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	Here are some interesting exhibits and items that you might want to see while making your way through the shows. Updated January 9, 2007.

A 325.13-carat tsavorite garnet from the Merelani mining area in Tanzania. Photo courtesy Michael Couch & Associates. Record Tsavorite Comes Out Last year, the Tucson shows were host to some amazing tsavorite garnets – exceptional not just for their size (a smaller one was 41 carats) but for their top color and clarity. This year, the grandaddy of the bunch will be on display: a 325.13-carat, eye-clean gem of a tsavorite. This amazing green gem came from the Merelani mining area in Tanzania, better known as the world’s only source of tanzanite. Most tsavorites form under geological conditions that cause them to have many mineral inclusions. Faceted stones on the market are rare, and a clean stone of more than 5 carats is exceptional. But in this particular pocket, conditions were just right to produce large, clean crystals. The largest gem from this deposit that was previously available was 120.68 carats – dwarfed by this new find. The 325.13-carat stone may be the largest tsavorite ever discovered, and is certainly the largest of this color and clarity. To see this once-in-a-lifetime find for yourself, visit Michael Couch and Associates at the AGTA GemFair, booth 226. If you’re feeling flush, the gem is for sale; the asking price at press time was $2.2 million.

One of Malysheva’s specimens, a 1.05-ct. heart-shaped emerald with pavé-set diamonds in 19K white gold. Photo courtesy Tsar Corporation. Russian Treasures Some of the most beautiful gemstone specimens originate from the Ural Mountains of Central Russia. Over time, some of these mines have been nearly depleted or remain inactive. But now the Tsar Emerald Corporation has taken on the task of rehabilitating the Malysheva Emerald Mine, located northeast of Yekaterinburg. The official mine opening occurred on October 9, 2006, where the company and guests celebrated the first recovery of underground emerald ore in recent years. The Malysheva deposit was discovered in 1833, and mining began in 1834. But gemstones from Russia gradually lost their presence in the Western market after the Bolshevik revolution in 1918. Soviet-era laws and regulations and Cold War pressures led to a very strict mining operation that focused on the extraction of beryllium, a key component of the country’s nuclear and defense industries, while many of the gemstones recovered were treated as by-products. But by the late 1980s, gemstone mining recommenced, and Malysheva was a significant producer of emerald and alexandrite. Mining operations eventually ended in January 1995, following the collapse of the Soviet economic system. Limited production resumed in 2000, but due to insufficient funds, full-scale mining could not be achieved. In the past, the Malysheva mine produced emerald, alexandrite, topaz, citrine, and a variety of beryl, just to name a few. The Tsar Emerald Corporation is hoping to produce enough quality emerald and alexandrite to sell on the market in the near future. The Tsar Emerald Corporation will display a selection of rough, polished stones, and finished jewelry at the Worldwide Gem & Jewelry Show, room 127. For more information, contact the Tsar Emerald Corporation at (604) 689-1515 or visit www.tsaremerald.com.

The Center of the World “The Omphalus of Earth,” a 525-ct. Koroit matrix opal held in place by a sterling silver cradle and a 2,350-ct. lapis lazuli base. Photo by Helen Serras-Herman. Like most art forms, gem sculptures can be fully appreciated only when seen in person. Tucson is the perfect place to catch a glimpse of some of these spectacular wonders. Acclaimed gem artist Helen Serras-Herman will show off her latest piece, entitled The Omphalus of Earth, at the Max Gallery of Fine Art. Like many of her sculptures, The Omphalus of Earth portrays a story from Greek mythology in which the “omphalus” symbolizes the center of the earth. As the story goes, Zeus wanted to know where the center of the universe was located. He let two eagles loose from opposite points in space; eventually the eagles met in Delphi, and Zeus determined it to be the center. The removable, 525-ct. Koroit matrix opal represents the center of the universe, while the male figure in the sterling silver cradle represents Zeus, who is clutching his prize. In order to create the “omphalus,” Serras-Herman carved spider-web patterns in the front of the stone, and engraved lines that transverse both the front and back of the opal, which converge in the front center. Serras-Herman recently received the Best of Show award for this sculpture at the “Pathways and Portals” exhibit in Tubac, Arizona. The Omphalus of Earth will be on display at the Max Gallery of Fine Art from January 20 through February 28. It will also be on display in a guest exhibit case titled “Gem Art in Boulder Opal” at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™ February 8-11. For more information on the artist and her work, contact the Gem Art Center at (520) 761-9907 or visit www.gemartcenter.com.

Jade sculptor Deborah Wilson carved “Fig Shell,” a piece of Canadian jade carved in the shape of sea shell with a marble base. Photo by Yuri Akuney. All About Jade Jade has one of the longest recorded histories of all the gemstones. In ancient times, jade was used to carve tools, weapons, and objects for members of the elite. Although jade has long been noted as an important cultural element in Chinese society, its appeal has extended to every corner of the globe. In order to keep the revered stone in the public eye, author Fred Ward has established Friends of Jade, a web-based forum that offers substantial information on jade — everything from articles and photographs to group discussions, events, and resources. The organization now includes nearly 100 international members, including jade aficionados, carvers, collectors, and miners. The members have created their first invitational exhibit of contemporary jade art, “Jade Art Now,” which will make its debut in Tucson. The exhibit will showcase jade sculptures and jewelry created by leading carvers from Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. “Jade Art Now” will be held at Antiquities, Plus. . . gallery February 5-11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.friendsofjade.org.

James Yuan created this bracelet by fuming fine silver into borosilicate glass with amber purple on the sides. Photo courtesy www.tcglassarts.com. A Whirlwind of Color What happens when you combine an old record player and acrylic paints? You get an artist in the making — what else? James Yaun, a glass lampwork artist hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, discovered his love of art as a teen when he bought a record player and some records from a thrift store. When Yaun realized the needle didn’t work, he purchased some acrylic paints and began doing spin art on the records. This event plunged Yaun into the world of art; for many years he dabbled in painting, collage, assemblage, and sculpture until he came across glass art. “Borosilicate glass flows like honey when molten, is strong and durable when cool, and achieves amazing color combinations with different metals,” Yaun says, describing his love for the medium. And the results are amazing — Yaun’s use of an array of colors and smooth curves gives his eye-catching pieces a rather whimsical appeal. Most of his pieces are created through fuming, in which 24K gold and fine silver are attached to a small rod of clear glass and then placed into a hot flame. Another piece of glass is held back from the flame, which is where the actual coloring takes place. Yaun uses this process to create an assortment of pendants, necklaces, and bracelets, along with marbles and belt buckles. Through his work, he hopes to convey a feeling or emotion that will go hand in hand with the beauty of his art. “My goal as an artist is to draw the viewer outside of their cluttered thoughts and bring them to a point of personal reflection. . . . Beauty and pure thought pour out of each piece as opposed to mechanical technique,” he says. Besides creating his own glass art, Yaun also founded a Web site that has become an online gallery and a place for the glass art community to gather information and network. He also is an instructor at the Carlisle School of Glass Art, where he teaches beginner to advanced lampwork glasses. Yaun’s glass lampwork art can be seen at The Best Bead Show, booth 10. For more information, contact him at (828) 242-0899 or visit www.tcglassarts.com.

Dan Weinrich’s extensive mineral collection includes this impressive cranberry-colored specimen of liddicoatite discovered in Vietnam. Cranberry Delight An important find in the world of minerals is always big news. As far as mineral collectors and dealers go, Dan Weinrich is one of the best. Collecting mineral specimens from every corner of the world, Weinrich’s main goal is to find high-quality minerals to meet the demands of the marketplace. One of his most recent finds is no exception. About a year ago, Weinrich acquired an impressive lot of liddicoatite, a species of tourmaline, from Vietnam. While most liddicoatite is found in layers of color from light brown-pink to red, green, and blue, this new find displays a rich cranberry red. Most of the specimens have a dark bluish-black core of elbaite, another member of the tourmaline group. The lot consisted of a total of 73 specimens, 44 of which are good quality, with the rich color being consistent in all the pieces. Weinrich also recently visited China, traveling to Jiangxi, Shanxi, and Sichuan provinces in search of some new specimens from the country. Even with government regulations and short mining seasons in some areas, he was able to bring back 23 specimens of various species, including some good quality rhodochrosite on quartz, rhodochrosite with fluorite, and pyrite on quartz. To see Weinrich’s minerals up close, visit him at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™, booth 5W. For more information, contact him at (314) 341-1811 or visit www.danweinrich.com.

“Pacific Winter,” an etched seahorse bead with a dichroic glass core, accented with sea jellies with dichroic cores. Photo courtesy Kimberly Affleck. The Inspiration of Mother Nature Artists can be inspired by a variety of driving forces, but sometimes it’s something as simple as the natural beauty surrounding them that takes their work to a whole new level. Bead artist Kimberly Affleck’s work reflects Mother Nature at her best, depicting the various locations she has lived in throughout the United States. Raised in San Louis Valley, Colorado, Affleck says the area at first glance is not inspirational. “It’s high desert country — dry, sere, and stark.” Although this may seem to be rather drab imagery for a budding artist, she says the key to unlocking the hidden beauty of her surroundings was simply by closely examining it and appreciating its essence. In this case, the essence was color: “Alkaline soils that produce rich colors of ocher, bronze, copper, azure, turquoise, and white; the misty blue of sagebrush and ironwood; the soft gold of sunflowers; the fragile tints of columbines; and the brilliant red of Indian paintbrush,” she says. Years later, Affleck found her focus shifting from land to water as she became fascinated with the ocean and marine life. Majoring in both fish biology and environmental studies, she moved to Seattle, Washington, to attend the University of Washington and eventually settled in Puget Sound. After graduating, weaving became Affleck’s newest passion, creating scarves and shawls with natural threads and yarns. But as time moved on, she wanted to be even more creative with her work. “I eventually began to think that I would like to begin to incorporate unusual beads into some of my weaving to add texture and interest. I had a very good friend who was a jewelry maker, and she suggested a bead shop in the Fremont District of Seattle,” she says. She attended a three-day beginning bead-making class at the shop. Ten years later, she’s still hooked on beads, weaving her past into her art. The rich colors of the Colorado region found their way into her work, along with the sea and its inhabitants. Most notably, Affleck creates beads embellished with seahorses or leaves, as well as encased floral beads. Affleck’s beads can be seen at The Best Bead Show, booth H8. For more information, visit kimberlyaffleck.com.

Exquisite Opals on Display Hoping to catch a glimpse of some great opal specimens this year in Tucson? Be on the lookout for West Coast Mining, a company that has discovered some of the most impressive pieces of opal within the United States. In 1988, the company, known then as West Coast Gemstones, Inc., began mining and marketing a variety of fine-quality opals from the Opal Butte mine, located in Morrow County, Oregon. The deposits at the mine have been known to exist since the late 1800s, and the mine continues to produce fine-quality opal that is especially suitable for cutting and carving, as well as gem-quality opal varieties including hyalite, rainbow, contra luz, hydrophane, crystal, fire, blue, and dendritic. The opal mined there is found in rhyolite geodes (thunder eggs), as was the case for a very special find, the Crystal Opal Egg, a piece of crystal opal from the Opal Butte mine that weighs approximately 560 carats (pictured at left). The rough used to make the egg was mined on July 23, 2006, and was cut into its current shape by Dale Huett, president of West Coast Mining. The Crystal Opal Egg, along with a selection of opal, will be on display and for sale at the Inn Suites, Suite 115, during the Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show. The egg will also be on display in a showcase at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. For more information, contact West Coast Mining at (509) 522-4851, e-mail wcmining@bmi.net, or visit www.wcmining.com.

Australian Opals The opal industry is going through a difficult stretch with reliable supply being increasingly difficult to obtain. Mining is slowing to a trickle. So the miners and dealers are having to go to the back of the safe to dig out the old but fine quality opals to supply the demand. That is what John, Robert, and Michael Traurig are doing. They have beautiful old black, crystal, and boulder opals, opal beads, and opal doublets that were mined a long time ago and have been found in theirs and their suppliers' safes. They are holding a sales promotion in Tucson this year. The first 48 customers to buy and pay for at the show, at least US$1000 of their inventory stock, will receive a 100-ct. electronic gem scale free of charge. There is a limit of one per customer. Jayson Traurig Bros. of Australia export opals from Australia and have their offices in Sydney, Phoenix, and Chicago. They are exhibiting at the AGTA GemFair in booth #1211.

The Tucson Show Guide is a special issue of Colored Stone magazine, an Interweave Press publication. Copyright © 2008. Disclaimer This site and all of its contents are copyright Colored Stone and Interweave Press unless otherwise noted. All articles, photographs, graphics, logos, and trade show floorplans are owned by Colored Stone and may not be reproduced in any form, in print or in electronic media, without the express written permission of the publisher. Violators will be subject to legal action.

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