I recently visited Smithsonian National Museums and took photos of interesting jewelry I found in the collection. Expect a series of posts! — but I will start with this fancy obelisk that caught my eye when I entered the room.
Don Pedro Aquamarine is a 10,363 carat sea-blue beryl crystal that was discovered in the late 1980s. It is the largest known aquamarine gem. Gem Artist Bernd Munsteiner fashioned this gem between 1992 and 1993. Originally, the crystal was about 2 feet high and weighed almost 60lbs. Munsteiner faceted a pattern of negative cuts unto two reverse obelisks, creating reflections that made it appear as if it were glowing from within. The vertical lines you see near the base were hollows that originally formed in the original crystal.
Currently, this gem is being housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Mineral and Gems Department. The gem was gifted to the institution by Jane Mitchell and Jeffrey Bland in 2011
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