Tucson Trends (Part 1)

Tucson Trends!! (Part 1)

Okay, folks!  We're back from the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.  (In case you live under a rock, this is the biggest gem and mineral show on planet Earth.  There may be bigger ones on other planets.  I'm not in a position to know.)  One of our most popular blogs every year answers the question: What was hot at the show this year?  And oh, my friends, do we have a fun list for you this time!  It's so good, we're splitting it into two blog entries!

African metals of all types dominated the bead market -- brass, nickel, big, little, faceted, hand worked, you name it.  These metal beads give everything a rustic edge that is SO on trend right now.

Moonstone is back!  True, it never went away in our hearts and minds... but there were quite a few years where good moonstone was very hard to find.  And when we could find it, it was prohibitively expensive.  This year, we found great stuff, and it's back in price ranges we like to see!

Radiant Orchid may be the color of the year, but Pink Tourmaline was the color of the show.  This gorgeous pink stone is vibrant, luminous, yes -- even sexy!  We bought it in several shapes and sizes, and wanted even more!

Every show has a hot new shape, and this year is no exception.  Meet the rounded faceted cube!  This shape has been hot in metals for awhile now, so it's no suprise that it's taken the jump to gems.  It's modern and cool, no matter what stone you choose.

Finally (for this entry, at least), we have matte druzy agate round beads.  Druzy has been an ongoing trend for several shows, but now we have these sweet round beads, matte on the outside with little flashes of interior druzy.  It's like wearing a bracelet of geodes.  Sparkly and fun, these little guys are sassy while maintaining a facade of subtlety.  The best of both worlds, I say!

See you next time for Part 2!

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