Large blue aquamarine - crystal - double terminated with muscovite roses from the Himalayas

A large blue aquamarine double-terminated crystal from the Himalayas, freely grown with terminated tips at both ends. Fine muscovite roses are embedded in the base of the crystal, their silvery luster contrasting with the cool blueness of the beryl.

Double-terminated crystals only form where the crystal could grow freely in all directions within a cavity, without attaching to a matrix. Fully crystallized tips at both ends are rare in aquamarine because beryl columns usually adhere to the pegmatite wall at one end.

Aquamarine belongs to the beryl family and shares the hexagonal crystal structure with emerald. The light blue coloration comes from traces of divalent iron. The clearly visible striations on the prism faces are characteristic and proof of authenticity.

Himalayan pegmatites are considered a reference deposit for gemstone-quality beryl for collectors. Recovery at high altitudes in Pakistan and Nepal takes place under difficult conditions, which explains the value of freely grown double-terminated crystals.

A piece with clear pegmatitic genesis, suitable both for a mineral collector's display case and as a serene and austere centerpiece in a living space.