Learn about Genuine Turquoise

When people talk about Genuine Turquoise this can mean many different things to many different people. To gemologists, geologists and critical jewelers, when they say something is Genuine Turquoise they mean that the gemstone they are referring to has the exact scientific mineral make up of Turquoise, and has not been crushed and reconstituted. This type of authentic Turquoise will come out of a vein such as the one in the Bisbee Turquoise above. The term Genuine Turquoise does not refer to whether or not the Turquoise has been enhanced, dyed or stabilized. If you are talking with a person that is trying to cheat you, the phrase "Genuine Turquoise" could mean that what ever junk they are trying to sell you has a trace amount of Turquoise in it.

Many people get confused with all the different terminology used to describe and to sell Turquoise, especially when you are a retail customer who does not know a lot about gems and minerals. When you are simply a person who is on the retail side of the business and just looking to buy a piece of Turquoise or Turquoise Jewelry with a piece of Real Turquoise in it you will, with out doubt, run into a lot of confusing information and sells associates. Depending on who you run into and what you read online or in books, you will hear a lot of different terms used for the same material and for different materials. If you are simply listening and learning from the sales people at galleries, you will really be in trouble. A good rule of thumb to remember is that a salesman is a salesman and for the most part is not the builder or expert on what they are selling, they are just repeating what they have been told by the maker or in most cases the distributor. This is the same with any other salesman be it a car salesmen, or what not. For the most part, the only people you should believe when they tell you something is Genuine Turquoise or Real Turquoise are the makers, artisans, and stone cutters. Having said that there are some salesmen and gallery owners that are highly educated and studied on gems and minerals and do know what they are talking about. These people will have fine galleries and stores and WILL NOT be the 50% off type of stores or galleries, you will be lucky to get 10 - 15% off on their jewelry, very lucky.

Genuine Turquoise

As far as a gemologist or geologist is concerned, Turquoise is hydrated phosphate of aluminum and copper (copper aluminum phosphate) or CuAl6((OH)2/PO4)4 CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 + 4H2O. This can ONLY BE DETERMINED BY CRUSHING UP THE RAW TURQUOISE AND ANALYZING IT WITH SCIENTIFIC TOOLS. This definition of Genuine Turquoise can become blurry when you come to some of the minerals that are cousins to Turquoise such as Variscite, Chalcociderite, and Faustite. Most of these gems are simply slight variations to the chemical make up of Turquoise. Such as, Faustite which is Turquoise with the addition of Zinc and Sulfates which give it the off yellow to lime green color. 99% of people call Faustite Lime Green Turquoise, Lime Turquoise or Yellow Turquoise and this has been common practice for centuries. This is the same for Variscite and Chalcociderite. Scientists have even found specimens that have both Turquoise and Variscite, or Turquoise and Faustite, or Turquoise and Chalcociderite in the same nugget... so what do you call this, Turquoise, or? Most would call it Turquoise as these specimens have enough of a percentage of Turquoise to be called Turquoise by the laws of GIA, there for making them Genuine Turquoise by law.

Genuine Turquoise? - Turquoise Is A Nickname

One of the most confusing aspects of the term Genuine Turquoise, is that Turquoise is actually a street name or nickname for the mineral "hydrated phosphate of aluminum and copper". So, what really is genuine Turquoise or real Turquoise? This has been a big debate in the last 20-30 years as the mineral and gem has become more rare and hard to obtain. Many people are very critical and others are more liberal with what they call Turquoise. When you think of the facts, that Turquoise is actually a nickname for the skystone and was given to the blue and green, opaque gemstone, without people even knowing its mineral make up, it really puts into question, what gems can you give that nick name too? When you think of it this way, Turquoise is really any of the "Hydrated Phosphate Minerals" that are gem grade. I would say that this only applies to greens and blues, but there is actually Turquoise that is whitish in color, brown in color, and yellow in color that has tested as Turquoise.

Considering all that has been said here. In general, what most gemologists, geologists and honest jewelers consider "Genuine Turquoise" is any shade of blue, green, yellow, brown or white "hydrated phosphate of aluminum and copper". Most people limit it to only the shades of blue and green, meaning if something has a tint of green or blue and is a "hydrated phosphate of aluminum and copper", then they call it by the nickname or street name "Turquoise". Genuine Turquoise also means, to all honest people, that the gemstone has not been re-constituted and mixed with another substance. Genuine Turquoise can be stabilized or dyed as long as it is in its original state. Genuine Turquoise is not plastic, glass, cement, magnasite, or howlite. The term has nothing to do with the grade of the Turquoise or quality Turquoise. These are the scientific facts. All summed up, Genuine Turquoise is a term to describe gemstones that are cut from pure "hydrated phosphate of aluminum and copper" that is either natural, enhanced, stabilized or dyed and has not been crushed and mixed with any other material. It should not be confused with the term Natural Turquoise.

The above mentioned are the only types of Genuine Turquoise. Anything else is not real! Learn about Fake Turquoise.

When you are looking to buy Turquoise Jewelry with Genuine Turquoise, look no further, shop with Durango Silver Company.