Part 1: Tucson Gem & Mineral Show

Wow...where do I start!  We had a whirlwind of a week.  Lisa and I (Rachel) attended the 2011 annual gem show in Tucson, Arizona.  Hundreds of shows, thousands of vendors and buyers, jewelry and gemstones galore!!!  For weeks this desert city becomes the mecca of the jewelry industry for people from around the world.  Many of the vendors selling here consider it their "Christmas season."

 First things first, we have to talk about loose gemstones.  Lisa and I planned our WHOLE trip around who we HAD to see.  Talk about being a kid in a candy store...these gemstones look juicy enough to eat. :)

 

Pinks

and purples, blue/greens..oh my. :)

We couldn't wait to get back to the studio and start designing, everywhere we went we found ourselves drawing little sketches...our hotel room, out to dinner, not to mention our very long trip home. (we'll tell you about that in another part)

Check out this rutilated quartz ring.

Should we go with the white agate ring or pendant?

Possibly a diamond encrusted blue spinel ring...ahh decisions, decisions. Lol

Not everything that inspired us was a loose gemstone though, we couldn't believe some of the amazing strands of beads that we found.

Blues and greens are the favorite fashion color this season.  We loved these green turquoise and blue kyanite strands just to share a few.

Don't you just LOVE this amazing orange color too!  (Lisa and I both have a weakness for anything orange...jewelry, shoes, clothes, handbags, etc.)  Ok I will try to stay on topic.

And now onto one of our favorite finds, these spinel beads are sure to be transformed into something spectacular...we can't wait to show you the final product.

We hope you have enjoyed just a fraction of what we found.  Stay tuned for part two when we share some of the jaw dropping specimens that we can't wait to show you.  Until then...
Happy Hunting!!!

How We Started

Rough and Refined is a creative collaboration between friends and fellow designers, Lisa and Rachel.  After years of creating jewelry, working for others, and learning about what people like...we couldn't think of a better way to share our passion for jewelry and gemstones than starting a business together.  We are a unique jewelry company where two thoughtful, fun, crafty, exciting women create wonderful pieces of jewelry that can be cherished for generations to come.  We look forward to sharing these timeless treasures with you as we take you on our jewelry journeys!!  Thank you for stopping by!