Aquamarine (GEM etched crystal)

Item Description

This piece was mined in the 1980s, when the Russians were fighting in Afghanistan. Rich Kosnar purchased the specimen from noted mineral dealer Rick Smith, who was one of the first western dealers to travel to the area and bring home gem pegmatite minerals. This crystal was originally said to have come from Afghanistan, but many of these crystals back in the day were mined in Pakistan and ended up with an Afghani designation. I firmly believe it was mined in Pakistan, most likely in the Shigar Valley, and we have labeled it as such. The piece is a fine GEM QUALITY prism with a vibrant blue color (the color is STRONGER in person than the video indicates) and a wonderful mix of both elegant etched faces on the termination and the back of the crystal, but the front of the piece still has the original smooth prism faces, which were not etched. The mix of the etched and un-etched faces creates a very pleasing effect, and the fact that the crystal is virtually WATER-CLEAR makes it all the more enticing. I put a value on this one in the $2,000-$2,5000 range. Specimen weight is 36 grams.