Report fromTucson, 02. 06. 2001 |
Here is Tucson with our third report: we will try to give you the first impressions on the Gem Show.
One of the several shows dealing with gems is situated in a huge tent at downtown Tucson. By entering the tent we see hundreds of dealers offering all kind of
gemstones. Ruby, saphir, emeralds are exposed on the tables giving a colorful spectrum.
Business hours have to be respected at this show.
You want emeralds from Colombia? How many?
Or opals from Australia? Please select.
Ruby and saphir from Burma? Single stones or by pound?
You like green and blue? Take these emeralds and mix them with saphir.
You are looking for a new design of cutstones?
Are these “the girl’s best friends” ? You prefer diamonds not less than 5 carats?
Do you know how diamonds can be found at Diamantina, Brazil?
They are imbedded in a conglomerate of rock pebbles-like a hidden treasure. Their occurrence was reported in the beginning of 1800, as Paulo
Zonari from Teofilo Otoni shows at his booth.
In the beginning of the diamond rush at Diamantina slaves had to fill the diamonds into bottles. The annual production of diamonds
was measured by liters. Diamonds over 16 carats did not pass the bottlenecks. To avoid that these diamonds dissapeared the slave who presented such a big diamond was given freedom.
Cutting rare minerals is a work of a master, especially when we are talking about soft stones, like the mineral brucite.
Mark Kaufman from San Diego presents a fascinating cutstone of this mineral. Its perfect cleavage enhances the difficulty of cutting.
You think that diamonds are the most expensive gems? No, a tourmaline from Paraiba, Brazil belongs to the most precious stones.
Tetsuya Fukuhara from Kofu, Japan shows some cutstones of this tourmaline which originally has a blue color that changes into a greenish-blue by thermal treatment.
The best stone he presents has about 3 carats, each carat worth $ 16,800.
Night time shows different images of gem dealers. The dealers from Idar-Oberstein, Germany invited for dinner celebrating their specialty of “Spießbraten” and German beer.
Thanks for this event!
That’s for today. We will meet us again looking at some new discoveries of minerals and some hidden treasures found by collectors.
Georg
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First report from Tucson, 02. 02. 2001 Second report from Tucson, 02. 04. 2001 4th. report fromTucson, 02. 07. 2001 5th. report fromTucson, 02. 10. 2001 6th. report from Tucson, 02. 11. 2001 |