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True Blue: Knowing the True Value of Turquoise

These five stones can all pass for turquois, yet only one is natural turquois. Can you spot it? They are (from left) plastic, howlite, block turquois, stabilized turquois and natural turquois.
These five stones can all pass for turquoise, yet only one is natural turquoise. Can you spot it? They are (from left) plastic, howlite, block turquoise, stabilized turquoise and natural turquoise.

What’s in a name? When it comes to buying jewelry, this can be a very important question. And when it comes to gemstones, finding out exactly what is in the name can mean the difference between buying a natural stone and paying for a cheap imitation. Turquoise is a good example of the necessity of knowing what is natural and what is manufactured. This allows you to correctly judge the difference in value between two such items.

Turquoise has been an essential element of jewelry for thousands of years. In pre-Columbian Mesoamerican society, wearing the stone was a status symbol for kings, priests and nobility. Its beauty held associations with the sky, with Deity and with life itself, therefore only the most elite, most worthy were allowed to wear it. As a coveted trade item, turquoise forged alliances and relationships among the many cultures who valued it.

The climate and landscape of the desert southwest are a natural setting for the formation of turquoise. Its beauty and availability made it an easy choice for the Native American silversmiths who began to create the beautiful jewelry so desired today. As so many other cultures around the world had, Native American artisans valued the stone and added it to their work. Today silver and turquoise jewelry has become synonymous with the Southwest.

Natural turquoise ranges in color from pale white to rich dark shades of blue to green. The more blue the stone, the higher the amount of copper found in it. Greener turquoise contains a higher amount of iron.
Natural turquoise ranges in color from pale white to rich dark shades of blue to green. The more blue the stone, the higher the amount of copper found in it. Greener turquoise contains a higher amount of iron.

An important key to understanding how to judge the value of an item of turquoise is to know the meanings behind different labels given to the stones. There are a number of ways turquoise is labeled, but the basic four are:

• Natural;
• Enhanced (stabilized);
• Reconstituted (block);
• Imitation.

Turquoise in its natural state is soft, registering a hardness of 3 to 6 on the Mohs scale. The stone’s color comes in pale white to rich dark shades of blue to green. The more blue the stone, the higher the amount of copper found in it. Greener turquoise contains a higher amount of iron. Since turquoise is found in conjunction with other minerals, such as copper, the stone can contain a matrix which is the remnants of those other minerals. This matrix gives it dark veins or a webbed appearance. These diverse variations are part of the appeal of turquoise as a gemstone. The veins and webbing are also difficult to reproduce in a factory, which is one way natural turquoise stands out from imitations. When it comes to selling turquoise, an item listed as a natural stone is one in which the turquoise has only limited alteration or not been altered in any way.

Stones that can stand in for turquois are (from left) dyed magnesite, dyed howlite, dyed howlite and imperial jasper.
Stones that can stand in for turquoise are (from left) dyed magnesite, dyed howlite, dyed howlite and imperial jasper.
Reconstituted turquoise is usually in the form of chalk that is turned into a powder which is then mixed with plastics and resins and compressed. Then they are molded and dried. When dry, the mass is cut into slabs called blocks.
Reconstituted turquoise is usually in the form of chalk that is turned into a powder which is then mixed with plastics and resins and compressed. Then they are molded and dried. When dry, the mass is cut into slabs called blocks.
Stabilized turquois is sometimes known as “turquoise trash.” They are the least valued and therefore the least expensive type of turquoise. In spite of its lack of quality, the blocks are generally colored to resemble the natural stone and may have a simulated matrix or webbing to make it look even more like natural turquoise.
Stabilized turquoise is sometimes known as “turquoise trash.” They are the least valued and therefore the least expensive type of turquoise. In spite of its lack of quality, the blocks are generally colored to resemble the natural stone and may have a simulated matrix or webbing to make it look even more like natural turquoise.

Another indicator of value is where the stones originated. A stone from one of the named turquoise mines highly prized for their stones, such as the Kingman or Sleeping Beauty mines, are worth more than a stone with generic or unknown origin.

The important thing is you know what you’re getting and you aren’t buying something with a far different value than you expected. Ask questions when you shop. A reputable dealer will be more than willing to answer them and may even be able to tell you about the origin of the stones. If you doubt what you’re getting, take the time to get the answers you need.


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Debra Doggett is a technical and creative writer from Albuquerque, N.M. She has vast knowledge in Native American and New Mexico history with experience working in local Museums around the state. Debora is one of the lead writers at Turquoise Skies Inc. and regularly preforms interviews local Native American Artists. See Blog Articles by debra@tskies.com

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