rockcat11
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 176
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Post by rockcat11 on Feb 24, 2018 17:22:43 GMT -5
I went to my first rock show today. It was OK, but not the best source for Rough, which is what I wanted. About 75% of what was on sale was finished pieces, 15% were specimens, 3% was random stuff like jewelry making supplies, books, toys, etc, and the last 2% was rough. It was hard to find, and even then I am not sure if the sellers intended for it to be rough or a display specimen. I ended up getting: Rough:
- Rose quartz softball size
- Two pieces of Rutilated quartz, one baseball sized, and one 4 inches long and two inches thick. I think that these were over priced now that I think of it.
- One Piece of smoky quartz baseball sized . I think this was overpriced also.
- Arizona petrified wood, pretty red and black four inched wide, three inches tall.
Non Rough :
- Three little carved stone animals
- A mango sized coconut geode. The guy broke it open there...Of course I picked the hardest one. Ended up with three nice pieces and several splinters. The guy was nice and gave me some shards from other geodes to toss in my tumbler.
- A baseball sized polished jasper globe. I think that it is picture, but I could be way off.
It was fun, But I wish that there was more there for someone who likes to finish their own rocks.
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Post by Toad on Feb 25, 2018 2:27:09 GMT -5
Rock and gem shows typically have little rough unless you count slabs- I don’t. Some are better than others though
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Post by aDave on Feb 25, 2018 2:45:25 GMT -5
This past year, I went to to shows hosted by local organizations.
Tumbling rough was virtually non-existent at either. Mostly, like you noted, it was finished product and/or slabs.
I'll be hitting some different shows just to get a feel for what is being offered. But, I'm quickly forming the opinion that somewhere like Quartzsite, in my general neck of the woods, will be the only place where rough will be generously available. At the smaller shows, it will be hit or miss. That's IMHO.
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Post by Rockoonz on Feb 25, 2018 3:55:20 GMT -5
The show my club runs in April will have about 6 dealers out of about 25 who are primarily rough and slabs. Wish you were closer. I think west coast shows are better for rough in general, closer to the source of the best stuff.
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rockcat11
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 176
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Post by rockcat11 on Feb 26, 2018 7:36:51 GMT -5
Unfortunately, being in NY, I have few options. I'm still not even sure if two of the pieces that I bought were intended as rough or display...they weren't polished or anything, so I'm going with rough.
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360
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Post by lookatthat on Feb 26, 2018 11:05:02 GMT -5
If you can find out ahead of time what dealers will be at the shows (sometimes the sponsoring organization will list them on their website, or you can call the show co-ordinator), you can call some of the likely dealers ahead of time and let them know what you are looking for. They generally have a lot more than what they can bring to the shows, so they have to pick and choose what to bring. It's a crap shoot. Also, some of them will have actual storefronts or locations where you can check out what they have.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,653
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Post by Tommy on Feb 26, 2018 11:21:11 GMT -5
I have developed a friendship with a vendor who does the northern California circuit of shows and when I first met him a couple of years ago he always had a large table behind his main display where he had piles of nice quality rough. He also had a section of his main display devoted to a few high-end slabs Biggs, OJ, Tiffany Stone, etc. Over time both the rough table and the slabs section disappeared and now he has about half of is space devoted to cabochons and the other half polished "tourist" stuff - finished pendants and highly polished display pieces. I asked him about it Saturday at the Vallejo show and he basically told me that he can't spend the time and energy hauling heavy rough to shows anymore because it barely sells. Gem show crowds are largely attracted to the bling and that's where the money is. The high-end slabs he can't mess around with anymore because the spike in prices over the last two years have made most of those unreachable - or no meat left on the bone.
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360
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Post by lookatthat on Feb 26, 2018 11:32:09 GMT -5
We have gotten to know some of the dealers at our local show, and one in particular we can call up ahead of time and if he has some of what we are looking for he will bring it or bring extra of it. He knows we are serious buyers. But if he hasn't got it -- well, we are just both out of luck.
Not much rough at that show either.
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rockcat11
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 176
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Post by rockcat11 on Feb 27, 2018 18:17:17 GMT -5
Just kind of stinks. I was hoping to be able to see some of the rough that I buy, to be able to pick it out myself. I've found online ordering to be hit and miss, and rockhounding is kind of non-existant in NY, not to mention that I have a bad foot. I did get the rutilated quartz though, I have been looking for some. And of course the petrified wood, love that stuff
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sactorick
having dreams about rocks
gemfield
Member since October 2017
Posts: 67
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Post by sactorick on Mar 3, 2018 8:27:39 GMT -5
I helped with our club,the other day as we're getting ready for our show near the end of the month. I'm new and was surprised at how much rough we put together. It's no Quartzsite but there's a good amount of rough to be had. I was kind of impressed because the only other rock show besides going to Quartzsite that I attended was lacking in rough for sale. I'd post the name and dates but I'm not sure that's allowed here.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Mar 3, 2018 8:52:48 GMT -5
I helped with our club,the other day as we're getting ready for our show near the end of the month. I'm new and was surprised at how much rough we put together. It's no Quartzsite but there's a good amount of rough to be had. I was kind of impressed because the only other rock show besides going to Quartzsite that I attended was lacking in rough for sale. I'd post the name and dates but I'm not sure that's allowed here. "Advertise a show" is part of the description for this section. Perfect spot to do so. Chuck
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sactorick
having dreams about rocks
gemfield
Member since October 2017
Posts: 67
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Post by sactorick on Mar 3, 2018 11:07:14 GMT -5
I helped with our club,the other day as we're getting ready for our show near the end of the month. I'm new and was surprised at how much rough we put together. It's no Quartzsite but there's a good amount of rough to be had. I was kind of impressed because the only other rock show besides going to Quartzsite that I attended was lacking in rough for sale. I'd post the name and dates but I'm not sure that's allowed here. "Advertise a show" is part of the description for this section. Perfect spot to do so. Chuck Thanks for clarifying that Chuck. As I said, I'm new here and wasn't sure. It's the Roseville Rock Rollers annual show in Roseville, Ca. at the fairgrounds Mar. 24 and 25. There's some nice rough available as well as over 60 outside vendors. Should be fun. www.rockrollers.com
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traincrafter
starting to shine!
Member since January 2018
Posts: 38
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Post by traincrafter on Mar 3, 2018 21:07:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the report. This was very interesting to me because I went to my very first show on Friday. Your percentages of what was at your show was close to what I saw in Athens, Ga. Even though there was little rough, it was enough for me to bring home things to keep me busy for a while. The venders were very friendly and so helpful with any questions. Everyone is very passionate about the stones. I understand, I feel the same way.😃
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rockcat11
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 176
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Post by rockcat11 on Mar 4, 2018 10:19:16 GMT -5
I kind of feel like I gave the one person a heart attack when I told her I was going to tumble the quartz I bought. Her face kind of fell and she just went "oh". In my defense, it was unpolished rough that still had dirt on it. Should have known better than to buy from a stall with the word "spirit" in the name
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 4, 2018 13:18:21 GMT -5
I kind of feel like I gave the one person a heart attack when I told her I was going to tumble the quartz I bought. Her face kind of fell and she just went "oh". In my defense, it was unpolished rough that still had dirt on it. Should have known better than to buy from a stall with the word "spirit" in the name That was funny!!!!
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rockcat11
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 176
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Post by rockcat11 on Mar 4, 2018 15:59:59 GMT -5
I know, what did she think I was going to do with it, I mean there was still dirt on it Anyway, it's in pieces a-rumbling away in my tumbler now. Can't wait for it to be done.
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