Specifications
Description
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 specimen features pale blue aquamarine crystals emerging from a dense matrix of off-white feldspar, most likely microcline. The aquamarine crystals show classic hexagonal prismatic growth, with slightly frosted faces and a soft translucency that gives them a muted, icy-blue tone. They are partially embedded and scattered across the surface, creating a natural contrast between the smoother beryl faces and the more granular, blocky feldspar matrix.
The piece formed in a granitic pegmatite, where slow cooling allowed large crystals to develop from mineral-rich fluids. Aquamarine, a variety of beryl (Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈), crystallized alongside potassium feldspar and quartz, while black, striated schorl (tourmaline) formed in the same environment from boron-rich fluids. The association of aquamarine with microcline and schorl is characteristic of Pakistani pegmatites, especially in the Shigar Valley, known for producing clean, well-formed beryl specimens.
Metaphysically, aquamarine is often associated with calmness, clarity, and communication. It is said to promote a steady, composed mindset, while the grounding presence of feldspar and schorl is believed to add stability and protection, balancing the lighter energy of the beryl.
Chemical Composition: Be3Al2Si6O18
Quantity: 1pc
With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph.