Gem, floater, Aquamarine Crystal (heat-treated)

Item Description

A gorgeous rich blue gem doubly terminated aquamarine from this famous pegmatite locality. An original limpid yellow-green heliodor crystal has been carefully heated (a classic gem world treatment) to bring out this vibrant blue color. The floater crystal has the classic etched faces the locality is renowned for, with every turn having a totally different perspective. Difficult to photograph because of the extreme gemminess and glassiness. 21 grams mass or 105 carats. An outstanding example of the beryl varietal from the locale and has more value as cutting rough now that it is converted to the finest and most pure blue aquamarine by treatment (accepted in the gem field, if not in ours), than as a specimen. Aquamarine of this fine quality can sell for as much as $50/pc once cut. Because of this, many crystals of heliodor historically were turned and cut, for the gem trade. This would, for a collector, make a really neat match to tell this story, paired with a fine natural yellow beryl (heliodor) from the same mine.