Sterling Turquoise
Historical And Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise is made up of a number of chemicals, the primary ones being copper and aluminum phosphates. These phosphates are said to be in the hydrated form in that they contain water molecules that are chemically bonded to these compounds. The geological history of turquoise started about fort million years ago. Ground water or rain water percolated through rocks containing aluminum and copper phosphates. The solution transported the salts cavities in the rock, where the water evaporated away and the salts were left behind as precipitates. With time, and under heat and pressure due to geological forces, the salts underwent a process called petrification and formed the turquoise that we see today. Most turquoise in the world today is found in shades of blue. The blue color that has made this stone so popular for turquoise pendants and other jewelry is due to the significant copper content of the stone. A higher aluminum content renders the stone green, which although pretty, is less valuable than blue turquoise. Secondary compounds within the matrix of the stone can also change its physical appearance. Zinc for example, causes the stone to be yellow. The dark veins are the remains of the original bedrock where the turquoise was formed.
The earliest forms of turquoise jewelry were quite crude. Raw nuggets that were found in the ground were cleaned with water and then strung together to form necklaces, bracelets, and other ornaments. Many early attempts at jewelry making using this stone were unsuccessful because most natural turquoise is too soft to be handled, and the nuggets would fall apart during handling. Those that withstood the strains of jewelry making were fragile in that they absorbed moisture and gradually deteriorated. Jewelry designs using turquoise took a turn for the better after Native Americans discovered this stone near Santa Fe, New Mexico. While their initial attempts at jewelry making were also relatively crude, they soon mastered the art of first identifying the best stones to use, and then using them either as individual gems in their jewelry, or cutting them into thin laminae and using them in their famous sterling silver inlay jewelry. Turquoise jewelry today has come a long way since the early attempts. The formulation of the process of stabilization using epoxy or silica vapor has made it easier to work with turquoise. It has also become more cost effective to use turquoise in fashion jewelry, and not just fine jewelry. The designs today are more innovative than they used to be. Combinations such turquoise and cultured pearls in a cultured pearl necklace, or red coral and turquoise in bracelets have been steadily gaining in popularity.
About the Author
In addition to being amateur gemmologist, Dale has written several articles demystifying common consumer electronic items such as inexpensive MP3 players and digital readers.
Black Onyx and Mojave Turquoise Sterling Silver 16 Bead …
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PURPLE COPPER TURQUOISE GEMSTONE 100% SOLID .925 STERLING SILVER 1 7/8″ PENDANT $3.99 |
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Sterling Silver Indicolite Blue Cocktail Ring With Made Swarovski Elements $102.14 |
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Sterling Silver Indicolite Blue Cocktail Ring With Made Swarovski Elements $102.14 |
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Sterling Silver Indicolite Blue Cocktail Ring With Made Swarovski Elements $102.14 |
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Sterling Silver Indicolite Blue Cocktail Ring With Made Swarovski Elements $102.14 |
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Sterling Silver Indicolite Blue Cocktail Ring With Made Swarovski Elements $102.14 |
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Sterling Silver Indicolite Blue Cocktail Ring With Made Swarovski Elements $102.14 |
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TURQUOISE GEMSTONE 925 STERLING SILVER BRACELET 22g $62.85 |
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Blue c Turquoise Sterling Silver Plated Ring SZ 9.5 g22 $0.99 |
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PURPLE COPPER TURQUOISE GEMSTONE 100% SOLID .925 STERLING SILVER PENDANT 1 1/2″ $3.99 |
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Sterling Silver Tripple Band Ring with Turquise N 54 $47.13 |
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NEW! Silpada Turquoise Bronzite Pyrite Bracelet ~ .925 Sterling Silver ~ B1934 $169.09 |
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925 Sterling Silver Synthetic Blue Turquoise Stylish Ring Size 7 US $49.99 |
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925 Sterling Silver Gemstone SilverSari Earrings ~ NATURAL TURQUOISE $27.16 |
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US 13 (Z1) ~ SilverSari ‘Secret Garden’ Ring ~ 925 Sterling Silver ~ TURQUOISE $51.46 |
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Blue C Turquoise Sterling Silver Plated Ring SZ8.5 21 $0.99 |
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925 Sterling Silver Synthetic Blue Turquoise Massive Stylish Ring Size 5.25 US $70.99 |
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.925 STERLING SILVER: WOMEN’S RING W/TURQUOISE & CORAL CHIPS PATTERN, Size 8.25 $24.99 |
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925 Sterling Silver Synthetic Blue Turquoise Pendant & Stud Earrings Jewelry Set $89.99 |
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Blue C Turquoise Sterling Silver Plated Ring SZ 9.7 g20 $0.99 |
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BEAUTIFUL TURQUOISE, BLUE TOPAZ 925 STERLING SILVER PENDANT 2” $26.99 |
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UNIQUE HANDMADE TURQUOISE BRACELET 24K GOLD VERMEIL OVER STERLING SILVER BY OMER $320.00 |
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PINK COPPER TURQUOISE GEMSTONE 100% SOLID .925 STERLING SILVER 1 3/8″ PENDANT $3.99 |
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New, unworn Turquoise Sterling Silver Watch, 24.96ct. & 44.00g., 7″ to 8″ long $88.00 |
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ENGLISH STERLING SILVER POLISHED BLUE TURQUOISE NECKLACE 925 $35.96 |
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RED COPPER TURQUOISE GEMS 100% SOLID .925 STERLING SILVER SZ 7 RING STAMPED 925 $3.99 |
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925 Sterling Silver Synthetic Blue Turquoise Stylish Fashioned Pendant $56.99 |
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RED COPPER TURQUOISE GEMSTONE 100% SOLID .925 STERLING SILVER PENDANT 1 1/2″ $3.99 |
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.925 STERLING SILVER: WOMEN’S RING W/TURQUOISE CHIPS CLAWS PATTERN, Sz 7,Adjust. $19.99 |
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SIMPY AMAZING TURQUOISE INLAY .925 STERLING SILVER PENDANT $75.00 |
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Purple c Turquoise Sterling Silver Plated Ring SZ6.5 18 $0.99 |
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ENGLISH STERLING SILVER POLISHED PURPLE TURQUOISE PENDANT NECKLACE 925 $17.49 |
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CUTE TURQUOISE MULTI COLOR INLAY .925 STERLING SILVER SUN GOD PENDANT $89.00 |
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SW Sterling Belt Buckle w/Indian Head & Turquoise 201 g $374.99 |
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Sterling Silver Bracelet w/ Turquoise & Coral $299.99 |
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Smok n’ Alchohol Q-Bic Flask – Hand-made, polished pewter, 4oz Q-bic flask with engraved Tattoo Skull design. Made from Fine English Pewter. $64.45 Smok n’ Alchohol Q-Bic Flask – Hand-made, polished pewter, 4oz Q-bic flask with engraved Tattoo Skull design. Made from Fine English Pewter…. |
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Sterling Industries 111-1113 Metal Buffet Lamp with Turquoise Pleated Satin Shade $142.20 Light Bulb:(1)100w A19 Med F Incand Metal Buffet Lamp With Pleated Shade – Turquoise Table Lamp. On/Off socket switch… |
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Sterling Industries 111-1114 Metal Buffet Lamp with Purple Pleated Satin Shade $142.20 Light Bulb:(1)100w A19 Med F Incand Metal Buffet Lamp With Pleated Shade – Purple Table Lamp. On/Off socket switch… |
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Metal Buffet Lamp With Pleated Turquoise Shade 111-1113 Metal Buffet Lamp With Pleated Turquoise Shade Sterling Industries 111-1113 Height 33″ Width 12″ Length 12″ 1-Light Accommodates 100W Medium base bulb (not included) Constructed from steel / ceramic materials Shade measures 11.5″ x 11.5″ x 9″… |
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Navajo Handcrafted Sterling Silver Turquoise Barrette. Choice of Bear Paw or Traditional Dsign These Special, handcrafted Hair Barrettes are made by Virginia Johnson of Navajo, NM. Hair Clip is stunning. Made out of .925 sterling silver and genuine free form blue turquoise stones. Bear paw clip has bear paw design with 5mm turquoise, and the other one has traditional indian tooling with 3 free from blue turqoise. stones. The hair backing clip is stainless steel for durability…. |
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Green Turquoise Jasper Long Cushion Stretch Bracelet $19.95 Green Turquoise Jasper Long Cushion Stretch Bracelet… |
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Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Jasper Section Stretch Bracelet $12.95 Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Jasper Section Stretch Bracelet… |
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.925 Sterling Silver Stamped European Turquoise Hawaii Ocean with Flowers Murano Glass Bead Charm $6.45 You don’t need to travel all the way to Hawaii as along as you have this bright blue bead, adorned with beautiful Hawaiian flowers. This bead has a .925 sterling silver core, and is suitable for 3mm Cable European Charm Bracelets. It is interchangeable with other European bead charms, and is compatible with Pandora, Troll, Chamilia, Biagi & other styles of European bracelets. Quality beads sell at… |
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Native American Sterling Silver Turquoise Navajo Belt Buckle-Leonard Maloney Handmade sterling silver and turquoise belt buckle by noted artist Leonard Maloney. Lifetime warranty…. |
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Turquoise Sterling Silver Finish Belt Buckle $39.99 Beautiful ladies western belt buckles… |