Aquamarine (rare locality) (cut by Brett Kosnar)

Item Description

There are many localities globally to find 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, remote granite batholith, that covers about 140 square miles, which lies in Boise, Custer, and Elmore counties. It's fairly inaccessible, and material is difficult to locate due to the unforgiving nature of the terrain. 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 has a "Pear Brilliant" cut with very very slight inclusions and a beautiful blue shade. It's a slightly more saturated The stone weighs well 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.
The gem was cut by Brett Kosnar, a 4-time AGTA Spectrum Award winning gem cutter.