Turquoise Facts, Variations, Care and Buying Advice
Turquoise has been mined in many places throughout the world. Clear blue Persian turquoise is thought by many to be among the finest turquoise. Mines in India produce stunning green turquoise. Chinese mines are currently mining a great deal of turquoise in a broad range of colors. Mines in the southwestern US, many family owned, yield turquoise in every color and quality.  One many levels, this may be the age of turquoise.

How does Turquoise Form?

Why is Turquoise Different Colors?
    The blue in turquoise is intensified when copper is present.
    If the area where turquoise is formed contains more aluminum, the turquoise will shade to green.
    When zinc is present, the deposits are a yellow-green color, a rare combination that so far has been found in only a few areas, including the Carico Lake and Blue Ridge mines in Nevada. (See turquoise being mined.)

What Are The Dark Markings in Turquoise?
    That's matrix, the rock that the turquoise formed in. When stones are cut, some of the matrix remains bound to the turquoise. Matrix color varies because turquoise can form in different types of rock.

    * Black matrix may be iron pyrite
    * Yellow matrix could be rhyolite
    * Brown is probably iron oxide
    * The term spider webbing refers to stones with thin lines of matrix distributed throughout them

How Hard is Turquoise?
    Hardness of turquoise used for jewelry usually varies from 5-6 on the Mohs scale. The hardest turquoise is usually found nearest the surface of the earth, where it's had a chance to dry, or cure. Softer turquoise is chalk-like -- too soft and porous to be used unless it's treated.

Common Turquoise Treatments

    Stabilized Turquoise – An epoxy resin or other substance is infused into the pores of the turquoise. No longer porous, its color remains the same over time. Natural turquoise develops a lovely patina as its worn and absorbs oils from our skin.  Stabilization allows designers to use poorer-quality turquoise that might otherwise not be suitable for jewelry.

    Color Treatments – Chemicals are used to enhance or change the color of turquoise.

    Reconstituted Turquoise – a treatment used to turn soft, porous turquoise crumbs into a usable product. Watch out for terms like the reconstituted turquoise, which describes turquoise chips that have been mixed with resin then molded into shapes.  The turquoise is really worthless, and may be unstable and fall apart.

    Most of the turquoise found in today's jewelry has been treated or enhanced in some way, and there's nothing wrong with that as long as you know it is treated, if the treatment is a perservative, and pay a suitable price for it. If jewelry designers had to rely on only high quality, natural stones, high prices would keep many of us from owning any turquoise at all.

What is Natural Turquoise?
    Natural turquoise may have been cut and polished, but no artificial changes have been made to the gems. Color may change over time as body oils and other sources of moisture are absorbed into the stones.  Only extremely high quality turquoise can be used in its natural state

How To Care for Your Turquoise
    Handle your turquoise jewelry carefully to avoid scratching it. Don't store turquoise with harder gemstones or other materials that might rub against it and cause damage.  A good jeweler will give you a bag or a box to keep fine turquoise separate from other jewelry items.

    Keep turquoise away from high heat and chemicals such as oils, perfumes, and household cleaners. Even stabilized turquoise can be affected by a constant bombardment of chemicals.

    Clean your turquoise in warm, sudsy water and dry it immediately with a soft cloth. Avoid commercial jewelry cleansers and ultrasonic cleaners AT ALL COSTS.

    Any time you pay a premium price for jewelry you should be sure the person you are buying it from is reputable and knowledgeable about all aspects of the item.  Ask about where it is from, how the dealer acquired it, and what treatments have been done.  As mentioned above, treatments often benefit the buyer by making turquoise more durable and resistant to chemical damage.

    You will tend to become attached to turquoise jewelry. I have heard it often said that turquoise is a stone with “personality.”  And it may be that Ghost Horse was way ahead of the rest of us when he said, “Not all rocks are alive, but some are.”  Choose turquoise because it speaks to you, not because it is the current fashionable color with the currently-popular amount of matrix.  Knowing the source of the turquoise is a valuable asset in itself.   Wear your turquoise often and you'll never give it up.  

Thank you for reading my guide.  If it was helpful to you, please vote for it.  And please check out my other turquoise guides for more cool information about turquoise, buying, investing, and the mines that produce the stone of the heavens.