There is always a huge selection of beads made of glass, semi-precious and precious stones, crystal, and metals. Since I’m a rock enthusiast, I normally gravitate to the stone beads. At one show, I saw a variety which included unique stones such as iolite and smoky quartz. These are available in a lot of different cuts and sizes, like 10mm faceted.
Viewing the creative pieces by other jewelry makers is also a great feature of these shows. There is normally an assortment of silver jewelry and Native American work. One show displayed some unusual designs by David R. Freeland Jr. which were made of gold with opal inlay. The opals were colorful and looked very rich set in the gold. It was obvious he is a master of his craft.
After admiring the work of other jewelers, we move our way to the booths filled with tools of the trade. Surprisingly, this is a group that never seems large enough at these shows. These shows usually included a Macaw-Tools booth. They sell all kinds of tools such as pliers, saws, and files.
Cabochons are another great item to locate at these shows. At one show we visited, we found a booth selling the larger sized cabs for $1.50 each. We got an assortment including hematite, carnelian, agate, tigers-eye, and adventurine.
The GL&W shows are open to the trade only. So, attendants must have a valid tax id number and copy of their business license filed with the show promoter. However, many rock and gem clubs also sponsor yearly shows similar to these shows and they are open to the public. I recommend making the trip if you can. Not only do you get to pick from a large variety of suppliers, but you can also make contacts that allow you to purchase from these suppliers through the mail or over the web.
