Aquamarine, Cleavelandite, Quartz

Item Description

Exceptional combination piece from the California Blue Mine that looks like gem aquamarines snuggled in a white blanket of cleavelandite, from a rare matrix discovery at this small locality ! On the presentation side, nestled among rounded clusters of 1.7 cm Cleavelandite blades, are two fine Aquamarines averaging about 1.5 cm in length. The more upright Aqua is two-tone blue, with a very gemmy, partially etched termination. The more prone Aqua is a deeper blue. There are other Aquas around the piece, but this is the side to view. Mining the pegmatite there is difficult, and this is one of the finer, more aesthetic combinations we have seen from there, as matrix specimens of any quality are so rare. And when you consider it has multiple Aquas, with matrix, it is hard to beat. This retains the original label of Rick Kennedy, a mine co-owner, and was recently deaccessed from the extensive collection of Bob Reynolds, who cherished both minerals and fossils as he collected. Bob is a prolific author and has had several curating positions in museums. It is a gorgeous, unusual California specimen! They simply are not on the market