ART-03
Aquamarine
Shigar Valley, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
Cabinet, 10.1 x 3.7 x 2.9 cm
SOLD
3-dimensional cluster that gives new meaning to the words "aqua spray!" This pristine cluster is one of the best of this style I have seen recently, evoking a memory of a famous pocket that came out around 1988, where all the sprays were so dramatic (albeit with smaller crystal size). Now, such forms come as a trickle, a few per year perhaps. This one is particularly nice because of the size of the crystals, the deep color, the transparency throughout the upper 75%, the pristine condition , and the wonderful 360-degree symmetry and displayability. Mined in early 2007, this is a superb aquamarine cluster in its own right, painting aside. It is pristine and complete all around with no damage nor repairs. It has a wonderful bright lustre to it, and is more gemmy in person due to the difficulty of photographing gem crystals with depth in clusters, like this one (light refracts off slight veils in person to make the bodies of crystals in the camera's eye more cloudy than they actually appear to the human eye in person). Gamini said he was so taken aback by the sharpness, the geometric citylike growth, of this aquamarine cluster that he wanted to accentuate this feature in his painting by sharpening the edges and diminishing the gemminess so it looks like a carved ice sculpture. Price includes specimen, painting, and custom lucite base for display.