How to Purchase Turquoise

As I was thinking about what to write in my blog, my mind started to wander all over the place. Then I realized that Thanksgiving Day is quickly approaching and I thought about the history of this wonderful holiday — the coming together of early American settlers and Native American Indians to celebrate the harvest. And then the light bulb went off! Why not write about the semi-precious gemstone of Turquoise which is so closely associated with Native American jewelry.
Turquoise has always been popular; however, it is enjoying a huge revival in designer jewelry and current fashion. Turquoise is available in a variety of shades of blue and green with varying degrees of matrix. Natural turquoise, an aggregate of copper aluminum phosphate hydrate, formed under heat and pressure, is often soft and porous when mined. Natural turquoise is very rare and makes up less than 3% of the worldwide market. Most of the market today consists of “stabilized” turquoise. This “soft” turquoise is infused with a clear epoxy resin and once absorbed in the rock, it permanently hardens the stone and deepens its color. Stabilized turquoise is very widely accepted by gemologists and the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) as quality, genuine turquoise, as opposed to reconstituted or imitation turquoise.
The various colors found in turquoise result from the presence of either copper or iron. Vivid blue (such as the most prized Sleeping Beauty turquoise or Persian turquoise) is from copper and the softer green tones come from iron. Turquoise stones can also have patterns of brown, yellow ochre and black matrix which are produced from copper compounds. “True turquoise” has an opaque, waxy luster that may or may not include matrix, depending upon the type of turquoise.
When purchasing turquoise, the buyer should be aware of numerous semi-precious gemstones or products being passed off as “true turquoise.” These are some examples: Chalk turquoise, African turquoise, Yellow turquoise, White turquoise (Magnesite), Howlite, and Mountain Jade.
It is important to establish good relationships with your turquoise vendors. If you do not know the seller, it is always a good idea to ASK about possible enhancements and if the seller is selling “true turquoise”, reconstituted or imitation. Unfortunately, there are some unethical bead vendors out there who try to fool or mislead trusting customers.
Hopefully, this blog will enhance your knowledge of turquoise, increase your appreciation of this beautiful gemstone, and act as a guide in purchasing turquoise.