Gary Bowersox, right, joins a miner at a Colombia emerald mine after lecturing at the First International Emerald Symposium there. (Submitted photo)
Explorer and gem hunter Gary Bowersox will bring a Smithsonian-style gem show to Karen’s Jewelers this week that will feature more than 60,000 rough and cut gemstones and jewelry. The show will feature many new cut gems, including finished jewelry pieces of Afghanistan emerald, Tajikistan ruby, and Vietnam aquamarine.
The gem show, “Magnificent Gemstones of the World,†will be presented from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, October 27 and 28, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, October 29, at Karen’s Jewelers, which is at 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
The Lady of the Nile aquamarine, a designer piece valued at $86,000, will be among one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry at the show, which will include gems valued from $5 to $100,000. Bowersox purchased the rough aquamarine at Thuong Xuan, Vietnam, then took it to fourth-generation carver Uli Pauly in Germany for carving in the Egyptian theme. Jewelry designer Gregg Crawford finished the piece, which is set in an 18-carat gold Egyptian motif with 12 platinum prongs surrounded by three Afghanistan emeralds and 1.14 carats of fine diamonds.
Besides emerald, ruby, and aquamarine, the exhibit includes garnet, tourmaline, lapis lazuli, amethyst, topaz, sapphire, and kunzite. The exhibit features gems often seen only in museums.
Bowersox, considered an expert on Afghan emeralds, lectured last October at the First International Emerald Symposium in Bogota, Colombia, where he visited three emerald mines. He has also lectured at the Smithsonian and The Explorers Club, carrying the club’s flag to Afghanistan. He has appeared on CNN, ABC’s “Good Morning America,†Fox News, National Public Radio, Voice of America, and many other radio and television programs.
In his nearly half-century of exploration, Bowersox has hiked through the Hindu Kush and ridden camels, mules, sheep trucks, and tanks to explore remote mines in Asia.
The author of the books, “The Gem Hunter” and “Gemstones of Afghanistan,” Bowersox traveled as he searched for gems during multiple conflicts in the region. He has also directed aid to the people of Afghanistan, bringing eyeglasses there through the Lions International eyeglass program and delivering school supplies to children in remote mining villages through contributions from his local Rotary Foundation.
For more information, call Karen’s Jewelers at (865) 483-6717, and see the website at www.karensjewelers.com.
The Lady of the Nile aquamarine will be among one-of-a-kind designer jewelry pieces at the gem show at Karen’s Jewelers. (Submitted photo)
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American Geode 1 says
This is very special, and extraordinary for a show to offer so much uncut material and specimens like this. Good luck and congratulations to everyone who is able to experience this kind of gem and mineral show.