Aquamarine (rare locality)

Item Description

There are many localities around the world for gem quality Aquamarine stones, but some of the rarest and most desirable gems (especially for U.S. collectors) are those from the Sawtooth Batholith of Idaho. This area is a big granite batholith, that covers about 140 square miles, and lies in Boise, Custer, and Elmore counties. Here we have a desirable and rarely seen example of this attractive material. It's important to note that most of the crystals found in this area are not completely transparent, so it's hard to find pieces clean enough to produce good quality gems like this. Although these crystals have some of the finest color you'll see in Aquamarine, the stones are not always flawless. It is very hard to find gems that are over 1 carat with nice color and good clarity. This particular stone is an "Emerald Brilliant" cut with very very slight inclusions and a beautiful blue shade. The stone weighs over 1 carat, which qualifies as it "collector quality". A great stone for anybody who likes Aquamarine, gems from the United States or a great candidate to pair up with a crystal from this area for a beautiful "rough and cut" set.