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of intense blue AQUAMARINE on SCHORL from the ERONGO MOUNTAINS, NAMIBIA
A big surprise at the Denver 2009 show was a room full of spectacular, intense blue, unusually big aquamarine crystals for this mountainous region of Namibia. Erongo Aquamarine has hit the market in small lots over the last decade, but seldom has there been a large pocket; and seldom have we seen out of all the different finds such a good combination of color saturation with size and quality. The color here is more saturated and intense than any aquamarine from Pakistan or Brazil, though admittedly the crystals from Erongo are less gemmy. Moreover, most of these have a stylish, very attractive schorl association. I am told that these were extracted with some difficulty from a large chamber struck 35 meters below ground, down a one man-wide shaft. The collecting was limited by the lack of air flow to the pocket, and so apparently these had to be collected while hanging upside down on a rope anchored from above (so I am reliably told). Approximately 100 superb to very fine specimens were recovered and several hundred smaller specimens of excellent quality. Approximately 80% of the pocket, including most of the best specimens (picked by my supplier), went to the Denver show by express courier with only days to spare before the show started! Photo 1 : Miner inside the narrow vertical shaft Photo 2 : Pumping air into the shaft Photo 3 : Looking down from on top
ERONGO09-01 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 4500 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 8.5 x 4.8 x 4.6 cm
A dramatic 7 x 2.2 x 2 cm aquamarine here looks like it is about to leap off a well-trimmed matrix of schorl and albite. The piece is, for the size range, one of the most dramatic I saw of this new lot for those who like simple, stark dominant-crystal aesthetics. The aquamarine is freestanding on half its length, and is complete all around. It is nearly pristine with just the tiniest bits of edge wear (I am told this is from the difficulty of collecting these while having to hang upside down). It has the most robust deep blue color I have seen before in an Erongo specimen, with a translucent and deeply colored body and a gemmy termination atop. The intense color, and large size, combined with lustre and a contrasting schorl association, all conspire to make this a special pocket considered by those who saw them recently at the Denver show to be among the best aqua finds here in about a decade of quite sporadic aquamarine mining.
ERONGO09-02 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 2250 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 7 x 3.9 x 3.4 cm
This specimen features a single, very thick, 7 x 2.2 x 2 cm crystal , with minor associated aqua and schorl at its base. It has some very minor edge wear, just a few nicks on the sides of the termination, and is otherwise pristine and complete all around. Very dramatic and 3-dimensional!
ERONGO09-03 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 5000 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 9.8 x 8.5 x 7.0 cm
The larger crystal measures 6.5 x 3 x 2 cm in size, and the smaller is about 4.5 x 3 x 2 cm. These fat, 3-dimensional crystals tick out dramatically from a matrix of albite, and with schorl in the background for contrast. The matrix is actually a portion of an albite crystal, not just massive rock. There is a small bit of edge wear to each crystal's termination, which detracts only a tiny bit visually if you go looking, but for which the price is reduced quite a bit from the original price given to me in the "lot" group i bought. It has the most robust deep blue color I have seen before in an Erongo specimen, with a translucent and deeply colored body and a gemmy termination atop. The intense color, and large size, combined with lustre and a contrasting schorl association, all conspire to make this a special pocket considered by those who saw them recently at the Denver show to be among the best aqua finds here in about a decade of quite sporadic aquamarine mining.
ERONGO09-301 - Aquamarine - $ 275 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 3.5 x 2.6 x 2.5 cm
This is a textbook prismatic, glassy and gemmy, richly colored, blue aqua crystal with associated tiny black schorls at the base. The top third of the aqua is totally transparent. Tiny peripheral chips on the termination in no way affect the beauty of the aqua, but are noted anyhow here and the piece is priced down a bit accordingly - though still very impressive in person!
ERONGO09-302 - Aquamarine on Feldspar - $ 350 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 5.4 x 4.2 x 3.4 cm
Two glassy and gemmy, rich blue aqua crystals to 2.2 cm in length, soar skyward out of a matrix of white feldspar. Other unterminated aquas and tiny black schorl crystals are embedded in the matrix Each aqua has a couple of micro dings on the terminal faces for the very picky to note, but these are absolutely of no significance in context to this Very aesthetic piece!
ERONGO09-303 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 750 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 5.9 x 3.7 x 2.4 cm
This richly-colored blue aqua crystal measuring 5.3 cm in length is particularly glassy, with with the top centimeter being transparent. Surrounding the aqua are terminated and unterminated black schorls for nice contrast of color.
ERONGO09-304 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 1250 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 4.8 x 4.8 x 3.5 cm
This aesthetic aqua miniature features a large vertical crystal and another veering off the left side at a dramatic 45 degree angle. The aquas are particularly glassy and gemmy, with a rich blue color - especially for this locality. The largest aqua measures 4.5 cm in length. A few Tiny wilbers on the edges of the aqua terminations are hardly noticeable and the piece is really as near to pristine as you can normally ask. The sliver of white feldspar matrix also hosts splendent, black schorl crystals to 1.5 cm in length....a wonderful contrast characteristic of this pocket from august of 2009
ERONGO09-305 - Aquamarine - $ 600 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 5.4 x 4.8 x 2.3 cm
A complex jackstraw cluster of glassy and gemmy, richly-colored blue aquas is emplaced on a sliver of white feldspar matrix. The largest crystal, measuring 5 cm across, is doubly-terminated and almost at right angles to the other aquas. As is common with aquas from this deposit, tiny, insignificant wilbers are on some of the terminal edges but do not detract much visually and are hard to spot. Overall this is a very geometric piece, and displays well
ERONGO09-306 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 450 SOLD Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 5.3 x 3.4 x 2.1 cm
White, feldspar matrix is host to lustrous, black schorl crystals to 2.5 cm in length; and two glassy and gemmy, rich blue aquas to 4.0 cm in length. The largest schorl is also doubly terminated. A few insignificant, tiny wilbers are on the edges of the terminal aqua faces as with many from this pocket. The contrast, the mix of forms and colors, is striking , on this very elegant miniature!
ERONGO09-307 - Aquamarine on Feldspar - $ 750 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 6.2 x 4.2 x 3.3 cm
Embedded in a matrix of massive white feldspar are several gorgeous gemmy aquas, the largest of which measures 4.1 cm in length.This crystal is glassy and gemmy ; and exhibits a rich two-tone blue color, with the termination being totally transparent. Excellent 3-dimensional display from a number of angles.
ERONGO09-308 - Aquamarine on Feldspar - $ 400 SOLD Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 4.1 x 3.1 x 2.6 cm
A thick aqua crystal, measuring 3.1 cm in height, is associated with massive white feldspar and tiny, splendent, black schorl crystals on the back side. The aqua is glassy and gemmy, a rich blue color; and is nearly pristine. The termination is transparent! A stout, intense burst of color in this fine miniature
ERONGO09-309 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 750 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 5.7 x 4.6 x 2.8 cm
Emplaced on a small matrix of white feldspar is a cluster of splendent, black schorl crystals to 1.5 cm across. Aesthetically perched on and leaping up from the schorl are glassy and gemmy, richly colored blue aquas, to 5.1 cm in length. The terminations of the aquas are transparent and they are nearly pristine, with just a few small dings. The piece is very 3-dimensional and elegant
ERONGO09-310 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 500 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia small cabinet, 6.0 x 5.1 x 4.2 cm
A combination of smoky quartz and white feldspar forms the matrix of this specimen. Emplaced on the matrix are smoky quartz crystals, to 1 cm in length; and splendent, black schorls to 2.0 cm across . The essentially vertical aqua crystals, to 3.0 cm in length stand up from that pedestal. The aquas are glassy and gemmy with a rich blue color and transparent terminations. Very 3-dimensional and space-filling specimen
ERONGO09-311 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 225 Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 3.9 x 2.9 x 2.8 cm
This matrix specimen is exquisite because of its geometry: four essentially vertical , slender gem aquas are perched on a horizontal aqua crystal, measuring 3.5 cm across. The crystals are glassy and gemmy and exhibit a rich blue color. The aqua terminations are totally transparent and all are nearly pristine. Elegant and beautiful!
ERONGO09-312 - Aquamarine with Schorl - $ 150 SOLD Erongo Mountain, Usakos District, Erongo Region, Namibia miniature, 5.6 x 4.4 x 2.9 cm
A triangular-shaped cluster of glassy and gemmy aquas to 2.8 cm in length, perched on a matrix of white feldspar along with splendent, black crystals of schorl, to 1.5 cm across. The terminations of the aquas are transparent and nearly pristine.
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