I am happy to announce that Brad Wilson will be a part of the Show. He will showcase his collection and present two lectures.

The topic of first lecture (on Saturday) is “Canadian Gemstones”. Mr. Wilson will talk about coloured gemstones from Canada. Gems like sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, a variety of garnets, iolite, spinel, topaz, tourmaline and many others. These are all gems that are commonly used in jewellery. He will show the locations (many of which are beautiful and remote), the rocks, the gems in the matrix and then the finished product. Most people don’t know that there are many gems that come from Canada and Brad will clear this confusion away.

The second talk given on Sunday will be “Gems and minerals from southern Baffin Island, Nunavut”. This area has a wide variety of gems, stunning sapphires, iolite, garnet, zircon, spinel, tourmaline, lapis lazuli, moonstone, scapolite, diopside and many others. It’s very beautiful and remote. Stunning country side and great adventures. Even polar bears!

Brad Wilson’s interest in minerals began at a young age, but fully crystallized (pardon the pun) in 1978 when he accidentally discovered transparent smoky quartz in northern Canada. Since then, his keen interest in Canadian minerals and gemstones has lead Brad all across this country prospecting for minerals and rough gemstones. In the 1980s he completed BSc and MSc degrees in geology. In 1991, Brad became a Fellow of the Canadian Gemmological Association (CGA) and is now their vice-president. A faceter of gemstones since 1979, Brad cuts many rare and soft collector stones as well as the more traditional coloured gemstones. Mr. Wilson is the owner and operator of Alpine Gems and has been importing rough gemstones, cutting gems and marketing the finished products to jewelers, museums and collectors. He is also a principal of Coast to Coast Rare Stones International, a coloured gemstone company specializing in rare, soft and collector gemstones. In addition, he has written several papers on Canadian gemstones. You can find his latest one in the Rocks & Minerals