Beryl var. Aquamarine, Quartz, Microcline: Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Description

Species: Beryl var. Aquamarine, Quartz, Microcline

Locality: Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Dimensions: 14 x 7.5 x 8 cm.

SOLD

Aquamarine specimens from Pakistan’s Shigar Valley are considered some of the finest in the world and have been known for over forty years. This is an excellent large cabinet-size matrix aquamarine, featuring a stout, well-formed sky-blue aquamarine beryl crystal measuring ~6.5 x 4 x 3.8 cm. perched aesthetically on a matrix of crystallized white microcline and quartz. As far as balance goes, what I really love about this piece is that is features a large, well-formed quartz crystal with a microcline feldspar as well as an aquamarine, all in good condition and all nicely terminated and ‘placed’ together. To get a good matrix pegmatite specimen like this from Shigar is not that common, and this older piece displays wonderfully. There is one professional repair to the microcline crystal on the right side. Ex. Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum collection, possibly displayed at one time. Annette Slade photo.