#TucsonGemShow - Rocksaholics at the Pueblo Show and the Main Event!

Aisha Jan & Arif Jan 

welcome you to stop by the 

Rocksaholics Showroom - Room #170 

located in the

International Fine Mineral Building 

at the 

Pueblo Gem and Mineral Show 2017 

January 27 - February 8, 2017

at the Arizona Riverpark Inn - Tucson 

and at the 

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show

February 9th - 12th

at the Tucson Convention Center

Rocksaholics specializes in only 

100% Natural and Untreated 
Fine Gem Crystals and Minerals 

from Pakistan, Afghanistan and beyond.

Rocksaholics also helps the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show book and organize their annual Mineral Lecture Series:

#TBT #TucsonGemShow 2014 Lecture Series at the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show Part 2

FEBRUARY 11th:  GAIL COPUS SPANN and 

MICHAEL LEYBOV and LUDMILA CHESHKO

OF THE MINERALOGICAL ALMANAC FROM MOSCOW 

In 2014 I was so busy with the introduction of two new shows that I wasn't able to get to the first two nights of the Lecture Series - but nothing was going to keep me from the last two.

I, and over 100 mineral enthusiasts braved the cool of the evening (there are heaters in the tent) because we were all looking forward to seeing the amazing Gail Copus Spann's talk...I think we were all just eager to see Gail following a very challenging year. 

7 P.M: GAIL COPUS SPANN

DALLAS, TEXAS, USA 

RENOWNED COLLECTOR OF FINE MINERALS

PRESENTS

“The Continuing Perspectives of A Woman Collector"

First up - Gail!

Gail talks on the thing she knows best - being a woman in the mineral collection world.  She is always so upbeat, straight forward and she engages the audience.

This night the tent was filled to capacity with at least another 20 people standing at the back.  

Everyone was excited to see Gail - she was greeted by John White and Dave Wilbur - quite the auspicious home coming...

She got right to the topic at hand.

SRO - it was a packed house!

 -----------------------------

7.45 P.M: MICHAEL LEYBOV and LUDMILA CHESHKO

OF THE MINERALOGICAL ALMANAC FROM MOSCOW RUSSIA

PRESENTS

“Celebrate 20 Years In Mineralogical Publishing”

-----------------------------

8.15 P.M: REFRESHMENTS SERVED

Maury and Aisha introduced Ludmilla and Michael for a really fun overview of the first 20 years of the Mineralogical Almanac - with a little help from his friends,

Bob Jones (of Rock & Gem) briefly took the floor to add some great personal stories - the lecture closed with a traditional Bread Sharing Ceremony...

A BIG Thank You to Maury Destouet the General Manager of the Riverpark Inn and the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show as well as the well connected and always polished Aisha Jan for assembling an amazing group of Experts for this Lecture Series.

From Aisha: "I have the honor and pleasure to select the guest speakers and to assist in the organization of these events. Our company Rocksaholics is a proud participant of this show."

...click through to see who they have scheduled for 2015!

#TBT #TucsonGemShow 2014 Lecture Series at the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show a Resounding Success!

I wasn't able to attend all of the lectures in 2014 - but the ones I did make were standing room only and chock full of great information...

I want to thank Maury Destouet the General Manager of the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show and the always polished Aisha Jan for assembling an amazing group of Experts for this Lecture Series.

"I have the honor and pleasure to select the guest speakers and to assist in the organization of these events. Our company Rocksaholics is a proud participant of this show."

...and just wait until you hear who they have scheduled for 2015!

It seems that each year the Tucson Gem Show comes back stronger than the previous year...and 2014 was no exception.

The crowds are definitely returning (albeit with tighter budgets) but for the vendors that is all they need!  You can't look at row after row of amazing gems, minerals, home decor and jewelry without at some point figuring out a way to make the purchase!

The temptations and a definite uptick in business can be seen at the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show - add to that this show is hands down in my top 3 MUST DO list and you have a recipe for a great day!

One of the things that is engaging shoppers at the Pueblo show is their Mineral Lecture Series...I know - lecture - ewww!  These are more like conversations with some of the most respected experts in the world!  I was able to attend two evenings of lectures....the Federicos and Gail Spann's comeback presentation!

FEDERICO BARLOCHER

INTERNATIONAL VIDEOGRAPHER 

FROM MILAN ITALY AND A PROMINENT DEALER OF 

HIGH QUALITY UNHEATED BURMESE GEMS 

PRESENTS

“Mogok Myanmar (Burma): 

A secret overview of the most famous 

mining area for colored stones in the history of gems”

-----------------------------

DR. FEDERICO PEZZOTTA, PH.D. 

PETROLOGISTS, MINEROLOGY MUSEUM CURATOR, 

MUSEO di STORIA NATURALE, MILANO, ITALY

PRESENTS
" Color Zoning in multicolored gem Tourmaline"

Shortly after booking this evening it soon became known as the Evening of the Federicos...the energy level at this event was through the roof!  The actual event was Pezzotta followed by Barlocher...of course if you know Federico Barlocher this will come as no surprise - who could follow him!?!

VISIT MOGOK WITH FEDERICO BARLOCHER

FB was fabulous with a video of the mining area - processing center - marketplace and many other views of an area which most people couldn't get in to see!  And here we were in the heart of the action!  

As much travelogue as mineral lecture - FB gave us a glimpse into the lives of the people of the region and a viewpoint from which to see how this operation works.  Of course it was all presented in FB's rollicking, whimsical look at life outside most of our comfort zones. 

If this interests you, follow Federico on YouTube, where you will see his amazing (non judgemental/non political) POV!

https://www.youtube.com/user/barlocher

COLOR ZONING IN MULTICOLOR GEM TOURMALINE

This may sound dry but if you have even the least interest in gemology or mineralogy you would have LOVED this presentation! Not at all dry and I went away truly understanding the theories presented.

The second Federico of the evening Federico Pezzotta's name may sound familiar to those who are constantly searching out the rare and unusual - the gemmy pink gem Pezzottaite is named after him!

"Pezzottaite is a caesium analogue of beryl, a silicate of caesium, beryllium, lithium and aluminium, with the chemical formula Cs(Be2Li)Al2Si6O18.  Named after Italian geologist and mineralogist  Federico Pezzotta, pezzottaite was first thought to be either red beryl or a new variety of beryl ("caesium beryl"); unlike actual beryl, however, pezzottaite contains lithium and crystallizes in the trigonal crystal system rather than the hexagonal system." Acording to Wikipedia

Without re-printing his entire talk this chart may give you an understanding of the theories presented - for more photos see the Photo Album on Facebook!

Next up Gail Copus Spann and The Mineralogical Almanac....