With afternoon temperatures hovering around 100°, the International Gem & Jewelry Show at the Palmer Events Center seemed like a good idea. The $8 admission was reasonable, and I desperately needed an indoor, air-conditioned activity. So off I went.

I quickly realized that I was expecting a Gem & Mineral show, but this was, as advertised, a Gem & Jewelry show. I stopped by the Austin Gem and Mineral Society booth and learned that I’ll have to wait for their October Gem Capers show to see rocks and minerals.

With my expectations reset, I wandered around the exhibit floor. There was definitely an international focus in both vendors and shoppers. Only a few of the sellers were from Central Texas. A separate section with limited access was cordoned off for wholesale sales.

Many vendor tables were piled high with colorful strings of beads and pearls. Some vendors sold beading supplies, others featured unique festoons and pendants. I wished that I knew more about jewelry-making and regretted not taking that beading class earlier this summer.

Pre-made jewelry options ranged from inexpensive costume pieces to hand-crafted items embedded with diamond and precious jewels. By far, the most popular booth was Veraga Jewels, jammed full of shiny, intricate earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

I left without buying anything. But now I’m motivated to sign up for that beading class…

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