Aquamarine - Pakistan & Afghanistan

I happened upon a specimen of Aquamarine on Muscovite from Pakistan - all appeared in order until I hit it with the UV light (well - not literally). The Aquas had been "glued" in.

Whether they had simply been replaced after popping out in the mining process - certainly well done - or "created" - in which case extremely well done, I can;t tell.

It would be interesting to hear if there are many of these about - so if you have an aqua on matrix - go and check.

At least this can be a warning - examine under UV light before purchasing.

Where have you bought this specimen ? Shop ? Gem show ? from a local seller or an Af/Pak one ?


considering the more than wide availability of Aquamarine in Pakistan, it would sound like kind of non-sense that someone took the pain to "create" this piece. Most probably the crystal was simply glued back after it fell of its matrix.

When I buy repaired material supplier always tell me that it is so and since I started I came accross only 2 repaired pieces.

Only once, in my very beginnings, I was offered a created one and it was obvious at the first look. Was a superb gem water clear Goshenite glued on an Albite matrix with a beautifull schorl. Was super cheap so I bought, pulled out the goshenite and ended up with two beautifull items ! So I have no complains about that created piece !

I'm gonna go with repaired also. Do you have a picture you could post?

Dudley Blauwet has told me about a mineral dealer in the Skardu area who is referred to as "Doctor Glue" because of his high quality and prodigious output of manufactured specimens. About five years back there was a room full of very aesthetic (and created) matrix aquamarines at the Inn Suites in Tucson. They all looked oh so perfect. Usually a good indication that something is not what it seems.

It is a well known fact in Bangkok that crystal mineral specimens are being created. It is rampant in the Far-East and it is quite possible that your specimen has been constructed. I left Bangers several weeks ago and have examined some of the handy-work personally. The 'safe' areas in the region your specimen is allegedly from have recently experienced problems in filling the demand for specimens they are renowned for. All they can seem to produce at the moment is Schorl. We must remember that we have been spoilt by this region and nothing is infinite.

Paul

Thanks for this interesting tip Jesse, I'll be carefull when roaming the area !
Paul, there's still plenty of lovely material other than Schorl coming out from there. Some new find of Aqua occured in Shengus some very recently and definitely more is to come. The mineralogical map of Northern Pakistan is packed with white areas and there are for sure hundreds of new finds to come !

Just look at these mountains, enough for generations of collectors !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2008 09:49PM by Aymeric Longi.

Each year, each trip, each country I travel.....I find glued or repaired or constructions...just to be very carefull but boring and dangerous sometimes with expensive pieces...
last trip in Namibia a good friend of mine showed me a plastic fluo on top of Aqua from Erongo, just a fake blue plastic fluo but excellent job...we just burnt the fluo to proove to the guy it was fake...

I have taken to examining every specimen I purchase with a UV light these days, in order to spot glued fakes. Have found a few in large lots from Afghanistan and Pakistan, but not enough to make me quit doing business with those dealers, especially because I have selected those dealers due to their very reasonable prices.

Steve

Pakistani markets have quite a few repaired pieces... sometimes the dealers are kind enough to tell you, other times you just have to find it for yourself.

And as many individuals are selling on consignment (you will often see the same lot or specimen in the hands of various dealers), the dealers themselves do not always know whether or not a piece is repaired, as they may not own the specimens.

A rather humorous example, in Skardu I met a man selling a large purple cluster of alum, or lab grown salt. I had a suspicion, so I licked it....Needles to say, it was a fake, and I was left with a bitter tangy taste in my mouth.

I suspect that piece was from China. Actually, Chinese minerals do sometimes wind up in Pakistani markets accompanied by the inevitable "Giglit, Pakistan" label...

I have seen Chinese cinnabars, realgars, and fluorites all attributed to Pakistan. I met one unfortunate Pakistani, who thinking that some cinnabars were a new Pakistani find, paid much more than they were worth....

Bottom line: even Pakistanis get taken by the Chinese....haha