Tucson News Please!!!

SteveM

SteveM

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With many regular posters now in Tucson this place is threatening to get a bit dull, resorting to pearl cleaning, etc to fill the vacuum. Even 'NaturalPearls' from Bahrain seems to have left us (think he figured out none of us owns oil wells and may not be his core customer?).

So I beg all of you in Tucson, and those on their way to see Douglas in Guaymas (Josh) to please keep us updated and well imaged! I'm hoping selfishly that this thread might provide an appropriate vehicle?
 
:D Hi Steve and All,

Whoa, what a day! I guess I will post first, since Caitlin hasn't had time to get home to her computer yet!

The amazing and lovely Caitlin, and her beautiful, pearl-loving daughter, Kether, picked me up at my hotel and we were off! In spite of meeting for the first time today, with so much in common, conversation was fun and easy as we headed to the Pavillion at River Park. Hoped to see Care Ehret, but folks were just setting up at that show, and nothing was going on at their booth, so we will go back there tomorrow, We did walk around checking out the other booths lining the street, more stuff than anyone could imagine. I marveled at the huge amethyst and citrine geodes, various cloth goods, carvings from all over the world, too. So much more than just gems and minerals.

Next we went to find American Pearl (correct me please, if I am wrong, Caitlin). They had a huge selection of pearls, including abalone pearls, and some Mississippi naturals. The largest display of bead nucleated fireball pearls I have ever seen. And lots of other pearls, way over 12mm. Overall very nice quality, and the prices reflected it. (So far I have not purchased any pearls:eek:,)

We then went to the J.O.G.S venue to hunt down Dr. Tom and check out his naturals--A genuinely terrific guy and awesome pearls. Low and behold there in the case is the unbelievably gorgeous Suite of Naturals, yes, the ones he posted a photo of here and I use as background on my computer. Honestly, I got goosebumps! We met his beautiful wife, Yolanda, and lingered at his booth looking at tray after tray of his huge collection of naturals. Luckily I brought my loupe. Caitlin will bring her camera and take photos later this week. So we will have a second look, too! I doubt I will ever see an occasion to see so many glorious natural pearls. I think I can speak for both Caitlin and myself; it was like having the most delicious gourmet dinner, and then wanting to sit back and reflect on the gloriousness of it all.

A wonderful first day, and my feet don't even hurt!

Pattye
*so many pearls, so little time

*has never been more true!
 
Pattye! Thank you so much! You're the first to report. Say hi to Caitlin. Be safe and well. We miss you all terribly and can't wait for all the wonderful stories and pictures! I zoomed over to Kari's site and picked up this photo for Steve to look at for a bit. Is Kari there? Unfortunately she didn't give any information about this other than it is called the Dragon Pearl and it's in the British Museum.
 

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Knotty,

I almost never use smilies, but I can't think of a more appropriate response than :eek:

(Second choice: Muah-hah-hah)

A bit sacrilegous for a natural pearl freak, I know. But a bit difficult to warm up to?

The sentiment was so greatly appreciated, however!

Steve
 
I am going screaming to my bath tub.

I just posted a long post. I took so long to write, it, my cookie timed out or something and when I submitted it, I had to sign in agaiin and the post disappeared into the void........


I can't deal with it- it was one of my best posts!!!!! Boo Hoo HOOOO!!!!
 
Noooo! Oh, Caitlin, if it was one of your best posts than we are indeed bereft :(

Thanks for trying?!? :eek:
 
Yes, very ugly, the dragon that is, and losing your pics. Was it one of those long, newsy ones a la Blaire? I wonder what the dragon would look like without his clothes. Caitlin, remember the good ol' days when cookies used to fix problems, not create them?
 
Caitlin dear,

Please try to reconstruct your post---you will have so much more intelligent things to say, not all giddy like me! I promise to settle down and make some notes---------

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
Caitlin Williams said:
I am going screaming to my bath tub.

I just posted a long post. I took so long to write, it, my cookie timed out or something and when I submitted it, I had to sign in agaiin and the post disappeared into the void........


I can't deal with it- it was one of my best posts!!!!! Boo Hoo HOOOO!!!!
Click to expand...

I'm crying for you! <sniff> Remember, your Tucson pearl walk posts were what brought me to Pearl Guide, so I really want to see what you think. You can do it! ;)
 
Caitlin Williams said:
?it was one of my best posts!!!!!
Click to expand...
Caitlin, you did the 'write' thing, it will flow again once you've had the opportunity to mourn the lost spontaneity of the first draft. Looking forward!!
 
Thanks for the news! Tucson is pretty far.


knotty panda said:
the Dragon Pearl and it's in the British Museum.
Click to expand...

What a clump of pearls! That's the one dragon I've ever got scared of, so far! ;) 'Guess 'Scary' is a good thing, for a dragon though.
 
Caitlin,
If you type the post again,don't type it directly into the reply field-- create a document, then copy and paste it onto the reply field.;)
 
Hi
Here is a very short post. He have to pick up Pattye in about a minute. I am putting it in Word first. I have never lost my cookie here until I had to switch in and out of the Admin thing. Grrr.

Anyway, it is United States Pearl of Big Sandy Tennessee. They have a huge booth in the Dayz Inn. They also set up at the GLDA, but use this as their home base. US pearl is run by the Peaches James Senior and James Junior, who spent a fair amount of time with us, showing us their best pearls. And they were good ones. Very saturated strands in subtle lavender blues, as well as all the other special colors- more enormous multi-colored klonks than I have ever seen before, esp. in one place.

I have a lot to say about Tom Stern and his pearls,(he is an absolutely sweet person) but I have to go right now.
 
Never fear, Steve,

We will not let you down! Hopefully Caitlin will also post her thoughts on the day's adventures! Of course, our first stop on Saturday was to return to DruzyDesign. We had left our card yesterday, so she knew to expect us. We were delighted to meet Carolyn herself, her spouse Peter and son Nick and girlfriend. They are all an important part of her business. Care, a lovely, tall, stunning, yet soft-spoken person, dazzled in pearls, which we unabashedly admired and discussed, (no, I have no shame,) from the Kamoka keishi torsade (Josh's pearls), to the bracelet of naturals. The items she had pulled from ebay were there, so it was awesome to examine them. She had a Cortez pendant with amazing colors, gem quality, the finest most colorful pink, green and more than I have ever seen, and I have some Cortez pearls. She had 2 full strands of the Sea of Cortez pearls, too. Even as wonderful as her photos are, one sees more in person. She explained in detail the extraordinary gold work, with the fine granulation, and how the tiny balls are held on with red plant sap until heated and permanently attached. She also had pendants and earrings made with fine wire work, so I pulled out and loupe, and we marveled at the workmanship. I am certain we will go back again at least once. Josh is expected to show up early this week with another parcel of pearls for her. We all look forward to meeting him, too! I did not make a purchase this visit, but will hope to get Kamoka keishi later.

Carolyn said she often refers others to pearl guide for honest info about pearls, and I hope she won't mind me saying she does read pearl guide and contacted Josh because she read about him here and so admired his philosophy of pearl farming. I thought that was sooooo cool!

Anyway, I will go ahead and post this, don't want to loose it like Caitlin did!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
Thanks! Yes, Carolyn exudes a passion for pearls that is only matched by the collective passion of those of us here. I only hope that I will not have to wait another full year before paying a personal visit. Put in a good word for me as I continue to nudge her/Peter towards setting 'La Panda' (ab from Pearl Paradise) as a pendant?
 
If you have any particular questions, please post them here, and we will try to find out for you. There is a lot of expertise to draw on!

Still Saturday-----

Next stop Kojima Pearls, to meet Sarah Canizzaro, she posts here! Also has a great website www.kojimapearl.com). Steve, you might like to check out the abalone pearls in finished jewelry on her site. We saw a number of the pieces in person. They had some amazing strands of Kasumi Pearls, wrinkly with amazing colors, and some freshwaters, huge, that look almost identical. Care had mentioned these were exceptional. Very high end, if I recall the prices were about 24,000-30,000, totally unique and gorgeous. (I should have brought a book of adjectives, I am running out!) She had some lovely abalone pendants, beautifully done, so I asked if she would like to see mine, turns out it is one of her custom pieces! Wow, small world! She has a friend who does the custom gold work for her, so I was able to find out the designers name! I did buy 2 strands here--pastel large ( 30mm?) ovals for $80, and large flat squarish light pink-lav pearls for $120. Sorry I did not bring a gauge in addition to my loupe. Sarah, young, adorable, was wonderfully friendly and dripping in gorgeous pearls, wearing lots of pearl bracelets, too, which she says she does frequently with no worry.

At the same booth was Pacific Pearl, which has been around a lot longer, we were thrilled to meet highly respected and well known Fuji Voll and share some of his oloong tea and biscuits. He showed me a strand of lovely wrinkly fw large cream to lt gold, enough for a double strand, or long rope. They were round and each pearl had such amazing texture, uniquely beautiful, not a finished necklace yet. They must have been about 13-11mm. I know my intentions were to take notes, but I blew it! We will go back there on the Pearl Walk, if not before.

I love colored gems also, and there have been plenty of those, but haven't had a lot of time to look.

And there is still more for Saturday---next post!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
Hi Valeria,

We did look at some of the mixed natural strands similar to this, these are most likely Penn pearls, but I will verify that when I see Sarah again. They are sometimes reddish-brown.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
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