberite.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Next up are pieces in the Smithsonian case.

[Matt_Zukowski]

MAD always has a good case and this year is no exception.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Next is part of the Gerhard Wagner worldwide + tourmaline collection that will go to auction through Heritage Auctions.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Los Angeles Natural History Museum

[Matt_Zukowski]

Royal Ontario Museum and Cincinnati Museum.

[Matt_Zukowski]

There is a row of quartz cases, two of which I photographed. The first case is amazing lab grown quartz. Fun to look at but it does bring up an issue. In pict 0936, they show a picture of a broken Guerrero and then the specimen after they have regrown the points back on. I have no problems with this so long as it is disclosed (and the fellow doing this told me that he always discloses and often laser etches his initials on pieces). But what if someone unscrupulous tries to pass off a broken but regrown specimen as natural? The tips on this piece are all wrong for a Guerrero, but what if someone did this to a clear quartz. I wonder if there is an easy way to tell the lab grown stuff from natural material. If not, are we going to have the same problems we have had with wire silver?

The second quartz case shows a systematic review of twinning laws. Interesting.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Next up is Barry and Beth Kitt's case, and it is exceptional. Assembled are fantastic clean pieces all of a similar size. The blue cap tourmaline toward the middle really caught my eye. I know others will disagree but i think this is the best blue cap I have ever seen - it is so much cleaner than the others I have seen and it really glows in a case that doesn't have the best lighting. Wow!

[Matt_Zukowski]

Next are two fluorites and one pyrite from Luis Burillo. I may have photoed the fluorites before, but I just love the terahexahedral xtals on the Jaimina and the clean cubes from La Viesca.

[Matt_Zukowski]

And last but not least for today, a picture of one of our wonderful hosts at Casa Vicente. Thanks Gail! And thanks to Jim and Jordi too!

[Jean Sendero]

Some of the exhibits to follow. The first case I saw walking in yesterday was Les Presmyk's sphalerite case, all from Mexico. Some really good specimens in that one.

[Jean Sendero]

Other exhibit cases included Tom Hales with a full Mexico case. The piece that caught my eye was a miniature of cadmian yellow smithsonite from the San Antonio Mine, Santa Eulalia. Just for the bright yellow color.

Bill Besse with a nice doubly terminated quartz from Bacoachi, Sonora....not a frequently seen locality....actually a new one for me.

[Jean Sendero]

More from the competition cases.
A lovely wulfenite from Los Lamentos and a pyrite from Santa Eulalia. Someone put up a pyrite case which contains a great variety of crystal forms and localities. Very nice.

[Jean Sendero]

A few things that caught my eye from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum case.

[Jean Sendero]

Couple of things from the dealers

[Jean Sendero]

And to close off before going off to the convention center again

Thank you so much Gail, Jim and Jordi for the wonderful evening. My wife and I got to meet and reacquaint ourself with many mineral enthusiasts. Fantastic community.

ps. the dish is 7 feet across.

[Jordi Fabre]