An evening on the Tucson rental patio getting ready for a a visit to a venue.
Then a friend/thug (unknown which) showed up for a treat. After a stare-down he decided I was not going to move and wandered off. Four days later a bobcat showed up on the patio looking for a snack.
I just finished two weeks of warm weather excitement, walking, learning, visiting with vendors, buying, exploring and having a really great time at the 2026 version of the Tucson Shows. Imagine 50-60 different mineral venues with each hosting tens to hundreds of vendors (over 4000 sellers). Obviously, I could not visit all, but I certainly tromped around to several hundred. These different venues/shows are scattered around Tucson from along I 10 on the west and south to north of downtown along Oracle St. The major, and closing, event is the four-day Tucson Gem and Mineral Club show on Thursday through Sunday of the second week of February at the Tucson Convention Center.
One of my initial visits each year is The Arkenstone located in the Mineral City area (more on the later) in La Fuente de Piedras building. The Arkenstone, owned by Dr. Rob Lavinsky, is well known to rockhounds and collectors as one of the pioneers of online mineral selling. Today The Arkenstone sells a variety of specimens ranging from fantastic museum and collector (six figures or perhaps higher at POR) minerals down to those at a more reasonable price for an ole plugger like me. Perhaps the Arkenstone is most famous for its numerous online auctions (irocks.com). I also note that Dr. Lavinsky is a well-known philanthropist supporting the rockhound community, including various journals and museums.
I visit The Arkenstone not to buy but to ogle his display specimens (and for sale beauties). His rotating collection displayed at Tucson every year would be every mineral museum’s envy and wish. Below are just a few photos from the 2026 display.
Azurite with malachite, Laos.
Spodumene, variety Kunzite, Afghanistan.
Japan Law Twin quartz, Nepal.
Zoisite variety Tanzanite, Tanzania.
Malachite, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Spodumene, Afghanistan.
Tourmaline, variety rubellite, Brazil.
Beryl, variety aquamarine, Pakistan.
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Stibnite, China.
Tourmaline, Brazil.
Quartz, variety Opal in sandstone, Australia.
Gold on quartz, Placer County, California, USA.
Calcite and pyrite, China.
A tough day of rockhounding just wears a person out.