Spectrum Awards Deadline Approaching!

What's Hot In Tucson 2011 - Minerals - Review & Discount

I have spent the last week - literally - working my way through the 2 DVD Set (240 minutes!) of What's Hot in Tucson - the Mineral edition!  What do I mean working my way through...the incredible amount of information hidden within these entertaining videos is immense!   


Of course the big  joke in 2011 is that Tucson was anything but HOT - with below freezing temperatures for close to a week as is visible in the frozen fountain on the DVD jacket photo!


The Minerals video starts with the Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show, moves to the newest venue at the Pueblo Show at the Riverfront Inn, then the Westward Look Fine Mineral Show and ends at "The Main Show" the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show.   Along the way there are several candid Collector on the Street - where they talk to people about their finds at the show!  


For 2011 the Dave Wilbur - Bob Jones team is back!   What is fabulous about these videos is that several of these pieces were found within the last year...or a minerals that have been identified and named within the last 5 - 10 years!  ...and some of the rarest minerals available!


Cornetite - Henmilite - Alabandite - Ilvaite - Arfvedsonite - Aegirine

For me the star of the Mineral Scene in Tucson is the Collector's Day at the Fine Mineral Show at the Westward Look Resort - the Featured collector this year was Wayne Sorenson and I really love the way that BlueCap edited this portion with Wayne and Dave sitting down and chatting while the stunning specimens roll by!


You Will Find Unbelievable Beauty!
...the glowing red-orange of the Tasmanian Crocoite - the Adelaide Mining Co. room was dazzling!
...both crystal and wire silver & gold
...the Chaminoux Red Flourite and Shigar Red Fluorite
...the Rhodocrosite from the Wutong Mine in China was in several rooms but "The Emperor" and "The Empress" at the TGMS were the stars of this find!
...new pocket of sparkling Prehinite fingers from Prospect Park, NJ from The Arkenstone 
...gleaming gemmy Milpillas Azurite crystals from Evan Jones minerals
...a two year old - 472 carat Emerald crystal from the La Pita Mine, Colombia - complete with it's custom lighted base!
...water clear Swiss Smokey from Pala International
...all of the new Cuprite - Copper Pseudomorphs
....and the amazing carvings from Pu Tzu at the Uncarved Block

It is great watching the way the dealers interact with Dave - his reputation in the field is unparalleled.  And one of the most candid moments comes when Bob Jones introduces and interviews his son Evan Jones, who along with his partner has some of the finest Milpillas Azurites!  Bob does a great job of explaining the various minerals present in these specimens and why the Azurite crystals just seem electric blue!


...and there are all of my favorite bathroom shots...remember these shows are in hotels and a good vendor uses every space available.  Wait till you see the Aquamarine in Rob's Levinsky's bathroom  ;-p

SO - did I mention DISCOUNT?  the folks at BlueCap have offered a special discount to all the readers of my blogs!    BlueCap is offering a special 15% off the price of your total purchase from now until Sept. 12, 2011!  

There is a 15% off coupon set up for your readers at our online store. The special code they will need to enter at checkout to receive the 15% discount is FLYONWALL. 

This code is good for two weeks from tomorrow, Monday, August 29 through Monday, September 12. It can be used once per order and will be 15% off the total order, no matter how many DVDs are in the order.

So don't forget to get your copy while they last...special checkout code FLYONWALL - while you're there pick up the Gems & Jewelry video too!

Photo Credit: Gail Spann after Cropping Robyn ;-p

Product Description:
Join us as we spend three full weeks in Tucson, Arizona at the largest mineral show in the world!! We visit dealers and collectors from the Hotel Tucson City Center (formerly known as the InnSuites), Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show, Fine Minerals International Show, The Westward Look Mineral Show and round it all up with the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Show (aka The Main Show).


Along the way we see some of the Ilvites from China that made such a huge hit, the Russian Cuprites that were one of the hottest new finds at Tucson, one of the finest emerald specimens in the world, a behind-the-scenes viewing of the new Kunzites from Pala, an exclusive interview with the owner of the Tourmaline Queen Mine and the first owner of the world-famous Rabbit Ears Blue cap (Dave Wilber was the second owner) and a whole lot more!!!!


And, as always, we also feature Jeff Scovil's Top Ten Tucson Photos where Master Photographer Jeff Scovil shares his top ten picks for specimens shot while on location in Tucson.
It's four-hours of non-stop mineral fun on 2 DVDs and even a VERY special surpirse at the end of the program that we hope everyone enjoys.


This is What's Hot In Tucson for the year 2011 and it's HOT!!!!!!


Your "FLYONWALL" discount is available on your entire purchase from the BlueCap Store - so - Check out all the quality videos offered by BlueCap Productions at:   http://shop.bluecapproductions.com/

Free Spectrum Entry With Your AGTA Membership!

2011 Spectrum Awards - Part 2

Todd Reed was the big winner
in 2011 winning his category
and the coveted Best of Show

Moving on to Part Two of the Spectrum Awards Editor's Day Event...

In this video you see the real value in participating in competitions and challenges - especially in this particular competition.

Todd's Winning Design

The contacts that are made and the important people that see your work are the Editors of some of the most prestigious magazines - in Jewelry; JCK - in Luxury; Town & Country - in Fashion; ELLE, Marie Clare, and more...

Has this started your creative juices?  Come on...this could be your "golden" opportunity!



Photo Credit: Todd Reed from the AGTA Facebook page - Jewelry Photo by Robert Weldon for the AGTA Spectrum Awards page

2011 Spectrum Awards - Part 1

The buzz is building and people are talking Tucson already...


Can you feel the shift in the mood...the Industry is feeling hopeful!   What a wonderful feeling!  I am getting excited for Tucson myself! 


The American Gem Trade Assoc. (AGTA) has released videos from Editors's Day 2011 - where editors from the best in the Fashion Industry mix with Judges and view the Spectrum and Cutting Edge Award entries.

What's Hot In Tucson 2011 - Order Now!

Well, the wait is finally over - the 2011 edition of What's Hot In Tucson is available!!!


From BlueCap CEO & Videographer, Bryan Swoboda's Announcement:

This is our fifth year covering the Tucson show and every year it gets better and better. Dave Wilber, having finally overcome many of the physical ailments that have been plaguing him, returns as our knowledgable and locquciousShow Host.Bob Jonesalso returns as our Co-Host and together we blast throughthree weeks of the biggest mineral show in the world to bring you the hottest minerals under the sun.

We start our adventure at the Hotel City Tucson Center (which we still refer to as theInnSuites) where we check in with a hand full of dealers showing off specimens ranging from the truly spectacular to the rare oddities.

Then we're off to the newly developed, and quickly growing, Pueblo Inn Gem & Mineral Show. This is their second year where they've created an International Fine Mineral Sectionand it's one of the more fun and eclectic stops in our journey.

Next, we stop off at the Fine Minerals Internationalshow where we get a sneak peek at their gallery-like showroombefore it opens to the public. One of the biggest thrills of the entire show is when masterpieceafter masterpiece comes out of the safe for our private viewing. It's almost Wonka-esque.

The next stop is up at theWestward Look Mineral Show (aka Fine Mineral Show: Tucson) filled with some of thefinest dealers on the planet. This is what I consider a mineral time machine - you arrive on a Friday and before you know it, it's Monday and you have no idea where the time has gone!!!

Our whirlwind adventure ends at the grand-daddy show of them all - TheTGMS Showat the Tucson Convention Center (or as everyone refers to it - The Main Show). This is the show that started them all and it never disappoints. Display case after display case is filled with specimens, oddities, treasures and more all interwoven among the dealer booths and ice cream stands (ok, there may be only one ice cream stand but I must have visited it a dozen times over the weekend).

In all, it'sthree long weeks in Tucson seeing and filming minerals every single day. We've taken those 504 hours of time and, for your convenience, distilled it and compressed it down to only 4 hours on 2 DVDs!!! How nice.

And last but not least, for the past five years everyone has been asking about a certain thing that we FINALLY added as a surprise ending. Want to know what it is? Buy the DVD and keep watching through the closing credits. If Dave doesn't kill me, I'm hoping to make this a new feature for all future What's Hot In Tucsonepisodes so voice your support!!!!

Remembering Tucson: Bathrobe Couple, or...Only in Tucson!

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that the Tucson Gem Show is held annually across the entire city of Tucson.  Most shows are held in various hotels and vendors show in their rooms.

So imagine this...I have just finished viewing a room of stunning minerals at the Fine Mineral Show at the Westward Look Resort, probably the highest of high end Mineral Shows.  I was waiting for friends and a lovely couple walks up asking if it is OK to look?  They weren't sure if you had to pay to go in or what.  Of Course I said feel free...did I mention that this couple was in Terry Robes and had just stepped out of the Jacuzzi? 



We soon drew a crowd of people- it was such a great reminder that we are after all at a Resort Hotel.  Most people book their room at the Westward Look for the views and ability to relax a short distance from the hustle & bustle that is downtown Tucson during the shows.

So they enjoyed the show - relaxed in comfort!  
 
Photo Credit: Gail Spann - from the Gail Spann's Version of a Tucson Show Report 2011