Events & Awards

Ethical Gem Fair Returns to Tucson

Events & AwardsJan 05, 2023

Ethical Gem Fair Returns to Tucson

The boutique trade event will feature daily education sessions.

20230105_AnzaGems.jpg
Colored gemstones from Anza Gems. The brand is among those that will participate in the upcoming Ethical Gem Fair in Tucson. (Image courtesy of Ethical Gem Suppliers)
Tucson, Ariz.—Ethical Gem Suppliers is gearing up for the Tucson gem shows. 

The group will return to Tucson later this month to host its latest Ethical Gem Fair.

The show will kick off Saturday, Jan. 28, and run through Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

The trade-only buying event features the group’s members, including Agere Treasures, Anza Gems, Capricorn Gems, Columbia Gem House, Nature’s Geometry, Nineteen48, Perpetuum Jewels, and Virtu Gem. 

What ties these brands together is their commitment to supply chain ethics, mine-to-market traceability, artisanal miner support, environmental health, and safety regulations. 

In addition to gem shopping, attendees can drop in on the event’s quick education sessions, taking place twice daily and lasting for 20 minutes.

On Saturday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m., Anza Gems’ Monica Stephenson and Columbia Gem House’s Eric Braunwart will speak on “Miner to Market Traceability.”

At 2 p.m., Agere Treasures’ Hewan Zewdi and Nature’s Geometry’s Brian Cook will opine on “Directly Supporting Mining Communities.” 

On Sunday, Jan. 29 at 10 a.m., Braunwart and Virtu Gem’s Susan Wheeler will host the conversation “Know Your Cutter.”

Stephenson and Cook will follow that session at 2 p.m. with a discussion called “Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability.” 

 Related stories will be right here … 

On Monday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. Zewdi and Stuart Pool of Nineteen48 will lead a session called “Words Matter: What Responsible Means to You.”

At 2 p.m. Ian Bone of Capricorn Gems and Jay Moncada of Perpetuum Jewels will talk “Natural, Recycled and Lab-Grown Gems.”

On Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10.am., Bone and Pool will lead a discussion called “Beyond Country of Origin.”

At 2 p.m., Moncada and Wheeler will host the final education session, “Standards and Certifications: Why They Matter.”

In addition to the education, the Ethical Gem Fair will feature a meet-and-greet social event on Monday, Jan. 30 at 4 p.m.

Registration for the Ethical Gem Fair is free. The fair will feature special shopping promotions.

The boutique-style colored gemstone event made its Tucson debut in 2020. It has since popped up in Denver and New York City.

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