Events & AwardsSep 08, 2021
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Heading to the HardRock Summit This Week? Check Out These Events
Here’s the lineup of education sessions and special exhibitions happening at the Denver show.
These three rhodochrosite specimens—from left to rght: the Alma King, the Alma Queen, and the Alma Rose—will be showcased together at the upcoming HardRock Summit event in Denver.
Denver—Organizers of the HardRock Summit have released the full schedule of educational events and special exhibitions that will be held at the show.
The summit comprises two components: “Evolution” for minerals and fossils at the Colorado Convention Center from Sept. 16-19, and “Sparkle & Joy” for fine gems and jewelry at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel from Sept. 18-21.
The Denver Gem & Mineral Show also will hold their annual show adjacent to the Evolution venue.
Here are the education sessions and events those heading to Colorado this week should check out.
Education at Evolution
Thursday, Sept. 16
--11:00 a.m., “The World’s Most Colorful Mineral-Fluorite,” Jeff Scovil;
--12:00 p.m., “Colorado Fossil Discoveries: Old and New,” Lou Taylor; and
--1:00 p.m., “Fantastic Fluorite Finds of the Alps,” Ryan Bowling.
Friday, Sept. 17
--11:00 a.m., “Mexican Fluorites,” Dr. Peter Megaw;
--12:00 p.m., “Exploration into the Cause of Color in Fluorite,” Dr. Virgil Lueth; and
--2:00-3:30 p.m., “The Earth and Stars” panel discussion featuring Dr. Terry Wallace, Pete Modreski, Matt Morgan, and a Q&A session facilitated by Dave Waisman.
Saturday, Sept. 18
--11:00 a.m., “Colorado Fluorites,” Dave Bunk;
--12:00 p.m., “New Mexico Fluorite,” Phil Simmons;
--2:00-3:30 p.m., “Rhodochrosite—Colorado’s State Mineral” panel discussion featuring Bryan Lees, Collector’s Edge Minerals; and George Sparks, Denver Museum of Natural and Science; Aurore Gilguet, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals; Gail Spann, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals; Renata Lafler, Colorado School of Mines; Joel Bartsch, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and a Q&A session facilitated by Dave Waisman.
Sunday, Sept. 19
--11:00 am, “Phenomenal Fluorite: Luminescence Phenomena in a Collector Favorite,” Robert Carnein;
--12:00 pm, “Illinois Fluorite,” Jared Freiburg; amd
--2:00-3:30 pm, “Colorado: Its Mines, Minerals and Men” panel discussion featuring Mark Ivan Jacobson, Steve Zahony, and Ed Raines.
Education at Sparkle & Joy
Saturday, Sept. 18
--4:00 p.m., “The Hamlin Necklace, From Art to Science,” Dr. Raquel Alonso-Perez.
Sunday, Sept. 19
--11:00 a.m., “Colored Gemstone & Design Trends for Fall and Beyond,” presented by the Women’s Jewelry Association featuring Brecken Branstrator, National Jeweler; Nan Lung Palmer, Facets Jewelry Consulting; Erica Silverglide, Gemology Geek; and moderated by communications consultant Jen Cullen Williams; and
--4:00 p.m., “Once Upon a Jewel,” Cynthia Renee.
Special Exhibitions at Evolution
--The Alma King, Alma Queen and Alma Rose, a trio of the world’s best rhodochrosite crystals, will reunite for the first time during the event;
-- Meteorites on loan from the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum in Bethel, Maine;
-- World’s largest Martian meteorite;
-- The Hamlin Necklace, on loan from the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University. Designed and commissioned by August Choate Hamlin in the late 19th century, the necklace was donated to the Harvard Museum in 1934 and is comprised of 70 gemstones, ranging from 3 carats to 34 carats, for a total carat weight of 228.12 carats;
-- Katherine’s Necklace, aka Colorado Fire, designed and created by Kimberly Knox, GIA GG, featuring seven stones—the center weighing 14.06 carats; and
--A collection of 120 trillion stones on loan from a private collector.
Special Exhibitions at Sparkle & Joy
-- A large topaz crystal weighing close to 250 pounds on loan from a private collector; and
-- A display of 19 exceptional natural fine mineral specimens.
For more information about the HardRock Summit and its planned events, visit HardRockSummit.com.
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