Aquamarine on Matrix

Gon Mine, Nyet-Bruk, Braldu Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

11.5 x 7 x 6.5 cm (4½ x 2¾ x 2½ inches). 453 grams (1 pound).

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/natural-history-2/aquamarine-on-matrix

This exceptional aquamarine specimen originates from the Gon Mine, nestled in the Braldu Valley of the Skardu District, in Baltistan, northern Pakistan—a region renowned for its high‑altitude, gem‑bearing miarolitic pegmatites associated with the Main Karakoram Batholith. These pegmatites, which intrude local metamorphic and meta‑igneous rocks, have cooling ages of less than 10 million years, making them geologically very young compared to the surrounding Himalayan suite of mountains.

The specimen features a dominant glassy aquamarine crystal—a variety of beryl—with resolute hexagonal, prismatic form, flat termination, and exceptional clarity. It is richly saturated in tone and exhibits a classic sky-blue aquamarine hue. The primary crystal stands at a prominent and upright orientation, and is anchored by a small feldspar matrix. The specimen also features a “sidecar” aquamarine that is angled just-so off the primary crystal. Small crystals of black schorl (a variety of tourmaline) are dispersed across the snow-white matrix, adding yet another element of geologic and visual complexity to the piece.

Its formation occurred within an open cavity—a miarolitic pocket—where low‑pressure, silica‑ and beryllium‑rich fluids crystallized beryl, tourmaline, and associated phases in equilibrium. The result is a precise, undamaged, and balanced aquamarine cluster, with incredible limpid clarity, thanks to the near perfect growth conditions available during its formation.

Combining rich color, vitreous clarity, notable size, and striking visual harmony, this piece reflects the allure that has made Pakistan’s aquamarines a favorite among collectors worldwide.