Turquoise Jewellery
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Navajo bracelets (silver and turquoise) by American School - Mug - Standard Size $14.50 This mug is created using the finest dye sublimation techniques and creates a stunning dishwasher safe finish. Great as a gift, or for promotional items. Each of our mugs come individually boxed for protection in transit.... |
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Navajo bracelets (silver and turquoise) by.. - 3x2 inch Fridge Magnet - large magnetic button - Magnet $4.99 Rectangular wrap-around refrigerator magnet and a glossy mylar cover.Large 2x3 inch rectangle fridge magnet or 'buttons' as they are sometimes known in the USA.Crop shown is automated for display purposes only. All magnets are hand finished and the best most appropriate crop will always be selected to best show the full image. Therefore, actual product may vary slightly from crop shown - this can ... |
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Navajo bracelets (silver and turquoise) by.. - Tea Towel 100% Cotton - Art247 - Tea Towel - 46x70cm $20.49 100% Cotton. Made in UK. Size 70cms X 46cmsThis is an automated preview only. Actual Tea Towel design may vary. All products are hand finished by our expert manufacturers and the best crop available will always be selected.... |
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The Black Cat Jewellery Store-Turquoise Chain Cufflinks These cufflinks are handmade from semi-precious turquoise beads. Silver plated. 35mm... |
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Dark khaki pattern men neck ties blue handmade discount silk tie cufflinks set A1098 $23.99 We also have brand fashionon,B.BOSS,Y&G tie, cufflinks, hanky, boss wallet, keychain, box sets listed. Please check all items from Men's Fashion. If you would like to purchase certain quantity of this item without enough stock showing, please contact us.... |
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Bohemian Beaded Flexible Choker Necklace in TURQUOISE BLUE - Ladies Jewelry ... |
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Chewbeads Hudson Necklace - Turquoise $36.50 Chewbeads Hudson Necklace 100% silicone teething jewelry. Inspired by babies, worn by moms.... |
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Chewbeads Jane Necklace - Turquoise $29.50 ... |
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Smart Mom Teething Bling Donut Shaped Necklace - Turquoise $14.30 Smart Mom Jewelry Teething Bling is adornment like no other Babies often grab for their mother s jewelry and love to play with it and chew and suck on it This isn t always the best idea for mother or baby Lots of moms stop wearing jewlery because of this but now mothers won t have to give up their jewelry Smart Mom Jewelry combines the beauty of adornment with the functionality of having a baby te... |
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Turquoise: Mines, Mineral & Wearable Art (Schiffer Book for Collectors) $22.28 Explore the fascinating story of turquoise, its history from ancient times to the present, and the influence of native artists in making this gemstone part of popular culture in America. Illustrated are over 390 dazzling color images, this book shows turquoise from New Mexico to Nevada, China to Iran, and all the important localities in between in its natural state, cut, polished, and set into sil... |
Handmade Jewellery Using The Different Types of Turquoise
Turquoise has always been a prized gemstone. The name probably comes from the French ‘turques' as it was first mined in Persia (Iran) and then brought to Europe probably via Turkey. It is one of the earliest gemstones to be mined and used by the ancient Aztecs and Egyptians as well as the Persians, all of whom were keen users of it in their jewellery and religious objects. Many cultures esteemed it as a bringer of good fortune, a talisman.
There are 3 main types of commercial turquoise for jewellery making, in addition to imitations.
The most expensive is called ‘gem grade'. This is hard enough to be cut and polished without any treatment although sometimes it can be treated with a small amount of waxing or oiling. Quality supplies are becoming harder to find and obtain and the price has been going up accordingly. This tends to constitute under 10% of the world's supply.
And so to satisfy the world market for turquoise, softer turquoise, which is more plentiful and often found lower down in the same mine, is stabilised in various ways. The Zachery or Foutz process impregnates turquoise with vaporized quartz and the benefits here are that it makes the stone harder, polishes well and quartz sometimes naturally occurs with turquoise anyway.
The other stabilisation method is to combine it with resins which are inserted through pressure or vacuum techniques. This stabilisation process makes it hard and also very suitable for jewellery making. This is an extremely common practice and does make turquoise jewellery more affordable whilst still retaining the overall quality of the gemstone when it was mined. Stabilisation is actually quite a good thing as it helps to protect the rather porous turquoise and make it more durable to accidental soakings and damage when wearing jewellery.
The bottom grade is powered or scrap from cutting turquoise which is reconstituted and mixed with dyes and resins or plastic. This is only suitable for the very lowest priced jewellery.
As for imitations there can be many, but one of the most popular is dyed howlite. Howlite often has dark veining similar to the natural stone so it can be a good base to dye to produce imitations. Also plastics and bone can be used to mimic the gemstone but not always with huge success.
You should be told when purchasing your handmade jewellery what treatment and type or grade of stone you are buying and if it is not volunteered, you should ask. Prices vary from country to country of course, but a typical price today for a necklace in the UK would be a few pounds for bottom grade, then a reconstituted gemstone necklace would be from say £30-90, depending upon what other beads are added (sterling silver or gold for example which would alter the cost) and more for the highest gem grade. Gems from mines which are no longer operative can command very high prices due to their scarcity.
About the Author
The author loves handmade gemstone jewellery. For further information, please visit http://kyrenedesigns.com