Aquamarine - Specimen

Locality: Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Description: This aquamarine comes from the Shigar Valley in Baltistan, in the high Karakoram of northern Pakistan. The valley lies about 32 km northeast of Skardu, and its gem-bearing pegmatite dikes are exposed at high altitude along the Shigar and Braldu rivers, much of it reachable only by jeep track. Gemmologists at GIA describe northern Pakistan as an increasingly important source of aquamarine, with the Shigar, Hunza and Braldu valleys among the main areas.

Geologists from the University of Peshawar mapped these pegmatites as part of the Karakoram Axial Batholith, intruded into the metamorphic rocks of the Karakoram Metamorphic Complex where the Karakoram plate meets the Kohistan-Ladakh island arc. The gems grow in pockets in the coarse-grained zones of the dikes. Black schorl tourmaline turns up almost everywhere in the valley, alongside topaz, green fluorite, garnet, morganite and quartz.

This aquamarine piece shows a pale blue, slightly milky tone with a chunky, block-like form. The crystal faces are partially preserved, with flat surfaces and stepped growth features visible along the edges, while other areas appear broken or naturally terminated. It has a soft translucency rather than full clarity, giving it a frosted, almost icy look that’s typical of aquamarine from this region when it forms in thicker sections.

Aquamarine is a variety of beryl that forms in pegmatites—large-crystal igneous environments where slow cooling allows minerals to grow over long periods. In northern Pakistan, these pegmatites are well known for producing beryl alongside quartz, feldspar, and mica. The blue color comes from trace iron in the crystal structure, and the cloudy zones seen here reflect internal fractures and variations during growth and cooling.

Aquamarine is commonly associated with clarity of thought, calm energy, and steady communication. Its subdued blue tone and solid structure tend to appeal to people who prefer something simple, stable, and grounded.

Chemical Composition: Be3Al2Si6O18

Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.