TUC8-127
Aquamarine With Schorl And Albite
Braldu Valley, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
Cabinet, 10.5 x 5.9 x 5.3 cm
SOLD
Seldom do you see aquas from anywhere but Shigar in Pakistan with such luster to them, and color at the same time. This is an intensely blue crystal that looks richly included by albite in the photo, but ACTUALLY you are looking right through a ft 2-inches of almsot totally transparent, gem-grade, mostly clean crystal to see the little albite rosettes on the BACK of the specimen, here. Thats how clean it is. The camera is trying to focus THROUGH the crystal to the albite association coating on the back side (they are little discrete clusters of bladed albite crystals, stark white in person). The crystal cluster is complete all around 360 degrees, without damage, which I find remarkable. Also, its a floater...meaning it broke off in the pocket at some point from the "mother rock" and solution healed over the break on the bottom, as well - so its doubly-terminated although the bottom termination is flat and dull compared to the top. Lastly, its a very interesting piece visually because of the curving "phantom" zones within both crystals caused by albite and schorl inclusions during growth of the top zone. The terminations are lustrous and window-clear, so its very interesting to look down through them at the curving zone of slight inclusions beneath, which I think could have been a detraction in most cases but in this case really does add to the overall pizzazz of the specimen. It is difficult to convey in photos...MUCH better in person. Comes with custom-made lucite base. Weight is 385 grams