Sedona Indian Jewelry Turquoise Collectors Guide
Silver Gold and Turquoise Jewelry

The Great Turquoise of the Southwest United States...
Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado

Turquoise was first added to silver jewelry by Zuni silversmiths in the mid to late 1800's.

The Zuni learned to make silver jewelry from the Navajo, who learned from a Mexican
 silversmith who learned from the Spanish.

The art of silversmithing moved north from Mexico to the Navajo
and Zuni people around the mid 1800's

Turquoise discovery in the Southwest was for the most part an ancillary product of Copper Mining.
 Copper is no longer mined in the United States and the commercial feasibility of its returning is
slight if not nil. That gives us an opportunity to pause and look back... to contemplate the
course of events and say, "this turquoise mine or that turquoise  mine produced some of
 the most beautiful turquoise to ever come out of the United States... perhaps even
some of the most beautiful turquoise from the planet earth itself. 

What an intriguing thought... and just what would the most beautiful piece of
 turquoise from the planet earth be worth??

The turquoise used in the earliest turquoise jewelry came from the Hachita mine.
Hachita Turquoise is green blue in color.

Later (early 1900's to 1970's), with the advent of aggressive copper mining, came a stunning array
of turquoise. Turquoise in a myriad of colors and patterns mainly from Nevada and Arizona
with some beautiful turquoise from Colorado and New Mexico.

Most experts estimate that only about 5% of the turquoise mined on the planet is gem quality.

Gem Quality turquoise is by definition quite hard, with beautiful color, that seems to glow
 from within the stone (a trait referred to as Zat), brilliance.

Gem turquoise is widely collected by both rock hounds and jewelry buffs. Inexpensive gem turquoise
 is about as common as a cheap Ferrari. Expect highest quality turquoise to be priced higher then gold.

Stabilized or treated turquoise is infused with resin under pressure. This process enhances
the otherwise pale color and allows the turquoise to stay together while it is worked.

Block turquoise is soft, chalk like turquoise that is ground into dust. It is mixed in vats
with resin and poured into block molds to cure. The color is all on the
surface, with no brilliance... like a blue, plastic toy.

Some of the most expensive turquoise is Lander Blue Turquoise, Bisbee Turquoise,
 #8 Turquoise and Lone Mountain Turquoise. However, this is a sweeping generalization.
A beautiful, hard, rare turquoise gemstone from any mine is an expensive treasure.
Quality is what counts here.

An extremely rare Boyd Tsosie Lander Blue Turquoise Ring (1970's)
(The piece is sold - this is here as a reference photo)

Rare Bisbee Blue Turquoise

Dark Veined Kingman Water Web Turquoise
(The Ray Yazzie Buckle is sold - this is here as a reference photo)

Kingman Water Web Turquoise Belt Buckle by Vernon Haskie
(The piece is sold - this is here as a reference photo)

Exquisite #8... I also heard it attributed to Grandfather Mine... none the less,
it is on the very short list of the most beautiful turquoise I ever saw

The Gold bolotie, Ostrich string tie and Lapidary are all the art
of Herbert Taylor (deceased)

This is a very large perfect turquoise gemstone
(The piece is sold - the image is here as a collector's reference)

Another blow your mind piece of turquoise from the #8 Turquoise Mine

Here we see a totally magnificent #8 turquoise gemstone in yet another
stunning color. I've been looking almost every waking hour for the last too many
 years for stones like this... so rare... so beautiful.

If you ever find more beautiful Smokey Bisbee then this please remember
 me when you decide to sell it. That's been a long standing request and never
 has better Smokey Bisbee appeared. As if that wasn't enough, it's a
 Mark Chee with no effects in the turquoise from the blasting...
probably a very early Bisbee.

There are 3, very large, matching, Bisbee gemstones.

Rare Gem Morenci Robin's Egg Blue Turquoise with Pyrite and dendrites

Old Lone Mountain Turquoise, Fire Australian Opal, Lapis, Coral and Gold - Raymond Yazzie

Gold Turquoise Jewelry

Want more turquoise information, follow the hyperlinks... our website has lots of info and pictures.
I also suggest the following two books: Turquoise Unearthed, Lowry and
Turquoise The Gem of the Century, Branson

This is just a inkling of what we have... explore our gallery and see it all.