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Post by tkrueger3 on Mar 20, 2010 18:51:32 GMT -5
Spent some time today at the San Antonio Gem & Mineral show. I finally got to meet and talk with John of "jsgems" fame. What a nice guy! Lots and lots of beads and jewelry, not much of it wire-wrapped, took the majority of the space. Several displays of various mineral specimens - the huge cathedral amethysts, etc. Not much in the way of slabs or rough, though. The first thing I noticed as I wandered around was that, compared to the same show last year, a lot of prices for rocks, both rough and slabs, have gone WAY up - in most cases at least double or triple what it was last year. Then I found some spheres. Last year, I bought a 4" pretty orange and white sphere for $18. This years price was $140. (!!!!) I was thinking of getting some middle-sized spheres to cut up into circular cabs, but not at those prices! However, I managed to score some pretty nice slabs while there, plus I won a silent auction for an 8X3" expando wheel. Here is the total haul: Some up-close-and-personals Couple really nice pieces of tigereye, and what I think is some sweet chrysocolla (SOMEBODY please correct me if I'm wrong!) that feels waxy: Chrys up close: A couple of slabs of pretty nice dino: I'm guessing this is chrysocolla. (??) A large square black jade: And a HUGE slice of rhodonite, in which I can see a number of pendant/earring sets: And the 8X3 expando that I won in the silent auction for $30, used but in great condition: Had a great time, drooled a lot, got really tired. A good day. Thanks for looking, Tom
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nuevomundo
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2010
Posts: 222
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Post by nuevomundo on Mar 20, 2010 19:28:07 GMT -5
Wow, what a great haul! That rhodonite is sweet. I think your first chysocolla *might* actually be chrysoprase. Hard to tell from the pic. Second one is chrysocolla though.
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Mar 20, 2010 19:41:39 GMT -5
Nice slabs. I woulda bought the wheel too. Looks to be in good shape!
Nate
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Post by frane on Mar 20, 2010 19:42:38 GMT -5
Tom, looks like you got some great stuff! I would agree that the first is not chrysocola but as far as what it is, I would guess it is chrysoprase or varisite. The second I have one like it but it is a little differnt from standard chrysocola because of the metallic areas in it so maybe someone will know if that is just a different variety. I am glad you got to meet John. I think he sounds like a great guy so maybe one day we will cross paths. Fran
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Post by rockrookie on Mar 20, 2010 20:41:29 GMT -5
Nice color on the Dino Bone !! --paul
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Post by tkrueger3 on Mar 21, 2010 10:39:37 GMT -5
Fran, that first green one - it feels very waxy - totally unlike anything else I have. Is that waxiness a symptom of chrysoprase or varisite? It is quite different from the last green one (chrysocolla). I didn't think it was chrysocolla, but that was the only name my feeble brain could come up with! Tom PS - in fact, it feel just like some lapis slices I have .... but I thought lapis was always blue .... ?
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