Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewellery

Lovinggems · Aug 20, 2010

I love the sparkles of facets gems but I'm also enchanted by the colour and the richness of opaque stones like turquoise and coral. I've been browsing American Indian jewelry websites a lot lately, and there're some beautiful pieces, some are quite pricey, with many turquoise being reconstituted stones I have only bought a less expensive piece that I like the design of for everyday wear.

For those that collects turquoise, could you please share your lovely turquoise pieces and any stories behind them? I would love to learn more about this gorgeous stone.

Nicki · Aug 20, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

I have one piece of turquoise jewelry. It's a large cab (about 3" long) of undyed, stabilized turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona. I got the rough as a nodule, which I slabbed, cabbed and set. I still have a couple small pieces left off the nodule, which I'm thinking about turning into earrings to go with my necklace. I'm dying to get some more, although it's quite pricey. It's just the perfect robins egg blue!

Sorry for the crappy pictures...not my strong suit.

Lovinggems · Aug 20, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Nicki said:
I have one piece of turquoise jewelry. It's a large cab (about 3" long) of undyed, stabilized turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona. I got the rough as a nodule, which I slabbed, cabbed and set. I still have a couple small pieces left off the nodule, which I'm thinking about turning into earrings to go with my necklace. I'm dying to get some more, although it's quite pricey. It's just the perfect robins egg blue!

Sorry for the crappy pictures...not my strong suit.

Nicki it's a gorgeous pendant, must have given you a lot of satisfaction to create something from scratch. Are you a hobbyist or is it the first time you cabbed a stone?

Nicki · Aug 20, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Lovinggems said:
Nicki it's a gorgeous pendant, must have given you a lot of satisfaction to create something from scratch. Are you a hobbyist or is it the first time you cabbed a stone?

Thanks for the compliment! I do love that piece...it's quite dramatic because of it's size.

I'm a hobbyist. I've been cabbing for a few years now...rocks are my stress reliever.

Lovinggems · Aug 20, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Nicki said:
Lovinggems said:

Nicki it's a gorgeous pendant, must have given you a lot of satisfaction to create something from scratch. Are you a hobbyist or is it the first time you cabbed a stone?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliment! I do love that piece...it's quite dramatic because of it's size.

I'm a hobbyist. I've been cabbing for a few years now...rocks are my stress reliever.

I reread your post and indeed the cab is large, it looks to be a delicate piece in the photo. What a wonderful hobby!

soberguy · Aug 20, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Here is the "good stuff" from John Foutz

After several trips to his store, he opened the vault and showed me this 50 year old Ithaca Peak turquoise. It is extremely beautiful. I bought every strand he had. A quick search showed me one necklace, smaller than mine, priced at 12,000.00. I have only worn the set a few times since then

I called the jewelry designer who made the necklace and she purchased her turquosie from John too lol! Small world in the turquoise business, the same as in fine gems.

post139292.html?hilit=ithaca peak turquoise#p139292

Clasp, wire, accents 14k gold, wood accent beads. Made by yours truly

Largosmom · Aug 20, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Wow, that is a gorgeous set of turquoise! I also love it but cannot afford what I want...the type like that from the Sleeping Beauty mine.

My family did go looking for turquoise out in the desert a couple of times when I was a kid. We found very chalky malachite, but no turquoise.

Laura

Lovinggems · Aug 21, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

soberguy said:
Here is the "good stuff" from John Foutz After several trips to his store, he opened the vault and showed me this 50 year old Ithaca Peak turquoise. It is extremely beautiful. I bought every strand he had. A quick search showed me one necklace, smaller than mine, priced at 12,000.00. I have only worn the set a few times since then I called the jewelry designer who made the necklace and she purchased her turquosie from John too lol! Small world in the turquoise business, the same as in fine gems.

post139292.html?hilit=ithaca peak turquoise#p139292

Clasp, wire, accents 14k gold, wood accent beads. Made by yours truly

Soberguy thanks for showing your gorgeous set again and sharing your story, the turquoise is definitely more blue than the small photo in your avatar.
I looked up Ithaca Peak turquoise, not many specimens but the websites mentioned they're pretty rare. It's beautiful work.

LadyBlue · Aug 21, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

I have a few pieces of Turquoise. I bought them in my past trip to Egypt. It was love at first sight

Here are the pics.

Lovinggems · Aug 21, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

gaby06 said:
I have a few pieces of Turquoise. I bought them in my past trip to Egypt. It was love at first sight

Here are the pics.

gaby06 what a gorgeous set, do you know what type of turquoise are they? They suit you very well, you look smashing in those colours.

Largosmom · Aug 21, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Are yours the variety known as Persian Turquoise? Lovely pieces.

ooo~Shiney! · Aug 22, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Gosh, I LOVE turquoise ~~~ my first love, really...
I have a few pieces, but
I WISH I still had the gorgeous piece of AZ set in GOLD that
I was given by an ex-boyfriend....
I gave it back when "things didn't work out"
AAAAAAUUURRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still occasionally think about it!

oddoneout · Aug 22, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Lovely examples everyone.

Lovinggems · Aug 24, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

I bought this piece, it's stabilized kingman turquoise. I love the shape of the beads and the design.

Nicki · Aug 24, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Ooh, I like that a lot, Lovinggems!!!

movie zombie · Aug 24, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

that piece is so "me", Loving! i call for right of first refusal if you should ever decide to divest yourself of it!

MoZo

Lovinggems · Aug 25, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

movie zombie said:
that piece is so "me", Loving! i call for right of first refusal if you should ever decide to divest yourself of it!

MoZo

MZ there're several strands in various lengths at chacodog.com.

Thank you Nicki !

LadyBlue · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Lovinggems said:
gaby06 said:

I have a few pieces of Turquoise. I bought them in my past trip to Egypt. It was love at first sight

Here are the pics.

Click to expand...

gaby06 what a gorgeous set, do you know what type of turquoise are they? They suit you very well, you look smashing in those colours.

Thank you for the complements. I don't know about what type of turquoise are, It was actually an inspected buy. I just saw them and fall in love with them, but I did not do my homework

before buying them

eta. Thanks every body for the complements. I really appreciate them

brandy_z28 · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Here's my daughter's turquoise ring:

brandy_z28 · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Stats from Barry: TQ-6030 Sleeping Beauty Turquoise(J) 4.79ct. 14x11 triangular cabochon[Gec]This natural Sleeping Beauty cab was fashioned by Joel Baskin and shows why this is a sought after gemstone. From the Globe, AZ area. JB

movie zombie · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

thanks for the website!

MoZo

coati · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Great thread!
I love turquoise. Especially with high karat gold. Here is a 15mm cushion in 22k.

coati · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

gaby06 said:
I have a few pieces of Turquoise. I bought them in my past trip to Egypt. It was love at first sight

Here are the pics.

It's lovely on you.

Great pieces everyone!

movie zombie · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

loving that high karat gold with the turquoise, coati!

MoZo

ooo~Shiney! · Sep 1, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

movie zombie said:
loving that high karat gold with the turquoise, coati!

MoZo

Ohhhhhh, Me Toooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!

colorluvr · Sep 2, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

I have several pieces of hand made - silver and turquoise jewelry, some that I bought and some that were my moms that I now have. The prettiest piece is a necklace with matching spider-web type stones, but my sister has that one. They were all purchased back in the 70's from a friend whose brother lived in New Mexico and bought the pieces directly from an Indian reservation. His sister (my friend) sold them at fairs, etc. Here is a sampling. They are all in need of a proper cleaning, but I messed up the one that I cleaned years ago (second from right in picture of four rings) by accidently removing the "antiquing" from the silver, so I haven't attempted it again. These have all been stored for ages. My mom used to wear hers often, but I stopped wearing mine years ago.

Lovinggems · Sep 3, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Lovely gift brandy, I think the daughters of coloured stones mums are real lucky girls.

Coati I love the high karat gold with your turquoise, do you know what type of turquoise is it?

Colorluvr beautiful collection, I love the different shades of your stones and the handmade designs.

FrekeChild · Sep 3, 2010

Re: Please share your turquoise stories and turquoise jewell

Turquoise is something I don't really pay attention to because it is EVERYWHERE here in NM.

Having said that, my dad used to buy my mom a TON of turquoise jewelry (didn't get her her first diamond until their 27th anniversary though) so I have a bunch of it around here in a box. Some of the stuff is very expensive, but I know absolutely nothing about it besides that it is from NM, likely from a reservation, and most of it is from the 70s and 80s. She used to have a gorgeous brown leather purse that was encrusted in turquoise and silver, but I don't know what happened to it. I'll try to take some pictures sometime soon.