About TurquoiseB

Turquoise has fascinated humankind throughout history. The earliest turquoise mining operations were located in the Sinai Peninsula and worked by the ancient Egyptians in about 5500 BC. The oldest jewelry known in the world was excavated at Abydos, in upper Egypt, and contained bracelets of gold and turquoise.

For centuries, the turquoise mines of Persia have produced some of the world's finest turquoise. The earliest mention of turquoise in Persia is in a story about the mine of Isaac, the father of Israel, who lived about 2100 BC.

The use of turquoise in Tibet is thought to have begun very early as their word for it is totally original and not borrowed from any other language. Turquoise was used very early on in China and is still used today.

In the Southwest, turquoise mines were worked by Native Americans before the time of Christ. Many of the mines that are still producing today were worked in prehistoric times.

TURQUOISE FORMS

Turquoise is found in a number of different forms including: Turquoise deposited in cracks in rocks to form vein turquoise, Turquoise formed in a cavity lined with quartz crystals, Turquoise formed as nuggets, and Turquoise formed in cracks in rock to form flattened or disc-shaped nuggets. Turquoise generally forms in arid climates such as the American Southwest. It is usually marketed by the name of its mine.

SPIDER WEB TURQUOISE: Spider web is made up of small nuggets cemented together with natural rock or matrix. When cut through, the aggregate mass of nuggets resembles spider web. Most mines produce some spider web turquoise.

SEA FOAM TURQUOISE: Sea Foam is a descriptive term recently applied to a kind of knobby, foam-looking nugget that can be polished without cutting, except for flattening the back to mount in jewelry. Many mines have produced this type of nugget, but it has not been popular until the new term "Sea Foam" appealed to the buyer.

KINDS OF TURQUOISE FOUND ON THE MARKET

NATURAL TURQUOISE: Turquoise found naturally in the earth. Natural turquoise can deepen in color over time by gradually absorbing oils from the skin.

STABILIZED TURQUOISE: best recognized by its transparent plastic appearance. It is too blue and too highly polished. Stabilized turquoise can be easily scratched with a hard knife blade. High quality turquoise cannot be scratched with a knife. Stabilized turquoise is soft, low quality turquoise which has been soaked and cured in clear epoxy resin. This creates a deeper blue and much tougher stone. It does not change the hardness. High quality turquoise cannot be treated or stabilized as the plastic will not penetrate compact dense material. Can be beautiful and a good buy as it is not as expensive as natural turquoise.

TREATED TURQUOISE: Soft turquoise that has been stabilized with clear epoxy resin and also dyed. Colors look more artificial. Should be priced much less than natural or stabilized turquoise.

RECONSTITUTED TURQUOISE: This is low grade turquoise that has been ground to powder, saturated with epoxy resin, dyed, compressed into blocks or cakes and then cut. Should be very inexpensive.

IMITATION TURQUOISE: The plastic and glass turquoise stones are easily recognizable. Mineral-based compositions, usually pressed or molded together with a plastic type binder, are soft enough to be easily scratched with a knife blade. Synthetic turquoise, known as Luroc, is reportedly the same chemical composition as natural turquoise with about the same hardness. It is usually very smooth and highly polished looking.

TURQUOISE MINES OF THE SOUTHWEST


AJAX MINE: Small mine located in south central Nevada in the Royston area. Relatively new. Yields stones from light blue with darker blue veins to a predominate dark green with light blue areas.

BISBEE MINE: Near Bisbee, Arizona. Bisbee turquoise was one of the first put onto the market. The turquoise mine is part of the Bisbee copper mine, the main operation of the site. Yields a high blue stone with lots of black matrix. Most of this turquoise has already been mined and it is one of the most highly collectible stones.

BLUE DIAMOND MINE: Located south of Austin, Nevada. Produces very hard light to deep blue turquoise with a swirl pattern of light and dark blues. Brown to black matrix. The mine is located at a very high altitude and cannot be mined in the winter months due to extreme cold and snow.

BLUE GEM MINE: Near Battle Mountain, Nevada. Produced a great variety of turquoise from intense blues to deep green combinations with a hard, irregularly distributed matrix. The Battle Mountain Blue Gem mine began production in 1934 and is now closed. Greatly desired by collectors.

BLUE RIDGE MINE: Located in northern Nevada on the Blue Ridge in Crescent Valley. Discovered and developed by Orvil Jack. Mr. Jack is now deceased but his daughter continues to manage the mine. The color is a rare yellow-green color caused by the zinc content. Very collectible as there is only a very small amount being produced. The turquoise is called Orvil Jack turquoise.

CANDELARIA MINE: This is a small Nevada mine which produces very little and is only occasionally worked. This hard stone turquoise has a high blue color with intermittent brown or black non-webbed matrix. Collectible due to its rarity.

CARICO LAKE MINE: Named after its location on a dried up lake bed in Lander County, Nevada. Its green color is due to its zinc content. Highly unique and collectible. Carico Lake turquoise is also found in a dark blue-green color with black, spider web matrix. Occasionally, the mining company leases the turquoise producing part of the mine to individual miners who are permitted to work that part.

CARLIN MINE: Located in the very rough mountainous country north of Carlin, Nevada. Produced very hard stones of a distinctive blue-green color in a very hard black chert matrix. Some of the turquoise mined was of such an intense blue color, bit was hard to believe it was real. Not operated for many years.  Here is a part of an email I received

"The information I wanted to provide was concerning the color. The material I had/have was not green. I had one small piece that had a very slightly greenish tint to it, but other than that all of the material was a most excellent dark sky Blue. In fact, it may have been the overall most beautiful blue gem material color I have ever seen! Some of it had a beautiful spiderwebbing, but not all. I still have one beautiful Cross cut out of this material that weighs somewhere around 8 grams and it is a totally sky Blue color with no spiderwebbing or inclusions of any kind. I had numerous cabochons that were absolutely Blue, with or without spiderwebbing. No green at all.

All in all, I nominate it as the most beautiful Turquoise I have come across. Maybe that's not politically correct, but it's true. The material I have had is beautiful Blue and holds the finest polish of any turquoise I have seen. Available either with spiderwebbing or absolutely plain Blue, I wish I could purchase more of the material I had purchased in 1976. The pieces I currently have are truly too beautiful to sell."  so if anyone has anything to share please let me know.

CASTLE DOME MINE: Located in Nevada. Turquoise from this mine is a by-product of a large copper-mining operation. Formerly, the miners picked up what turquoise they encountered and sold it. Now, the turquoise is recovered by a person who pays the copper company for the turquoise. Only a very small quantity is of high quality. The rest, probably 90%, is used for treating.

CERRILLOS MINE: Located ten miles south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Cerrillos mine is the oldest mine of any kind in North America. It has the only turquoise that formed at the base of a volcano. It was the site of the largest prehistoric mining activity on the continent because of the huge turquoise deposit that was partially exposed at the surface. Many pieces of Cerrillos turquoise have been unearthed in the prehistoric ruins of Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. The Pueblo peoples continued to extract turquoise from this mine until the 1870s during the silver mining boom. The Tiffany Company of New York bought up the mine area and extracted $2,000,000 worth of turquoise between 1892 and 1899. Because of its volcanic origins, a variety of colors developed from the minerals in the various volcanic host stones. Seventy-five colors have been identified. Cerrillos is a very hard stone and takes a brilliant polish.

CRIPPLE CREEK MINES: Teller County, Colorado has a number of small gold mines with turquoise found as the by-product of gold mining. Colors are greenish and light to dark blue with brown matrix.

CROW SPRINGS MINE: Also known as Anjax or Bluebird. Located near Tonopah, Nevada. Discovered about 1909 and worked at intervals ever since. Not a large producer. The stone colors range from pale to dark in both green and blue. Some have an interesting coppery looking matrix.

DAMELE MINE: Also known as Damali. Located in east central Nevada near the Carico Lake mine. Damele turquoise is distinctive because of the zinc content that turns the stone yellow-green and increases its hardness. The matrix is webbed drak brown to black. Availability is limited due to the small size of the mine. Because of its rare color, Damele is a collectible turquoise.

DARLING DARLENE MINE: Located in Nevada. Discovered in 1972 by Joe Barredo and named for his daughter. The turquoise occurs in seams and nuggets in colors from light to deep blue and a deep blue green. It is a small two-man operation and can be worked only in the summer months, so the production is very limited.

DRY CREEK MINE: Also known as the Godber and Burnham mine. Located in northeast Nevada. Produces unusual white to light blue turquoise that is very hard due to a more aluminum in its chemistry. The matrix is light golden or brown-gray to gray-black.

EASTER BLUE MINE: Located northwest of Tonopah, Nevada. Discovered in 1907. Not a large producer. The first turquoise found here was an easter blue color. The turquoise produced recently is similar to that found in the nearby Royston Mine. Some of the stones show a very attractive large mottled spider web with light blue centers in the webbing. Many stones are deep blue-green, usually with a light to dark brown matrix.

ENCHANTMENT MINE: Located near the town of Ruidosa in the Sacramento Mountains of southeastern New Mexico. Discovered by a gold miner in 1996 and named the Lost Mine of Enchantment. First new mine discovered in New Mexico since the 1500s. The stones are very high quality and range in color from deep green with tan or golden brown matrix to a deep, rich blue. The green is influenced by the iron content in the stone and the blue by the copper content.

FOX MINE: Located near Cortez, Nevada. Discovered about 1910-1912. Active since 1915 as one of the greatest turquoise producers of Nevada. It has been operated for many years by Mr. Dowell Ward. Turquoise from The White Horse Mine nearby is sometimes sold as Fox. Medium blue to deep blue stones with golden brown to black matrix. Still in production today.

HACHITA MINES: Located near Hachita, New Mexico. A group of very old mines comprising the Cameo, Azure, Galilee and Aztec Mines. Turquoise was mined here in prehistoric times. The color of the stones is predominantly green. The matrix is light to dark brown with very little black.

KINGMAN MINE: Located in northwestern Arizona. Was one the of the largest mines in North America. Produced bright blue nuggets with black matrix.

LANDER BLUE MINE: Located between Battle Mountain and Tenabo, Nevada. Has produced some of the most beautiful and unique-type turquoise seen today. The color varies from a deep blue to a light blue spider web with a very black contrasting matrix. This is one of the few mines that produced almost nothing but spider web. Mined in only limited quantities, it has become some of the most valuable turquoise. No longer producing.

LEADVILLE MINE: Located near Leadville, Colorado. The production is small and mostly low grade. Most of the turquoise mined here is honey-combed with holes and cavities containing pieces of crumbly matrix making most of it suitable only for treating.

LONE MOUNTAIN MINE: Also known as the Blue Jay Mine. Located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Ranges in color from clear blue to spider web. This turquoise is known for its ability to hold its color and not fade.

MANASSA MINE: Also known as King's Mine. Located in South central Colorado. Produced stones of blue-green to green with gold brown non-webbed matrix. Owned by the King family and still producing.

MCGINNIS MINE: Also known as Gem Mine. Located about 10 miles from Austin, Nevada. Discovered in 1930. Not a large producer and most of the turquoise only fair quality.

MONTEZUMA MINE: Located south of Mina, Nevada. Small mine with limited production. The bulk of turquoise produced is low grade, but it does produce very fine high grade. The high grade is a very royal blue color with brown to black matrix.

MORENCI MINE: Located in southeastern Arizona. Colors range from high blue to light blue with a matrix of irregular black pyrite that looks like silver when polished. Morenci turquoise was one of the first American turquoises to come on the market. Difficult to obtain now because the mine is depleted. Very collectible.

NO. 8 MINE: Located in Carlin, Nevada. First mined in 1929. No. 8 produced some of the largest nuggets of turquoise found. Color is a bright powder blue with matrix ranging from golden brown to black. Very collectible as the No.8 mine has been depleted.

PAPOOSE MINE: Located north of Austin, Nevada. Has only been in operation a short time. Has produced some distinctive deep blue gems. Very dark brown to black matrix. Some of the turquoise is slightly honey-combed, leaving holes and pits in the stones which necessitates the use of a plastic filler. Production is limited as this mine cannot be worked in the winter months due to harsh conditions.

PILOT MOUNTAIN MINE: Located in northern Nevada. It is still producing and is worked by one family. The stone is deep blue-green and can show light blue to dark green colors on the same stone. The matrix is black to golden brown. This turquoise is a very hard stone which takes a good polish. The graduation of color is unusual and makes this a very collectible turquoise.

RED MOUNTAIN MINE: Located near Cortez, Nevada. Produces a very hard compact spider web with small to large veining. The matrix is red with a black outlining. The notable characteristic of this stone is the rust-colored veins appearing in the matrix.


ROYSTON MINES: Royston is a district in Nevada consisting of three turquoise mines: Bunker Hill, Oscar Wehrend and Royal Blue. This district is known for its colors ranging from deep green to light blues set off by a heavy brown matrix. Still producing some turquoise, but in limited amounts. This turquoise is a relatively soft turquoise.

SANTA RITA MINE: Located east of Silver City, New Mexico. This turquoise is the by-product of a large copper mine. Color ranges from pale blue to very deep blue. There is very little on the market.

SLEEPING BEAUTY MINE: Located near Globe, Arizona. Noted for its solid, light blue color with no matrix. Favorite of the Zuni Pueblo silversmiths for use in petit point and inlay jewelry. One of the largest in North America and still producing.

SMOKEY VALLEY MINE: Located near Tonopah, Nevada. Relatively new mine. Stone is light to medium blue.

STORMY MOUNTAIN MINE: Located near Tenabo, Nevada. Produces a hard dark blue turquoise flecked with hard black chert matrix. Colors also range into light blues and greens.

TIMBERLINE MINE: Located in Nevada. New, small mine producing vein and nugget turquoise. Light to deep blue and most of the nuggets are spider web. An unusual blue-green color seems to be characteristic of the turquoise of this mine.

TURQUOISE MOUNTAIN MINE: Turquoise mountain and Birdseye turquoise come from the same mine in northwestern Arizona near the Kingman mine. The color ranges from light to high blue with webbed and non-webbed matrix. The Birdseye turquoise shows areas of light blue circled with dark blue matrix. The mine was closed in the 1980s.

TYRONE MINE: Located southwest of Silver City, New Mexico. Currently owned by Phelps Dodge. Turquoise has not been retrieved from this mine since the 1980s when Phelps Dodge changed its method of copper ore processing to crushing and acid wash. That method destroys any turquoise in the copper ore. Its color is medium brilliant blue. Any Tyrone turquoise in new jewelry is from private stashes. Collectible for its beauty and rarity.

VALLEY BLUE MINE: Located between Austin and Battle Mountain, Nevada. Some of the stones are a beautiful medium to deep blue, but most are light blue, somewhat translucent with a dark reddish-black mottled matrix and some spider web.

VILLA GROVE MINE: Located near La Jara, Colorado. An old mine that was discovered in 1901 and produced a high percentage of excellent hard blue turquoise. The best is a deep sky-blue to pale blue with brown to black matrix, some with spider webbing. Presently not being worked.

ZUNI MINE: Located near the Blue Diamond Mine south of Austin, Nevada. This is a new mine that has produced stones of deep blue-green. Presently not being mined.


NATIVE AMERICAN TECHNIQUES

The Navajo silversmith usually starts with the turquoise stone and designs the article of jewelry around it.

The Zuni almost always construct the silverwork first and then cut the stones to fit the spaces.

The Hopi work mostly in overlay, a method employing a sheet of silver with cut out designs soldered over another sheet of silver. They place the emphasis of design on the silver rather than on the turquoise.

CARING FOR YOUR TURQUOISE

Turquoise is a porous stone that should be cleaned with a soft, damp cloth and patted dry. Do not use soap. Do not soak in water. Ultrasonic cleaners should not be used as they can damage the stone. Powdered magnesium carbonate can be sprinkled on the stone, left to sit for a short while, and then brushed off with a soft brush.

Apply deodorants, makeup, perfume and hairspray prior to putting on your turquoise jewelry as all can cause damage to the stones.

Remove turquoise rings before doing dishes or swimming as soap and/or chlorine can damage the stones.

Exposure to extreme sunlight or heat may cause cracking of the stone or color change.

Store in a cool, dry place.

CORAL

The existence of coral for adornment dates back over ten thousand years. Fragments of coral used as ornaments have been found in neolithic graves in Europe and among the personal possessions of those of the Minoan-Mycenean, Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations. There have been small sculptures found from the Iron Age.

For many years the coasts of Italy were lined with what was thought to be inexhaustible coral mines. It is my understanding that coral mining in the Mediterranean is now only open on rare occasion and in very limited amounts. Therefore, old coral jewelry from Mediterranean coral is very collectible and priced accordingly. Japan is now the major world supplier of coral used for jewelry.

For centuries science classified coral as either vegetable or mineral. In 1720, Peyssonel, a Frenchman, proved that the delicate branches were the calcareous skeletal remains of thousands of minute sea animals ranging in color from blood-red, to orange, to pink and white.

VALUE: Naturally colored coral has a much higher value than dyed coral. This is why old pawn and antique coral pieces are priced so much higher.

"RED GOLD": The Native American Indians of New Mexico and Arizona considered coral to be of the highest value and esteem. It was thought it could cure anything from blindness to snakebite, brought the wearer good luck, long life and virility.

The Zunis favor deep red coral and the Navajos prefer the red-orange beads. Navajo women considered strands of coral beads a symbol of success and social prominence.

CARING FOR YOUR CORAL: Coral is a porous substance that should be wiped with a clean, damp, soft cloth and dried. Do not soak in water. Ultrasonic cleaning devices may damage your coral. Remove coral rings before doing dishes, swimming or gardening. Apply makeup, deodorant, cosmetics, hairspray etc. before putting on coral jewelry. Do not expose coral to extreme sunlight or heat as it may be damaged.