SPRING SHOWS

[stonesthatrock]

speedy recovery on your upcoming surgery.  hope your wife is much better now.
you did great at the shows and that is an encouragement for the rest of us who do shows. We are hoping to do good in a couple weeks.

Take Care,
mary ann

[Willy]

You asked what kinds, I didn't sell a single calabrated size cabochon, all were free form.  As far as pendants went -  shields, axe heads, free forms, enlongated ovals, laddars and what I call designer cuts.   Also several just rough sliced stones to the wire-wrappers.  Big and Bold and non-semetrical I would say is what most were looking for.  One vendor had thousands of cabs, probably 20-25 of each stone and all were calibrated sizes (at least 5 sizes for each stone) and he told me he sold about 10 for the whole 2 days, but his rough cut pendants, geodes and stones that could be wire-wrapped went like hot cakes.

I don't think the cabochons, calibrated sizes anyway, like the faceted gemstones, were going because the cost of the mounts to put them in has doubled and tripled, especially the gold and silver mounts, and having to spend $20-$25 for a mount for a $10-$15 stone just doesn't cut it any longer.

Willy

[The Polished Pebble]

Yes, it seems that the "Different" stuff is what people are looking for. The stuff that they can't buy by the thousands from the oriental sellers for pennies on the dollar.

Unusual stones are big right now.

Connie

[donsstoneimages]

What I find sad is that even the freeform are artistic cuts are starting to be turned out by the chinese.  One of the members of my club can't keep up with cutting cabs for the 5 or shows he does so now ships his slabs to China to be cut.  He still marks his own cabs but still I don't like all the cutting being done elsewhere.

[mirkaba]

Willy....I hope everything is going well with your wife. What is happening with your foot?  I did not sell at our clubs show and thought the prices were a lot higher than they have been in the past. I bought a few slabs and was broke. There were record crowds again this year an all of the dealers were happy. Said they are coming back next year. I am not setting up for my first show till the middle of June. It is an outdoor affair and I have done really well there the last 3 years. I am selling both higher and lower dollar jewelry this year. Best wishes....Bob

[Mark]

Oh wow, just got here.  Sorry to hear about your foot and the wife's back problems.  I've had a bad back for 10+ years and the wife has a really bad knee and foot, so we really know where you're coming from.  Our prayers are with you.

Mark