Buying the best turquoise - point me in the right direction!

[mrs-b]

I'd like to have a turquoise ring made and possibly a matching pendant, but I have no idea where to source it. I also know nothing about turquoise.

I prefer solid blue, as opposed to having what looks to me (an uneducated, ignorant newbie) like stone running through the blue. Is there some form of turquoise that I should avoid? Anything that's more 'gem-like'? What should I be looking for here? I'm after something in the 9 x 11mm oval range - pure blue - completely clean.

Does anyone have any online vendors or tips on what I should be looking for?

Many thanks!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Hi @mrs-b! If you prefer a saturated pure blue without matrix, I definitely suggest looking into sleeping beauty turq. Take a peek over on etsy... you may find a calibrated stone to have set or a finished ring. Try this seller (tell Ray exactly what you're looking for, and be sure to see photos of the exact stones before purchasing). Otherwise, you may need to have a stone cut in the dimensions you need. Just be sure to purchase the stone/material from a reputable seller. Sleeping beauty, because it has no identifying host rock, is easily imitated. Good luck!

 

[2Neesers]

I have purchased from Turquoise Moose and they have a couple of 9 x 11 Sleeping Beauty options:

Natural Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

Explore our range of Natural Sleeping Beauty turquoise cabochons from various shapes and colors. Buy your Sleeping Beauty turquoise for jewelry with us today!

turquoisemoose.com

Natural Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

Explore our range of Natural Sleeping Beauty turquoise cabochons from various shapes and colors. Buy your Sleeping Beauty turquoise for jewelry with us today!

turquoisemoose.com

I would ask to see pictures of the actual stone you would receive like mentioned above.
@AutumnInNewEngland are there any types of treatments that should be avoided?

 

[Autumn in New England]

Great suggestions, @2Neezers! Yeah, so you will occassionally find some fine quality untreated SBT. But the majority of it is stabilized, which is an accepted practice in the trade. A permanent, colorless resin is used to harden the material and prevent color change. You definitely want to stay away from anything dyed, of course. Any responsible seller will disclose all treatments. I like SBT for accent stones, mainly because it's difficult to find in high-grade large cabs. And I love matrix!!

 

[mrs-b]

You ladies are the BOMB - thank you so much, that's exactly the help I was looking for!

Sleeping beauty turquoise it is! Will try Ray and Turquoise Moose. Will see before purchase. Got it!

(But what is "matrix"?)

 

[Rfisher]

Hi @mrs-b! Try this seller (tell Ray exactly what you're looking for, and be sure to see photos of the exact stones before purchasing).

I am surprised there is this much ‘reputable’ untreated sleeping beauty available, as this seller has in their shop.

Have fun shopping @mrs-b !!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!

 

[springerspaniel]

hi @mrs-b! It's great to see you are up to perusing PS. I do hope you are feeling better after your ordeal. Matrix is the other stuff you sometimes see in turquoise, usually made of quartz or pyrite, that makes the little "cracked" or "crazed" patterns.

 

[mrs-b]

hi @mrs-b! It's great to see you are up to perusing PS. I do hope you are feeling better after your ordeal. Matrix is the other stuff you sometimes see in turquoise, usually made of quartz or pyrite, that makes the little "cracked" or "crazed" patterns.

Thanks @springerspaniel! And good morning.

Did a health update in the NIRDI thread - what a depressing litany *that* was! Hoping to be in an utterly different place in a few months. Fingers crossed!

Have a wonderful day, my friend! ox

 

[mrs-b]

I am surprised there is this much ‘reputable’ untreated sleeping beauty available, as this seller has in their shop.

Have fun shopping @mrs-b !!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!

Ok, *that* sounds a little troublesome! Do you have concerns here, @Rfisher? Feel free to join this party re recommendations - I am about as naive as possible when it comes to turquoise, so am open to any and all 'points in the right direction'!

 

[Rfisher]

Ok, *that* sounds a little troublesome! Do you have concerns here, @Rfisher? Feel free to join this party re recommendations - I am about as naive as possible when it comes to turquoise, so am open to any and all 'points in the right direction'!

I don’t know that seller referenced in particular to give any insight, good or negative.

I am not a turquoise expert - but I did stay at a resort years ago in AZ for a conference that happened to book a lecture/exhibit from the Lowry family as one of the entertainment options. LOL.

I could be incorrect - but am skeptical of that qty of unstabilized SB cabochons available at those prices. :Shrug:

Maybe this vendor stating ‘natural, no treatments’ is not indicative of stabilization process, as it’s considered acceptable processing? I don’t know.
Maybe to contact the vendor and stating you wish unstabilized high quality gemmy SB/like material with no matrix was the intent? Not buying off their listings?
(Matrix is any other material in the turquoise- the patterns and veins)

Stabilized turquoise isn’t ‘bad’. Just as long as you know that’s actually what you are getting and you are paying appropriate prices.

One of my turquoise, I know is not stabilized. The only reason I know is because TheGemDoctor said so while he was polishing it, when Sako was restoring the mounting, as he noted it had ‘absorbed all this sh!t in there’.

Stabilized will protect its color from changing due to absorbing anything it touches- gaining a dingy tinge.
I know this one of mine will always be effected by any aerosols, lotions, skin oils it comes into contact with….blech.
Will true gemmy top quality material that’s not stabilized still take on grime from what it comes into contact with? IDK?!?!?

Im at a loss as to who to direct you to for both material and cabbing quality that’s worthy of your collection.
ACS is gone
Art Cut Gems seems to be gone.
Lapicarey seems to be gone.
I don’t know if Ryan Quantz is still game to take on projects?
Doug Menadue?
TheGemDoctor/Sako?
Check the vendor recommended earlier and ask those questions?

Edited to add
Pick a vendor you already know to look for you at upcoming Tucson?

 

[2Neesers]

There’s another type you might like called Dyer Blue. The color is a little softer than Sleeping Beauty. I purchased a very small stone from the owners of Esmerelda Turquoise who also own a site called Out of Our Mines. The owner was very helpful, so it might be worth seeing if they have anything that might work for you without any matrix.

Dyer Blue Collection | Esmeralda Turquoise

www.esmeraldaturquoisecompany.com

I found this on their site regarding treatment.

 

[prs]

No doubt the turquoise market is a minefield for beginners. I've seen estimates that 99% of the material on the market is treated.

Lots of educational videos available on YouTube to get started. This is one of them. LINK

This video by the same guy focuses on Sleeping Beauty LINK

 

[Autumn in New England]

I am surprised there is this much ‘reputable’ untreated sleeping beauty available, as this seller has in their shop.

Have fun shopping @mrs-b !!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!

Your concerns are valid, and it's always good to question. I can only tell you that the parcels I received from this vendor were all untreated.

 

[Autumn in New England]

@Rfisher Poor Carey passed away in August of 2020 from ALS. He is sorely missed. I purchased a lot of chrysoprase and gem silica from him.

 

[Autumn in New England]

You ladies are the BOMB - thank you so much, that's exactly the help I was looking for!

Sleeping beauty turquoise it is! Will try Ray and Turquoise Moose. Will see before purchase. Got it!

(But what is "matrix"?)

Matrix is the host rock within which the turq grows. To me, it is a huge part of the allure. It can be black, brown, tan, yellow, red, blue, lavender, white, you name it. Matrix is made up of different types of minerals, such as crandallite, limonite, sandstone, pyrite, chart, etc. I like to see a nice, even, symmetrical pattern.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you so much for the help, @Autumn in New England - I'll try to do my due diligence but might need to come back here for some direction. I'll let you know how I go!

 

[mrs-b]

@2Neezers -

Thank you for the tip about Dyer Blue. I'm on the fence about what *precisely* I want right now. I'll keep looking around till I feel a bit more settled, I think. I want to do a plain ring - bezel set in rose gold. That's it. No diamonds - nothing like that.

The older I get, the plainer I like it.

 

[marymm]

Hey @mrs-b, I was thinking about Turquoise (which I love) and your thread about the best Turquoise, and I wanted to mention that there is American Southwest Turquoise -- beautiful to my eyes and which I own and wear -- and also Persian Turquoise -- of which I have one piece, which I bought loose about 10 years ago from Dana/Master Cut Gems.

Persian Turquoise is mined mostly in Iran (IIRC) and can run the gamut in color and matrix variation, but traditionally the most preferred was a solid blue with no matrix.

I'm posting the vendor pic of the one I bought from MCG, and the photo of it once set in the mounting made by etsy vendor Heart of Water (no longer in business I believe) -- I call this my Easter Egg ring lol.






Looking forward to your Turquoise journey, and wishing you wellness and comfort

 

[LightBright]

Stracci2000 might have some information on turquoise. I don’t know how to call that user.

I am not an expert. However, I am a fan of turquoise. In addition to Sleeping Beauty, there is gem quality Persian Turquoise. Persian Turquoise was used earlier than the American Turquoise became popular, I believe. It can be gem quality classic Robin’s Egg Blue with no matrix. There is similar turquoise coming out of China and South Asia, so you need to be careful about provenance.

If you are looking for Gem Quality (no fillers or stabilizers) you might find this type in vintage or antique Persian Turquoise jewelry. I’m sorry I don’t even know who certifies it, but that would be a good question. Beware of counterfeit or treated turquoise, get it from a reputable dealer etc.

Depending on what type of ring you want, modern or vintage, you could go with either.

If you would consider modern turquoise, Stracci2000 might be able to refer you to artisans working with American Mined turquoise who execute new pieces. There is some stunning work coming out of the Southwest (at least there was a a decade ago), but its a niche I don’t follow any more.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Stunning piece, @marymm!

 

[Mreader]

Hey @mrs-b, I was thinking about Turquoise (which I love) and your thread about the best Turquoise, and I wanted to mention that there is American Southwest Turquoise -- beautiful to my eyes and which I own and wear -- and also Persian Turquoise -- of which I have one piece, which I bought loose about 10 years ago from Dana/Master Cut Gems.

Persian Turquoise is mined mostly in Iran (IIRC) and can run the gamut in color and matrix variation, but traditionally the most preferred was a solid blue with no matrix.

I'm posting the vendor pic of the one I bought from MCG, and the photo of it once set in the mounting made by etsy vendor Heart of Water (no longer in business I believe) -- I call this my Easter Egg ring lol.






Looking forward to your Turquoise journey, and wishing you wellness and comfort

Looooove this beautiful ring!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Hey @mrs-b, I was thinking about Turquoise (which I love) and your thread about the best Turquoise, and I wanted to mention that there is American Southwest Turquoise -- beautiful to my eyes and which I own and wear -- and also Persian Turquoise -- of which I have one piece, which I bought loose about 10 years ago from Dana/Master Cut Gems.

Persian Turquoise is mined mostly in Iran (IIRC) and can run the gamut in color and matrix variation, but traditionally the most preferred was a solid blue with no matrix.

I'm posting the vendor pic of the one I bought from MCG, and the photo of it once set in the mounting made by etsy vendor Heart of Water (no longer in business I believe) -- I call this my Easter Egg ring lol.






Looking forward to your Turquoise journey, and wishing you wellness and comfort

major swoon

 

[Rfisher]

@2Neezers -

Thank you for the tip about Dyer Blue. I'm on the fence about what *precisely* I want right now. I'll keep looking around till I feel a bit more settled, I think. I want to do a plain ring - bezel set in rose gold. That's it. No diamonds - nothing like that.

The older I get, the plainer I like it.

Any updates on what you are thinking?
I’m interested!