*Squeal* I'm going gem shopping in Arusha!

[kelpie]

So spur of the moment, I'm going up to Arusha this weekend to shop for gems. Maybe see some donkeys. My friend says there are donkeys in Arusha and I miss donkeys so much! Ok, back to gems... Things I'm looking for: spessartite, mozambique tourmaline, and I am always a sucker for minty green grossular though I already have several. Would love some nice ruby or spinel but probably not in my budget...I only have $1000 to spend. Gene was kind enough to share his contact there with me and I'll try to get in with Swala as well. My jeweler also said there is another guy who's a renowned d-bag but has great stuff.

 

[Kismet]

Ooh, how exciting! Make sure you bring your camera and take lots of pictures!

 

[iLander]

Ummm . . . what's Arusha?

 

[kelpie]

Ilander- The GEM CAPITAL of Tanzania!

 

[iLander]

OH!

TAKE ME!!

I don't eat much, and I will rub your feet at frequent intervals

 

[kelpie]

Well iLander, I can't say no to an offer like that! We should totally have a Tanzania GTG. What do you think?

 

[Aoife]

I'm very jealous! Except for the part about the renowned d-bag.

I'm hoping you'll post some pictures of what you buy, and also give a report on the experience. Have fun!

 

[VapidLapid]

here in NYC we are awash with donkeys, though we call them something else.

Your local shopping center is generating some big envy over here. I like the cereal with the two scoops of spessartites but they dont seem to carry it at my Whole Foods.

 

[kelpie]

It's not all good here, VL....

Special K with strawberries is like $10 a box!

 

[erinl]

I am so curious-- why are you living in Tanzania? Are you doing fieldwork for an academic project? That has to be so interesting--and challenging!

 

[Harriet]

Have fun and please be safe.

 

[kelpie]

I am so curious-- why are you living in Tanzania? Are you doing fieldwork for an academic project? That has to be so interesting--and challenging!

I came here for my husband's work. Right now I'm a housewife which makes me feel like a failure because I am no good at it. As you might imagine, jobs aren't easy to come by here. Still I adore the place. Palm trees, blue ocean, exotic wildlife... it has everything except 7-11s which would be nice!

 

[cellentani]

It's not all good here, VL....

Special K with strawberries is like $10 a box!

I have lots of Special K w/ strawberries..........will trade for gems.

 

[Arcadian]

ooooo I WANNA GOOOOO TOOOOOO!

Hey I take less space than most, I only need protien bars which takes up WAY less room than a box of Special K.


Have fun and do take care. I can't wait to see pictures from your trip!

-A

 

[erinl]

I am so curious-- why are you living in Tanzania? Are you doing fieldwork for an academic project? That has to be so interesting--and challenging!

I came here for my husband's work. Right now I'm a housewife which makes me feel like a failure because I am no good at it. As you might imagine, jobs aren't easy to come by here. Still I adore the place. Palm trees, blue ocean, exotic wildlife... it has everything except 7-11s which would be nice!

I'm a housewife too-- it is very hard and I always feel like a failure-- but I'm sure you are doing a great job! Living abroad like that is challenging, but what a life changing experience!

 

[Arcadian]

Totally OT I know...

but I wouldn't consider being a housewife being a failure...heck, thats still work! It takes a heck of a lot to run a household, so hold your head high because thats a 24/7 job!

My hubs said he can't wait for me to slow down. He wants me to be home a lot more than I am! Depending on where I get work, I can travel quite a bit which can be stressful in any relationship. He puts up with it because he knows I can't sit still..lol

My mom was a housewife for many years after we were born He never wanted my mom to have to work. She went back into the job force after I was 14 because it was something she wanted to do (my dad hated it though)

Shes retired now as is my father. She says he drives her absolutely crazy. I told her to make him get a job then lol


-A

 

[PrecisionGem]

Here's a shot near Arusha, in a small town right next to the Tanzanite mines run by Tanzanite One. There were lots of donkeys here. The people used them to hall water and other goods around. This was the main street. Be prepared to get dusty.

 

[baby nurse]

Have fun kelpie, but be really careful! Looking forward to hearing about what you find!

 

[ked123]

I'm so jealous. Report back on what you see!

 

[chrono]

It’s going to be a really fun trip but as advised, be very careful!

 

[simplysplendid]

Have fun but be alert and keep safe! Tell us what you see and get!

 

[Jim Rentfrow]

How long will you be in the area? You should start to make contacts and learn about buying rough and cut stones............could be a nice little side business

 

[Barrett]

Hey Gene those are some nice asses
Kelpie..would be great if you took lots and lots of pics to post..helps us who are stuck far away day dream about the goodies in Tanzania

 

[kelpie]

I had a great time! Thank you Gene for your contact, he was extremely kind and helpful! The weather and food in Arusha are so much nicer than Dar where it is too hot to grow leafy greens. I did see some adorable donkeys and zebras. People are very friendly there though I did not appreciate how just about every guy on the street wanted to chat us up or sell us something and they are much more persistent than in Dar. I did not buy any stones yet though there are a few with Swala I am considering but I wanted to see what they had in their Dar es Salaam branch before purchasing since they said they may have what I'm looking for there.

I would like to learn how to export gems since I'll be living in Tanzania for a couple years. I tried to get into SEAMIC's April cutting class but since they are full I'll have to wait until August unless someone cancels. I did make a few good contacts and I'm making more all the time since so many people are involved in mining here.

One thing that really struck me was how wasting a resource gems are. I want to buy a fine spessartite and they are about quadruple the price they were a few years ago. It was fairly depressing to hear how sources are no longer producing. I was not aware that Loliondo and and Winza are no longer producing but I heard that from two different people. I guess they find new deposits too but I think by the time there is a retail market for something the mine is waning. I asked a dealer about finding a large fine spessartite and he said no one had that material anymore except Swala and he said he didn't know how they still had it but that they were smart to hold it now that it fetches a much higher price.

On to pictures

Here are two scoops of spessartites for VL, once from Gene's friend and one from Swala

 

[kelpie]

This tsavorite was TWELVE carats and flawless. It was pretty unbelievable.

 

[kelpie]

Assorted rough.

 

[kelpie]

The lovely wares at Swala. Even they only had one cut spess.

 

[VapidLapid]

Two very delicious scoops and just in time for breakfast!
It looks as though gem shopping in arusha is both wonderful and torture, so many stones singing sweetly to you and then when they lull you into submission BAM! $400 per carat for grossular rough!

 

[VapidLapid]

"My heart was melting for this green grossular but I have so many of them!"

What does this mean, but I have so many of them??? IS SO many of them TOO many of them, or not enough many of them?

 

[kelpie]

[quote="PrecisionGem|Here's a shot near Arusha, in a small town right next to the Tanzanite mines run by Tanzanite One. There were lots of donkeys here. The people used them to hall water and other goods around. This was the main street. Be prepared to get dusty.[/quote]

Those are sweet donkeys! It was so dirty but the rain kept the dust down.