Yesterday I went to a gem and jewelry show, so here is a review of what a gem show is like for those who haven’t gone to one.

What to Expect

1) Lots of Vendors

The show I went to yesterday had over a thousand vendors. If you go the gem and jewelry shows in February @ Tuscon, AZ, expect over 10,000 vendors. Yet, if you are in a small town, perhaps you will only have 25-50 vendors. Yet, even in the smallest shows I have been to, there is a nice variety of gems, jewelry, and beads.

2) Large Price Ranges

When comparing prices of simple beads, I saw a price range from $4 – $10000 for the same gemstone. Of course the size and quality differed. So you really have to know different qualities. I found some bargains in the retail section that were better than the wholesale section. Knowing what you are buying can make a HUGE difference.

3) Wide Variety

You can find raw crystals, jewelry cleaner, fashion jewelry, jewelry making supplies, and fine jewelry. Anything that is gem or jewelry related was there. It is very fun to just wander and gawk. Yet, if you are looking for something specific, taking notes can be very helpful.

4) Demonstrations or Displays

Every gem or jewelry show offers something special. Some have fancy jewelry displays, others have classes, and a few just have a large variety of vendors. When going know what is available so you can take advantage of it if it interests you. For example the show I went to yesterday had booths with jewelry cleaning. The rings I was wear sparkle much more now. Though I went to buy beads, I loved having my jewelry cleaned as well.

How To Find What You Want

If you don’t have any particular goals in mind, sometimes asking a vendor what they have that no other booth has gets you to see the “special” items available at a jewelry show. It lets you explore items you would not otherwise notice in the vastness of a jewelry show.

For those with particular items in mind, we wrote this nice guide with gem show tips that will help you get the most out of a gem show. Like any other large fair, it really helps to go prepared.

Favorite Shows

Though I have my favorite shows, I know everyone is different. Try several different ones. Some smaller shows let you really know the vendors and go to classes or demonstrations. Larger shows have more variety – but they take much longer to see. So much depends on the time you have and what you are looking for. I tend to prefer the larger ones for the variety – but everyone is different.

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About Avon Jewelry

Avon started coming out with jewelry in 1965 with a small pin that held solid perfume (or could be used to hold a photograph). It was a wonderful innovation and Avon jewelry was born. The actual Avon collection of jewelry fully came into being in 1971. It is highly fashionable trendy jewelry easily affordable and enjoyed by many.

New Collection

You can buy new Avon Jewelry directly from Avon.com (ranging from price $3-$150). The average price is between $20-$40. There are inexpensive gift sets, sterling silver jewelry, semi-precious jewelry, fashionable gemstone jewelry, designer jewelry and watches. Their chakra gem set is only $19.99 and can be worn many ways.

Identifying Avon Jewelry

Many jewelry collectors want to identify Avon Jewelry which can be a challenging feat. Figuring out when a particular piece of jewelry was made, how much it cost and how rare it is can be daunting. We consider ourselves fortunate to have found Identifying Avon Jewelry. Though perhaps the coloring of the pictures is a bit off, it contains a comprehensive listing of all Avon jewelry which is challenging to find elsewhere. It occasionally shows the packaging as well which is beautiful. As you can have many pieces with the same name, this book can be particularly valuable when wanting to determine which piece you own.

Finding Older Pieces

Know that though some pieces are nicely stamped that they are made by Avon, many are not. Having a book to tell you the details helps you feel like you have discovered a treasure trove of information. If you frequent estate sales or flea markets, you can possibly get an extremely good deal simply by knowing what was made when.

Find more jewelry and information at Jewelry Mall.

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Gemstones: Symbols of Beauty and Power (Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones)

Eduard Gubelin and Franz-Xaver Erni

Geoscience Press, Inc.

Tucson, Arizona

This beautiful gemstone book, at first glance, looks like a typical coffee table book. Looks can be deceiving. It is a substantial work on the part of researchers and authors to present a quick reference to comprehensive, scientific and historical information on the study of gemstones. The student can certainly leave it on a coffee table, or put it along side their other study materials on a book shelf. It doesn’t matter where it rests, it should be available for quick reference by the gem and jewelry enthusiast.

In the introduction, the authors write: “The purpose of this book is to guide the layperson with illustrations and text into one of nature’s most fascinating puzzles without any need for a specialist’s knowledge.”

Even though they avoided getting too complex, the information they present is pretty extensive.

First of all there is a whole section, in language any layman can understand, about the origin of gemstones and how they have been formed. To assist the reader there is an adequate glossary of terms in the back of the book. Time is spent explaining a certain scientific phenomenon rather than leaving the reader in the dark. Then there is a whole section on what causes the different variety of colors among gemstones. Some colors are created chemically while others are caused by physical and optical coloration effects.

There are also whole sections describing how gemstones are mined, processed and finally cut for distribution.

Then the authors cover each gemstone and gemstone families well enough so that a beginner can get some idea of what makes each stone special. They also discuss where they are found and how stones are extracted and processed. The pictures in this book are beautiful. There are a lot of illustrations of some the world’s most famous jewelry.

The book is beautifully written. This is how the Sapphire is described. “The blue sapphire, which displays its charms with dignified restraint, is surrounded by a sacred aura. It superbly enacts the symbiosis of elegant distance and spiritual depth. For this reason, the sapphire is involved, like no other among its noble brothers, in heathen and Christian magic, which attempted to harness psychic powers with the help of this celestial gem.”

There is a section entitled Gemstones: Symbols of Authority and Power. This area of the book covers the prized jewels, crowns and swords of royal families, and tribal elders around the world. It is a wonderful resource for someone who is interested in history, because historical facts are inter-mixed with technical information. There are whole legends surrounding the Crown of Charlemagne, believed to have been destroyed by a mob during the French Revolution. A brief history of the crown is covered as well as information about other imperial crowns worn by other rulers.

Noble Gems for the Word of God goes into the history of precious jeweled artifacts claimed by the different religions in the world. Special attention is given to valuable relics from the middle ages. “The people of the Middle Ages focused on life after death. They not only hoped for the end of all earthly ills but, above all, for a new life in Paradise—eternal life in the presence of God, which God had promised them.” This attitude was reflected in the jeweled decorations that appeared on sacred texts and other religious ornaments.

There is also a historical section about how gemstones were used in medicine. Information can be found in this section as well as other areas of the book. One of the most important features for the avid researcher is the bibliography at the back of the book. For the new student as well as more seasoned researchers this list of material is a good place to launch an in depth study of gemstones, and the processes that created them.

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Gems in Myth Legend and Lore

Bruce G. Knuth

Jewelers Press, Thornton, Colorado

In his introduction Bruce G. Knuth writes: “Gems rank as the first precious objects of early man. From the time the first colorful pebble was recovered on the banks of a stream, to the current opinion that a diamond will seal the bonds of love, people have held the belief that gems possess magical properties. These metaphysical properties became the subject of oral traditions, numerous pieces of literature, and a wealth of contemporary notions.”

For the gem enthusiast and students of mythology this book is a must for their library. Copyrighted in 1999, it is fairly up-to-date, and is very thoroughly researched. One could say that Mr. Knuth is a master researcher.

He begins with the research and writings of Theophrastus, a student of Plato who is credited with developing the first written work focusing solely on gemstones. What follows are descriptions of works of other early writers from Pliny the Elder who made an honest attempt at gem classification to Robert M. Shipley who founded the Gemological Institute of America in 1931.

Knuth quotes Dr. George Frederick Kunz who was responsible for a renewed public interest in gem study: “The magi, the wise men, the seers, the astrologers of the ages gone by found much in the matter of gems that have nearly come to forgetting.”

He then produces a section for 47 gems and covers their importance in literature and folklore. He writes this about the agate. “The association of agate with the lion is repeated in Hebrew tradition. A hair plucked from a lion’s mane was a source of courage for the Jews.” Knuth also discusses the uses of different gemstones for medicinal purposes citing the work of Pliny who suggested the agate as a remedy for eye diseases.

There is also a section on mythical gems that is not found in many gem texts. He talks about the Cabot Stone which is supposed to have been found inside a fish. This stone was said to let the owner forecast the weather. The mythical Raven Stone was believed to allow an individual to make himself invisible. He covers information about 33 different mythical gemstones.

One of the most interesting sections, however, is a collection of literary references including verses from biblical text, The Lapidary by Marbode of Rennes, and the work of William Shakespeare. This information could be useful to any student, writer or researcher.

What follows is a comprehensive section on birthstones. It covers the origins of the whole phenomenon, and proceeds to outline their relationship to astrology, shapes, and he even shows the relationship between given names and their gem counterparts.

Knuth concludes his introduction by writing: “As one studies the collected gem-lore of the past, other modern medical treatments and their resemblance to ancient practices may be found. Further studies, additional scientific research, and the discovery of yet unknown forces may reveal additional foundations of numerous ancient gemological practices and beliefs.”

This is a gemstone book that any writer, researcher or gem enthusiast should have on their shelf.

Reference:

Gems in Myth Legend and Lore, by Bruce G. Knuth, Jewelers Press, Thornton, Colorado

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