Gemmy Aquamarine Crystal on Cleavelandite | Skardu, Pakistan (Thumbnail 2.4 cm) | Terminated Beryl Specimen

Quick Details:

• Mineral: Aquamarine (Beryl) on Cleavelandite (Albite)

• Locality: Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

• Type: Combination specimen (crystal on matrix) 

• Size: 2.4 × 1.3 × 1.6 cm (≈ 0.94 × 0.51 × 0.63 in) 

Description: A classic collector combo from Skardu, Pakistan: a gemmy, nicely terminated aquamarine (beryl) crystal perched on bright white cleavelandite. The aquamarine shows a clean prismatic form with a crisp termination and a soft icy-blue tone that contrasts beautifully with the snowy feldspar “wings.” A small quartz companion adds extra sparkle and balance to the piece. Geologist’s Note: Aquamarine is the blue variety of beryl, forming in late-stage granitic pegmatites. Cleavelandite (platy albite feldspar) commonly grows alongside beryl in pegmatite pockets, and its bright white color provides the perfect natural backdrop to highlight aquamarine’s blue tone. This specimen preserves that textbook pegmatite association: beryl + feldspar + quartz.