Turquoise Jewelry Information

Below you will learn the basics of Turquoise Jewelry. This page is intended to teach you just enough about Turquoise and Turquoise Jewelry to be dangerous. This knowledge will hopefully keep you from getting tricked into buying fake Turquoise in jewelry, low grade stones sold as high grade. If you would like more detialed information we have over 400 informational pages about Turquoise, gemstones and jewelry on this website which can be found through our Jewelry Learning Center. Below you will find a summary of facts and information that will help you and assist you as a Turquoise Jewelry buyers guide.

Turquoise Jewelry Information Links:

Turquoise Information | Turquoise | Turquoise Jewelry | Turquoise Learning Center | Jewelry Learning Center | Turquoise Mines List | Turquoise Facts | Physical Properties of Turquoise | Grading and Treatments of Turquoise | Turquoise History | Turquoise Color Chart

Turquoise Jewelry

Turquoise is one of the first Gemstones known to man and Turquoise Jewelry has been carbon dated back to 5,500 B.C during the Egyptian times and most likely was made earlier. Turquoise Jewelry is worn by people around the world and it is made worldwide, as well. This gemstone is made into manyy different types jewelry from contemporary gold jewelry to classic victorian silver jewelry to Native American Jewelry and more. Choosing a piece of Turquoise Jewelry can be a process of studying for some and as easy as a love at first site puchase for others. There is such a wide variety of differnt styles of Turquoise Jewelry out there, not to mention a huge variety of colors, shades, and matrix patterns of Turquoise out there that it can take a while to find the piece that hits you. Below is a summary of some of the different types of Turquoise Jewelry that are the most popular. This collection of informational pages is creditable and authentic information for you to learn more about many aspects of Turquoise Jewelry. We have organized this information to enable you to read and see photos the subjects you are most interested in. Follow the links to find additional information related to the information you are most curious about. 

Durango Silver Company of Durango Colorado USA has been mining, collecting, dealer in and studying Turquoise and jewelry  for nearly 40 years. We are authorities and have created this informational site for your knowledge and enjoyment. We hope this buyer's guide helps you.

General Turquoise Info

This is one of the most popular and famous of all gemstones world wide. This sky blue colored gem is a classic gemstone and has been revered for thousands of years. Turquoise is a gemstone with great diversity as jewelers add it to necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. The stone is also a popular material for art pieces, trade, and religion. One of the great benefits to a Turquoise Jewelry purchase is that the stone's color allows jewelers to use a variety of materials for the settings. For instance, the stone pairs well with gold, white gold, and platinum along with stainless steel and of course is most famous for being set in Sterling Silver Jewelry. Turquoise is December's birthstone and recommended for a couple’s fifth wedding anniversary. With the gem in high demand and being much more rare than most people know, buyers must carefully assess a stone for quality. When shopping for Turquoise, review each stone’s signature color and surrounding matrix. A buyer should also asses the stone's luster, a natural gemstone will have a much higher shine and glassy look. The higher the grade of Turquoise, the harder, and therefor great shine the stone will have. Turquoise will vary in color from deep green to light blue while the surrounding hues may feature brown, white or black. Some gems may not feature varying colors within the stone. Keep in mind that surrounding color does not cause the value of the gem to decrease. Infact, spiderweb Turquoise is some of the rarest and most valuable Turquoise there is. Therefore, individuals should decide whether they like more or less color variation in their turquoise jewelry.

Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry

Here is a little Turquoise Jewelry Information on one of the most famous and popular forms of jewelry made with the sky stone. Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry is from the Southwestern regions of the United States which are predominantly Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. The first notable Turquoise Jewelry of modern day was first made by the Santo Domingo Indians as well as other Native American Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande regions around 1600 A.D. They made Turquoise Beads by drilling holes in pieces of Turquoise, then grinding and sanding these pieces into a circle, thus, creating Turquoise Beads. They were strung into Necklaces with sinew (string made from the gut of a deer) or string to make the first form of Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry. The Turquoise Bead Necklaces were traded to the Navajo Indians who used them for ceremonial, medicinal and ornamental purposes.

 

In the 1850’s, Spaniards came up from the south (Mexico) to the Southwestern U.S. in search of gold. It was common for Conquistadors to have native peoples find gold for them. It was the Spaniards who taught the Navajo how to work with metals and specifically, Silver. It is known by 1860, a Navajo Indian named Atsidi Sani had learned the Silversmithing trade from the Spaniards and was producing silver items to be worn by the Native American Indians as well as their horses.

By the 1880’s, many Navajo Indians were Silversmithing and making Indian Jewelry from silver coins they would get from the U.S. Calvary and Indian Trading Posts that were springing up throughout the Navajo Indian Reservation. Turquoise was introduced to the Navajo Silversmiths in this time period as well and it is believed that the first Navajo Indian Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry was produced before 1882.

Turquoise was very desirable by Native American Indians of the Southwestern regions of the United States as it became available. Turquoise Jewelry became a form of wealth to the Natives in the early days and Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry soon became adopted as the self ornamentation of choice.

It was not long before the early settlers of the Western United States took notice to the Turquoise Jewelry being made by the Indians of the Southwest. Indian Traders began taking it to market in Santa Fe and to Southern California. The first major boom for Turquoise Jewelry was when tourists started visiting the Grand Canyon and when the train made its way through Southwestern Indian Country a new industry began for the Native American Indians of the Southwest.

 

It did not take long for the craft of making Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry to spread throughout the Santo Domingo, Navajo and Zuni American Indian nations. Individual craftsmen set up shops in their own homes and would take their wares to Trading Posts, railroad stops and to tourist areas to sell their Jewelry. It became more and more popular and as demand grew, production shops were set up along Route 66 to mass produce Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry to accommodate the market.

Today, Turquoise Jewelry has become an industry standard in Southwest, it is recognized and admired throughout the world. It has a colorful history and it is in fashion by the apparel industry of the United States. Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry and Mexican Turquoise Jewelry has a broad selection of design and appearance which makes it attractive to wear in any type of lifestyle.

 

For more Turquoise Jewelry Information on Southwestern Turquoise Jewelry, read on.

For more information on Southwest Jewelry, read on.

Native American Turquoise Jewelry

Native American Turquoise Jewelry is made by Native Americans and/or Native American Indians primarily living in the Southwestern regions of the United States. Native American Turquoise Jewelry is considered to be of a Southwest Style which has a particularly Native American look in appearance. Usually, it is a Turquoise Gemstone accented, in most cases, by Sterling Silver and occasionally Gold. The accents and/or embellishments are stampings, engravings, fabricated ornaments, shaped, stamped and sculptured wire designs, repose (bumped up, raised or domed metalwork) and other types of alpacas unique to each individual Native American Turquoise Jewelry Maker. The type and quality of the Turquoise and/or Turquoise Stone has always been of great importance to the Native American People as it is their belief that Turquoise has spiritual and metaphysical powers. 

Native American Navajo Turquoise Jewelry is known for a Turquoise Gemstone set in a bezel of Silver then elaborately decorated with Sterling Silver embellishments. Many Navajo Jewelers aggressively create unusual Jewelry items that go way beyond the typical boundaries of standard Navajo Turquoise Jewelry. High quality Navajo Turquoise Jewelry is very collectible and has great value for collectors and investors. Shoppers will often find turquoise in Navajo jewelry since the tribe has included the stone in its accessories for many years. In fact, the Navajo tribe was the first group to combine silver and turquoise together to create eye-catching jewelry. When jewelry collectors intend to add a Navajo piece to their jewelry box, they will most likely want an item that features turquoise. In addition, they can purchase authentic Navajo jewelry in bracelet, necklace, or ring form.

Native American Zuni Turquoise Jewelry – The Zuni Native American Indians have been and continue to make excellent Turquoise Jewelry. Their unique designs will continue to stand the test of time and remain in high fashion for years and generations to come. Petit Point, Needle Point and Inlay Jewelry made by the Zuni Indians of New Mexico is exquisite and generally of very high quality. Additional information on Zuni Turquoise Jewelry, old and new, can be found throughout the Durango Silver website, we invite you to follow the links to this exciting Jewelry made in American by the Zuni Indians.

For more photos and Native American Turquoise Jewelry Information on Native American Turquoise Jewelry, read on.

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Fashion Turquoise Jewelry

Turquoise Jewelry has been around for thousands of years. It has been worn by Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses; it has been in fashion for thousands of years by many, many important peoples of the world. Here is a little Turquoise Jewelry Information for today's buyer in the fashion world.

Today, Fashion Turquoise Jewelry is seen on movie stars, rock stars, in Fashion Magazines, on the Television and in the Movies. Turquoise Jewelry is in Fashion! To the left famous actress Salma Hayek wears American Turquoise Fashion Jewelry. Checkout Selma's unique fashion Turquoise pendant and necklace. Durango Silver Company has even had our jewelry featured in a few fashion magazine including Vogue and Glamour magazines. Durango Silver Company has had our silver and Turquoise jewelry as well as our fashion Turquoise bead jewelry featured in articles.

Fashion Turquoise Jewelry is in the mind of the beholder. Many people wear Turquoise Jewelry every day of their lives and they consider it to be part of their life, they actually wonder? Fashion Turquoise Jewelry??? While other people coordinate their dress ensemble daily and include high fashion Turquoise Jewelry as part of their attire.

We consider fashion Turquoise Jewelry to be a bit more flashy and substantial. It’s true, when we get that fantastic “one of a kind” Turquoise Stone that knocks our socks off, we do think of Fashion Turquoise Jewelry. We love making Fashion Turquoise Jewelry and we enjoy seeing people wear it! Turquoise is a beautiful gemstone and it has color ranges that are spectacular, it lends itself very well to the fashion Jewelry market.

We make all types of Fashion Turquoise Jewelry, from rings, earrings, bracelets, Pendants, necklace sets, belt buckles and much more. We often make large and bold pieces of Jewelry with multi-colored gemstones that accent the Turquoise, which makes some pretty outrageous Fashion Turquoise Jewelry.

We invite you to browse through our Online Store. If you life unique Turquoise Jewelry with a flare, check out this Fashion Turquoise Jewelry examples page!

Turquoise Jewelry Values

There are many factors that must be considered to justify a value on a particular piece of Turquoise Jewelry. Most Turquoise Jewelry from the Southwest is totally hand made with one-of-a-kind Turquoise Gemstones that range in size and quality. The craftsmanship of the Silverwork ranges dramatically according to the particular Silversmith or Artist that made the piece. So, to get a true and accurate Turquoise Jewelry value is not as easy as going to a standard Jeweler or Antique Store, they will just simply flip a number off the top of their head based upon its appearance in their untrained eye and you could be seriously mislead.

We have herd many stories from people that said, “I had a piece like this and sold it for X dollars,” well, that is a loaded statement! Yes, people have had $5,000.00 pieces that they have sold for less than $100.00 just like the famous paintings that have been sold for a fraction of their value. Some Turquoise Jewelry is very valuable and some is not, it seriously needs to be examined by someone who is educated in the business to achieve an accurate Turquoise Jewelry value.

To get an actual Turquoise Jewelry Value takes a trained professional person that has been in the Turquoise Jewelry business for a substantial period of time. This person must have a tremendous amount of knowledge as there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration to get a realistic evaluation of a piece of Turquoise Jewelry.

John Hartman of Durango Silver Company has been collecting Turquoise and Turquoise Jewelry for over 40 years. He is a master Silver and Goldsmith and has literally made hundreds of thousands of pieces of Southwestern styled Jewelry, handcrafted as well as heavy production for world trade. He is very familiar of Turquoise Jewelry Values on Antique and Vintage Turquoise Jewelry, Jewelry made by specific Native American Indian Artists and the values of general Turquoise Jewelry that has been made from the past several hundred years.

As in all other businesses, people do not give the information that they have spent their live obtaining away for free. If you want a professional opinion or a certificate of value from a qualified professional, John Hartman, we provide this service for a fee. Please see our Turquoise Jewelry Values and appraisal fee informational.

Read More Information on Turquoise Values

Turquoise Jewelry Buying Tips

When shopping for Turquoise Jewelry, be sure to review the stone’s color for luster quality. Be sure to choose the piece of jewelry for the stones as well as the craftsmenship of the piece. There many types of Turquoise out there, the best is the one you like best. There some that are more rare and that is why they are more valuable, that does not mean they are more asthetically pleasing. A buyer should choose their piece after learning as much Turquoise Jewelry Information as possible, and deciding what type of jewelry and what type and color of Turquoise they like. After many companies procures natural Turquoise, they typically treat the gem to enhance the stone’s attributes. This is because most manufactures purchase low grade or chaulk Turquoise as it is cheaper and more abundent then gem Turquoise. In some cases, treatment will include dye, which will change a pale-colored stone into one with bright colors. Low quality gems usually receive a dye treatment, and since turquoise is porous, it will accept chemically based color additives. When buying Turquoise Jewelry you should decide if you are a purist or you just like the look. If you are a purist, then you need to seek out a company that deals in highquality Turquoise with most of their merchandise being made of natural Turquoise. It can be hard to tell if a gem is natural or stabilized these days as methods of treatment have been highly perfected. There is a FALSE belief that If gem shoppers notice that a stone appears translucent, then it may be color treated and is a low quality gem. Very false. Usually a gem that has been treated is dull and lacks a natural glassy luster. Many times a stabilized or color treated stone will have a greasy look. A glassy finish is the sign of high grade natural gemstone that is highly silicated and hard. If a buyer purchases a dyed stone, then he or she will notice that the stone maintains its color even with exposure to skin oil, lotion, etc. Treated stones will also be able to be re shined in order to bring back the original color and luster. Natural stones will not be able to be simply shined to bring back the original color and luster. Natural stones take on skin oils, loctions, etc and will change color over time. Global turquoise reserves appear to be decreasing while the demand for the gem is growing. Therefore, purchasing a piece of jewelry with a quality stone may be a smart financial investment. Natural High Grade Turquoise is the best investment.

How to Care for Turquoise Jewelry Information

Since Turquoise is a phosphate mineral, it is rather soft and scores between a 4 and 6 on the moh's scale. Therefore, gemstone owners should use caution when wearing perfume on their neck and wrists while adorning themselves with a Turquoise Jewelry or any other form of gemstone jewelry. Chemicals will damage the stone’s finish and may change its color. Skin oils may also negatively affect natural Turquoise. Avoid cleaning the gem with commercial jewelry cleaning products. Before putting on a jewelry item featuring turquoise, apply makeup and sunscreen in addition to hairspray. It is a great idea to gently wipe the stone with a soft, clean towel, which will prevent residue from developing after wearing your gemstone jewelry or Turquoise Jewelry. The very best is to use a rouge cloth or jeweler's cloth. It is safe to wash the gem with warm water. However, be sure to dry it thoroughly before placing it inside a storage container as you should with all of your jewelry. You can also store Turquoise in a separate compartment away from other jewelry pieces or gems as Turquoise may become scratched, however it is rare for it to be damaged so easily. Your main enemy with Turquoise Jewelry is the same as with all gemstone jewelry, abuse by the owner. You should treat all your jewelry the same, treat it as if you care about it and it cost you money. The better care you take of your jewelry the longer it will last... that goes for Diamond Jewelry, silver jewelry, gold jewelry, and Turquoise Jewelry alike. The more you can avoid chemicals, oil and water, the longer your jewelry will look new. We hope thisTurquoise Jewelry Information will help you care for your jewelry.

In Closing...

Turquoise is a classic gemstone that will add interest to any outfit. With Turquoise, artisans create jewelry pieces such as rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Moreover, Turquoise Jewelry is an ideal gift for a man or a woman. When owners take proper care of their Turquoise, they can expect the gemstone to remain vibrant and attractive for many years and it can become heirloom Turquoise Jewelry. Please read through more of the information in DurangoSilver.com to increase your knowledge of Turquoise Jewelry Information.

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