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Fresh from the Tucson Fair & Gem Gala Show Tonight at 7pm ET!

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We use the term “Fresh from the Fair” at QVC to showcase items our merchants find while walking one of the International Jewelry Fairs. David Markstein, for instance, travels to the Vicenza Jewelry Show every year and brings back single samples of the new, exciting, fresh styles he finds. Jen, the Gemstone Buyer, and I just returned from the Tucson Gem Show, and while walking the show we found many incredible, unique, and beautiful gems. Some already mounted in jewelry and some in parcels of loose stones.

Many of these special finds from the Tucson Gem Show will be featured in the Gem Gala tonight, Friday, February 20^th, at 7:00 PM EST with Jane Treacy. We were able to obtain one sample of the finished jewelry to show you on air and all orders must be delivered a little later. We are working on new designs for the loose stones and will be featuring those in a few months. One of the most exciting things about these shows is how you never know what you are going to find. Last year, we found that fabulous bucket of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, used for the TSV in January, this year we only found one small bag.

Jen and I found a fabulous Blue Topaz and Opal Necklace, reminiscent of a high end designer necklace we saw last year at the Las Vegas Jewelry Show. The necklace (J323079) is just as beautiful and is laden with Australian Opal Triplets and shades of Blue Topaz. It is absolutely incredible!

The brilliant luster and fire of Zircon, combined with its good hardness and range of colors, makes it a collector’s gemstone. Cognac Zircon was originally called Hyacinth, an ancient Biblical Stone. Both colors of Zircons (J323081) are from Cambodia, the source of the finest Zircons. The brilliance will remind you of blue an cognac diamonds.

Fine pink Kunzite is becoming very rare in larger sizes. The intense color is highly prized around the world and our discovery of two fine parcels was like finding a treasure trove. The Pear Shaped Kunzite and Diamond Pendant or Ring (J323374 and J323372) are examples of Kunzite at its finest. It was named by and for George Kuntz, the esteemed Gemologist from Tiffany’s!

We met with Graziela, the designer to the stars, who had several new, one-of-a-kind pieces from her Couture Collection. She will be here to share the inspiration for her Australian Opal Triplet Ring (J323365).