Aquamarine (Beryl) with Muscovite on Feldspar - Specimen

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

The Shigar Valley, north of Skardu, is the gateway for most expeditions to K2, the world's second-highest peak, and one of the most important gem valleys of Baltistan. Its gemstones grow in pockets and cavities in zoned pegmatite dikes that cut the metamorphic rocks of the Karakoram, alongside topaz, green fluorite, black tourmaline, garnet, morganite and goshenite.

Aquamarine is the blue to blue-green variety of beryl, the mineral that also includes emerald and morganite. Beryl is a beryllium aluminium silicate, Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈, with a hardness of 7.5 to 8, and it most often forms in granites and granite pegmatites alongside quartz, feldspar and mica.

Geochemical studies suggest the Shigar pegmatites formed from the melting of metamorphosed sediments, with their emplacement linked to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. Aquamarine mining in the valley has a long record: a 1918 Geological Survey of India report described the aquamarine mines of Dassu on the Braldu River.

This one of a kind Aquamarine specimen from Pakistan features large pale blue Aquamarine crystals set on a white to light grey Feldspar matrix with silvery Muscovite. The Aquamarine shows a clean icy blue colour, strong vertical striations, broad prismatic form, and translucent internal structure. The specimen has a crisp, natural look, with the blue Beryl standing out clearly against the lighter matrix while the Muscovite adds small metallic-silvery rosettes and blades around the base and edges.

Aquamarine is the blue variety of Beryl, a mineral family that also includes Emerald and Morganite. Pakistan is one of the better known sources for fine Aquamarine specimens, especially from pegmatite deposits in the Skardu and Gilgit-Baltistan regions. These deposits often produce Aquamarine with Feldspar, Quartz, Albite, and Muscovite, and collectors value them for their clean colour, sharp crystal form, and strong natural associations.

Aquamarine is often linked with calm, clear communication, emotional balance, and steady thinking. Many people associate it with the throat chakra and use it as a stone for honesty, clarity, and peace of mind. Muscovite is often connected with insight and reflection, while Feldspar is commonly associated with support, grounding, and everyday stability.

Chemical Composition: Be3Al2Si6O18

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