2003 saw my 7th consecutive, annual "pilgrimage" to the Tucson Gem & Mineral Shows and, although my amazement at the sheer size and scale of the event has diminished, I am still surprised at the amount of material that is available for sale each year I am sure that, at some point, most of you would have visited an exhibition or a trade fair And, like me, you may well think it preferable to go around the stands in a group of 2 or 3 In doing this, I often find that one person will notice something that the others have missed This, combined with the ability to share views and information, greatly enhances the overall experience For most of my visits, I have been very fortunate to have been accompanied by my good friend, Alan Jobbins Alan's willingness to share his great wealth of knowledge, combined with the fact that we meet many of his worldwide friends and associates - each with their own news to share - means that I always return from Tucson knowing so much more than when I went out Unfortunately, though unconnected, this rise in my knowledge base is always accompanied by a sharp fall in my bank balance ! As Colin mentioned in his introduction, there are many separate shows on during the fortnight, with each having their own emphasis With the ever-increasing number of shows on each year, a major problem is deciding on which ones to visit first Obviously, this decision will be guided by what one's interests and needs are but it should be remembered that there is rarely a clear demarcation as to what is available at any particular event We have often found some gems at a fossil show where they are sold as a sideline or were found accidentally whilst hunting for fossils. Also, at what point does something interesting become ornamental or something ornamental become so decorative that it is worthy of use in jewellery ? Fortunately, because Alan and I have similar interests we tend to ignore the "pure" jewellery shows - for example those dealing with beads and findings - and concentrate on fossils, minerals and gemstones So, going to the slides, we'll start with some fossils !

dinosaur leg	petrified Araucaria cones (1 of 3)	petrified Araucaria cones (2 of 3)	petrified Araucaria cones (3 of 3)

ammolite / korite / iridescent fossil ammonite shell (1 of 2)	ammolite / korite / iridescent fossil ammonite shell (2 of 2)	cut ammonite	mammoth tusks (1 of 2)

mammoth tusks (2 of 2)	ivory display	cross section of mammoth tusk	carved mammoth tusks (1 of 2)

carved mammoth tusks (1 of 2)	walrus tusk in skull	real hippo teeth in a plaster cast skull (1 of 2)	real hippo teeth in a plaster cast skull (2 of 2)

carved nagua nut owl	Brazilian quartz geode	selenite and quartz geode	greyish green fluorite and calcite

large specimens	smaller specimens	apparently "more modest" specimens	apparently "more modest" specimens (close up)

close up of aquamarines and tourmaline	close up of rhodochrosite, quartz and tourmaline	spessartine garnet on smokey quartz	one of the posters of lectures at AGTA show

Alan Jobbins with Mimi Ou Yang and Anna Miller	Mimi Ou Yang's new book	Guatemalan jadeite	Russian jadeite polished pebbles

close up of Russian jadeite	Russian jadeite bowl	Madagascan star rose quartz on Madagascan amazonite	raspberyl rough

facetted raspberyl	vanadium beryl	colour change sapphire crystals	green, common opal (1 of 2)

green, common opal (2 of 2)	green and orange opal	Louisiana opal	black Honduras opal

cerrusite crystal	beryl crystals from Siberia	beryl crystals from Brazil	spodumene crystals of various colours (1 of 2)

spodumene crystals of various colours (2 of 2)	prehnite beads and cabochons	table of various stones	Afghan gems (1 of 3)

Afghan gems (2 of 3)	Afghan gems (3 of 3)	close up of parcel of tourmaline	4 tourmaline crystals

Nigerian blue tourmaline