How can you tell the difference between real turquoise and fake turquoise?
How can you tell the difference between real turquoise and fake turquoise?
If you have a rough natural piece, use your finger nail to rub along the surface of the stone. If your nail gets caught on where the Turquoise meets the webbing, then this is a good indication of natural Turquoise. The next observation you can make is about the hardness of the mineral.
What is the rarest type of turquoise?
Lander Blue Spiderweb Turquoise is some of the rarest Turquoise on earth and in high demand, Buyers must beware of impersonators, the highest grade of Chinese Spiderweb Turquoise is often sold as Lander Blue Turquoise, it takes an experienced professional to detect true Lander Blue Turquoise.
What Turquoise is most valuable?
The most-prized turquoise color is an even, intense, medium blue, sometimes referred to as robin's egg blue or sky blue in the trade. The traditional source for this color is the Nishapur district of Iran, so you'll also hear it described as “Persian blue,” whether or not it was actually mined in Iran.
Why is turquoise so expensive?
Government restrictions and the high costs of mining have also impeded the ability to find gem-quality turquoise. Very few mines operate commercially and most of today's turquoise is recovered as a byproduct of copper mining.
Does turquoise darken with age?
Does Turquoise Change Color? … As a result of oxidation, the stones can actually change color. Blue turquoise that contains copper can change from a light blue to a dark green. The iron changes from green to darker green and aluminum from light blue to darker blues and greens.
Will acetone damage real turquoise?
If your Turquoise is dyed this test may damage the stone. All you need is some acetone (nail polish remover) and a cotton bud or a piece of tissue. Acetone is extremely handy for checking if anything has been dyed. Simply place some acetone on a cotton bud and wipe an area of the stone.
How much is a pound of turquoise worth?
For the same pound (roughly 1,200-1,500 carats) of gem grade turquoise, on the low end, it would sell for $50 per carat x 1,200 carats for a total of $60,000 per pound — roughly three times the price of gold.
What does turquoise stand for?
The color turquoise is associated with meanings of refreshing, feminine, calming, sophisticated, energy, wisdom, serenity, wholeness, creativity, emotional balance, good luck, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty.
Is there purple turquoise?
Hey Pat, I am sorry, but there is no natural purple turquoise. Turquoise is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum, both of which cause the blue to green color. … The term "purple turquoise" has also been used as a synonym for the mineral Sugilite, but turquoise and sugilite are two totally different substances!
Does turquoise have gold in it?
The spider-web matrix found in this lineage of turquoise contains gold, various hues of brown, and black, which form an intricate web pattern throughout the light, blue-green turquoise.
Is green turquoise valuable?
There are no large deposits of Lime Green Turquoise in the United States and this color of Turquoise is very rare, valuable and highly collectible. To sum it up, Lime Green Turquoise is absolutely a rarity in nature.
Where does most turquoise come from?
Most turquoise today probably comes from Arizona, and is recovered as a byproduct from copper mining operations. That is to say, turquoise is not mined for its own sake, but rather found in the "stone trash" left behind from the mining of copper.
What is the black in turquoise?
Block Turquoise sometimes has swirls or blobs of dark dye added to simulate the look of matrix. "African Turquoise" is actually a type of jasper that has black and brown matrix and veining resembling that of true turquoise. It is treated with blue and green dyes to make it resemble the colors of natural turquoise.
Where in the US can you find turquoise?
Most quality turquoise from the United States is found in the Southwest, particularly in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, and California. Turquoise was sacred to Native Americans even before the arrival of Columbus. Most of the mines in these states have run dry and few are operating commercially these days.
Can turquoise Be Green?
Turquoise is colored by traces of copper, the same element responsible for the green-blue color of Paraiba tourmaline. Its greens can range from shades of bluish-green to apple-green or lime-green. Generally, if turquoise forms with less copper and more aluminum, the material tends to be green.
What color is Kingman turquoise?
Kingman turquoise is light blue to dark blue in color, with a white matrix. Sourced from the Kingman Mine in Mojave County, Arizona. Kingman turquoise is treated by the Zachery-process and stabilized through traditional means. Occasionally, the matrix may be dyed black.
Does turquoise fade in the sun?
Since 90% of all turquoise on the market today is at the least “stabilized”, my recommendation is to not let your turquoise jewelry be exposed to intense sunlight for long periods of time. … Natural, untreated turquoise does turn color over time due to the porosity of the stone.
Can you scratch turquoise?
Turquoise is a soft material, 4 – 5 on the mohs scale, which means most turquoise can be scratched with a penny. So, it is very common for a turquoise dealer to stabilize the stone.
Is red turquoise natural?
For the past few years, there are all kinds of dyed blue, white, pink, orange, red, etc., stone coming out of China that is labeled as stabilized turquoise. … They say it is natural because it is turquoise as opposed to the "other" turquoise many Chinese vendors sell which is usually magnesite dyed.
Do red and turquoise go together?
If you want to turn up the volume in a room a bit, consider combining turquoise and red. The two colors are almost opposites (green and red are opposite colors; blue and orange are opposite colors). … Thus, red looks more brilliant next to turquoise than it does when paired with most other colors.
How many colors of turquoise are there?
Seventy-five colors have been identified, from tan to khaki-green to rich, blue-green to bright, light colors. There are more than two hundred dig sites located there and the largest and most famous are the Blue Bell, Castilian and Tiffany mines.
Is Turquoise Howlite real turquoise?
The most common substitutes for genuine Turquoise are Howlite and Magnesite. On the Mohs hardness scale, the hardness of Howlite is 3.5, and the hardness of Magnesite is 3.5-4.5. Genuine Turquoise is 5-6. This means we can use minerals of other hardnesses to test the specimens, as shown in the photographs.
Where can you find turquoise in the world?
Where Can Turquoise Be Found? Turquoise is found in its natural state in places with dry climates around the world. It can be mined in the U.S., Mexico, Iran, Chile, China, and Tibet. While the characteristics of each stone are very similar, different mines produce slight variations of turquoise.
What is genuine turquoise?
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.
Where does dark green turquoise come from?
Nevada produces the most beautiful Green Turquoise in the world. The bold and vivid green Turquoise that comes from this region is second to no other Turquoise on earth. From lime green, emerald greens to military greens, green Turquoise from Nevada is tops.
What does light turquoise look like?
Howlite and magnesite are light gray to white minerals that often have markings that resemble the spider webbing seen in some turquoise. They can be dyed a turquoise blue color that makes them look very similar to natural turquoise.
Can turquoise Be Blue?
Turquoise is a semi-transparent to opaque stone that ranges in color from whitish blue to deep dark blue, and from deep dark green to a yellowish green. … Turquoise in its purest form is a hydrous phosphate compound of aluminum and copper, which creates the medium blue color we all know.
What is the brown in turquoise?
Damele turquoise is quite distinctive because the zinc content turns the stone yellow-green and increases its hardness. The matrix of Damele is webbed with a brown to black matrix.
What is Kingman turquoise?
Kingman turquoise is light blue to dark blue in color, with a white matrix. Sourced from the Kingman Mine in Mojave County, Arizona. Kingman turquoise is treated by the Zachery-process and stabilized through traditional means. Occasionally, the matrix may be dyed black.
What does turquoise color look like?
Turquoise is the colour of the gem turquoise. It is a slightly greenish shade of cyan. Turquoise is sometimes described as a mixture of pale blue and green. The name comes from the French word for Turkish.
Is there orange turquoise?
Turquoise is formed in an around the mother rock and forms matrix. … That is the basics of turquoise in a very general way. For the past few years, there are all kinds of dyed blue, white, pink, orange, red, etc., stone coming out of China that is labeled as stabilized turquoise.
Is Turquoise a precious stone?
Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue.
What does turquoise mean spiritually?
The color turquoise is associated with meanings of refreshing, feminine, calming, sophisticated, energy, wisdom, serenity, wholeness, creativity, emotional balance, good luck, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty.
Is Tibetan turquoise real?
Tibetan Turquoise Gemstone. Tibetan Turquoise is a rare luxury that is mined in the Himalayas – ours specifically is from the area around Lhasa in the Himalayan area. … It tends to be blue-green in colour and is sought after for this fact as most Turquoise found elsewhere leans more towards the blues.
Is turquoise blue or green?
Turquoise is the colour of the gem turquoise. It is a slightly greenish shade of cyan. Turquoise is sometimes described as a mixture of pale blue and green. The name comes from the French word for Turkish.
Can you melt turquoise?
It has a very high melting point, and is soluble in hydrochloric acid only when heated. It is also sensitive to soap, water, and grease. When polished, untreated turquoise may be a strong blue color, but is more often pale sky blue, greenish blue or pale green.
Is orange turquoise natural?
For the past few years, there are all kinds of dyed blue, white, pink, orange, red, etc., stone coming out of China that is labeled as stabilized turquoise. … They say it is natural because it is turquoise as opposed to the "other" turquoise many Chinese vendors sell which is usually magnesite dyed.
Does turquoise have healing properties?
Turquoise is a purification stone. … Turquoise promotes self-realisation and assists creative problem solving. It is a symbol of friendship, and stimulates romantic love. Turquoise aids in the absorption of nutrients, enhances the immune system, stimulates the regeneration of tissue, and heals the whole body.
Is Howlite a turquoise?
It usually occurs within layers of gypsum as irregularly-shaped nodules that resemble small heads of cauliflower. These nodules are usually white in color with gray to black veins. They often resemble turquoise – but with a white color. Although not visible to the eye, howlite is a very porous mineral.
How do you wear turquoise stone?
The Turquoise gemstone can be worn either as a ring or in a pendant set with silver. If it is set in a ring then it should be worn on either index or the ring finger of the right hand on a Thursday morning during Shukla Paksh before sunrise.