AlexisKletjian: Tucson

THE TUCSON TAKE AWAY : IN CONCLUSION

1:21 PM

If you enjoyed my post on my recent trip the the Tucson Gem Show (post below or view here) than you know I had a great time, but now that I've been home and had time to take it all in, I got more out of this trip than I thought I would. I left Tucson feeling whole and enriched, even if a few things got away.

Impulse shopping has never been my thing, and when you are in the company of gemstones you may never see again, well, it's a lot of pressure for a designer, or anyone. If I must make an on-the-spot decision and it doesn't feel good, I have to trust my gut, walk away. I usually know exactly what I want, when I see it, (unless I haven't seen it before) and on the rare occasion I do make an impulse purchase, there are consequences.

Hence the private joke : The bad mood rock.

Fun purchase for my son. Trilobite fossil that is hundreds of millions of years old!
I ALMOST didn't purchase this because I did not like the seller's dismissive attitude, but in the end I am glad I did.

In retrospect, I am a little sad about the handful of things left behind, but in the long run, it is always better to err on the side of caution so when I see it again, I am without hesitation. I have a lot of bigger pieces and finalized complements to my collections on the horizon, so there was an extreme short list of what I was in search of, along with a few collectors requests for design-specific stones.

Please enjoy the last round of images from my trip; I hope to share some of the completed jewelry from my purchases in the upcoming months. Stay tuned, and don't forget to sign up for the newsletters to see sneak peeks on the new jewelry that will be arriving on the website this Spring!

Finally meeting with my Ruby dealers, in person.

Diamond Turtles, which I bought two of! Because the price of two if always better than one ;)
Looking forward to creating something fun with these.

Gorgeous Zircons for a collector who wanted simple daytime dangles - stay tuned!

For my daughter, because she loves horses. This will be turned into a sweet charm with a gold bezel.

If I knew pets were allowed, I would've brought Lu. Just one of the crazy things you see in Tucson!

Stopped me in my tracks, bought this entire parcel, plus more. Can't wait to show you what they become!!!

My favorite way to gem shop : with a good friend. Gemstones for a client, and new Bespoke later this year.

I chose one of these for an upcoming project, really excited about it!!

Ahhh, the bad mood rock. Never impulse shop, ever. Great reminder.

Best purchase of the trip, a special specimen for my son. It sits by his bed, where he enjoys it every night.
Really glad I haggled over this one, so worth it! Scored for $20 ;)

Alexis Kletjian

THE TUCSON TANGO : PART ONE

4:25 PM

Tucson was a fast paced thrilling gem hunt. I arrived in the desert having no expectations of what the week would bring. Motels converted into gem shops, tent after tent of mineral, overwhelmed and exausted because treasure is hidden in every single one. Coming this far, you leave no stone unturned.

I was warned about dancing the Tucson Tango, it's easy to get thrown off beat. In order to stay within the rhythm of my collection, I had to leave some things behind. For me, this also includes with whom I spend my time, and do business with. Good energy carries all the way through to the finished piece, and into the lives of my collectors. I am careful in every selection I make.

I left Tucson feeling whole and enriched. Gemstones from around the world in their various forms are inspiring, but I found my true inspiration within the souls of the people I had the pleasure of spending time with. This is why we do what we do : Jewelry remains the most powerful tool of expression and connection to our memories, milestones, loss and success. I was honored to be privy to so many wonderful stories, and to share my own.

It was a magical trip of bonding, education, friendship, laughter, and passion, so when the music stopped and I packed up my dancing shoes, well, the Tucson withdrawal was real.

I bought some stones. I shopped for my collectors. I brought home specimens for my kids.

Tucson, you were so good to me, and I'll see you next year. This is part one.

Enjoy these pictures from my trip, with different images and videos on Facebook and Instagram where I posted every day, sharing the story of my week long gem adventure, as it was happening! I also sent out an email blast prior to hitting the desert, so go sign up for my newsletters - you don't want to miss a thing!