Raw Aquamarine Specimens — Shigar Valley Skardu Pakistan

Raw aquamarine crystal specimens from the Shigar Valley in Skardu, Pakistan, one of the most respected aquamarine localities working today. Thirteen individual pieces are offered, from an 8 gram fragment up to a 175 gram collector specimen, several showing genuine crystal terminations and a few carrying visible mica. Aquamarine is the Stone of Courage, tied to the throat chakra and to speaking honestly.

What makes Shigar material specifically sought after? Location. The Shigar Valley sits within the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan, alongside the Hunza and Braldu valleys, an area that has become one of the most important aquamarine sources of recent decades. The high-altitude pegmatites here are genuinely difficult to mine, and the crystals that come out often show the sharp hexagonal prisms and flat terminations collectors specifically look for.

A closer look at these specimens

Aquamarine is a variety of beryl, and its cool blue comes from trace iron built into the crystal structure, chemically distinct from the rarer irradiation-coloured Maxixe beryl sometimes confused with it. These crystals grew in cavities within granite pegmatites during the late stages of a cooling magma body, where slow crystallization allowed well-formed prisms to develop. Several pieces here are noted as partially or fully terminated, meaning the natural pointed crystal face survived intact, and some carry flecks of mica from the surrounding pegmatite, a common and genuine accompanying mineral.

• Stone: Natural raw aquamarine, Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan
• Sizes: 13 individual pieces, 8g/20mm up to 175g/58mm
• Features: Several with partial or full natural terminations; some with mica
• Chakras: Throat

Living with your specimen

Terminated pieces are worth displaying so the natural point is visible, since that's the feature collectors are paying for. A stand or a small dish keeps a specimen secure on a shelf. Beryl is reasonably hard, but a natural termination can chip if knocked, so give it a stable, protected spot rather than a busy surface. Dust with a soft dry brush and keep it out of long stretches of harsh sun.

Please note: crystals are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Keep small pieces away from young children.