Beryl var: Aquamarine with Muscovite

Item Description

It's somewhat funny to think that there was a time not too terribly long ago when it was difficult to find good matrix display specimens of Aquamarine. Most of the crystals on the market a few decades ago were from Russia, Brazil, etc., and they were loose singles, with no matrix. Then in the 1990s we started seeing beautiful matrix Aquas from places like Pakistan, and shortly thereafter the Pingwu Mine in China started producing some of the most iconic Aquamarine crystals from any world locality. With the exception of Morganite, most Beryl varieties are found in elongated prismatic crystals, but the Pingwu Aquamarines are UNUSUALLY tabular, and instantly recognizable for that trait. This particular piece features a group of superb quality, very sharp, lustrous, gemmy, soft blue color, unusually thick tabular hexagonal crystals of Aquamarine measuring 3.3 cm across, associated with compressed, bladed, silvery Muscovite on the base. It's rare to find tabular Aquamarine crystals from any locality, let alone such fine examples like this! The quality is excellent all around, with only a tiny bit of roughness that I can see. A great display quality association specimen from this unique locality. Valued $3,000.
From the collection of Bill ("Burma Bill") Larson of Fallbrook, California. Bill is a well-known gem and mineral dealer (Pala International) as well as a miner and collector. Bill traveled the world for decades in search of fine gems and minerals, and was directly involved in the in-person acquisition and importation of superb specimens from many important gem-producing localities. You can read his biography at https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/larsonwilliam-f/