What is black turquoise?

"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.

What is the most valuable color of turquoise?

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.

Does turquoise come in black?

The turquoise ranges from medium to dark blue usually with a beautiful spider webbing. It can also have a very dark or black mottling forming blotches and veins running through the stone.

What turquoise has black matrix?

Kingman Turquoise

It has become a color standard in the industry. The mine became famous for its rounded, bright blue nuggets with black matrix.

Is African Turquoise actually turquoise?

This beautiful green-blue stone is peppered with earthy ebony and cocoa flecks, adding to its organic appearance. The name "African Turquoise" is a bit of a misnomer in the sense that this stone isn't turquoise at all, rather it is a variety of jasper (which is itself a form of chalcedony) that is mined in Africa.

Navajo Teachings: The Truth About Turquoise

How can you tell if African Turquoise is real?

'Real' turquoise can be identified by the thin veins and marbling present on the surface, whereas African jasper typically has large areas of darker color and marbling.

What is the difference between turquoise and African Turquoise?

Although African Turquoise is called Turquoise, it is actually not turquoise in the traditional sense. Rather, it is a form of jasper that is mined in Africa, and is often treated to give it that rich blue-green color we love about traditional turquoise.

What is Mohave turquoise?

Turquoise has been extracted from Sinai Peninsula in Iran, mining turquoise since 5000 B.C. Mojave turquoise is a breathtakingly vivid Turquoise that has been crafted through a process using hydraulic press by assembling turquoise nuggets. A bronze metal matrix is introduced throughout the base of brick turquoise.

What is a Sleeping Beauty turquoise?

Sleeping Beauty turquoise is noted for its solid, light blue color with no matrix. The host rock is granite. Sleeping Beauty turquoise is the favorite of Zuni Pueblo lapidaries and silversmiths for the purity in color. This mine was one of the largest in North America.

How can you tell a Kingman turquoise?

Kingman Turquoise comes from the Kingman mine in Arizona. Kingman Turquoise ranges in color from sky blue to hues of green, the green turquoise actually comes from the Turquoise Mountain side of the mine, and is desired for it's distinct coloring. This turquoise ring shows the appeal of the Kingman turquoise hue.

What color is dark turquoise?

The color darkturquoise / Dark turquoise with hexadecimal color code #00ced1 is a shade of cyan. In the RGB color model #00ced1 is comprised of 0% red, 80.78% green and 81.96% blue. In the HSL color space #00ced1 has a hue of 181° (degrees), 100% saturation and 41% lightness.

What is the true color of turquoise?

It is a slightly greenish shade of cyan. Turquoise is sometimes described as a mixture of pale blue and green.

Is howlite a turquoise?

Howlite is a white stone that has black mineral veins that are similar to that of turquoise. Therefore, when the stone is dyed it is identical to turquoise. The first red flag when it comes to dyed turquoise (or any imitation turquoise) is the price.

Where does dark green turquoise come from?

"The most common places known for good quality turquoise are Iran (Persia), Egypt, Northwest China, Mexico and the southwestern part of the United States. Although there can be mines found in many states, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada are the most common places where you will find them.

Is purple turquoise real?

Often called "The Purple Turquoise" sugilite is actually not a turquoise at all. It was first discovered in Japan in 1944 and was named after the man that discovered it; Ken-ichi Sigi. The first specimens were a yellow color and not purple at all.

Why is Sleeping beauty turquoise so expensive?

In 2012, the Sleeping Beauty mine closed and sent prices skyrocketing (not because the mine was spent, but because the copper mine that owned the mining concession sold the mine, and its new owner decided not to pursue the turquoise mining operation, according to Foutz). Buyers used to pay $10 per ct.

What is Arizona turquoise?

Arizona Turquoise mines are world famous for their beautiful true blue Turquoise. Turquoise is Arizona's most important gem material. This gem ranks top in value per production and is the most widely known of Arizona's gemstones.

What is Bisbee II turquoise?

A dark reddish brown matrix that blends and swirls with rich Turquoise hues gives this Bisbee II Turquoise Rough a unique identity not found in any other variety. This lot is a mix of medium to large sizes that will provide a high yield when cutting.

How can you tell if turquoise is stabilized or natural?

After treatment, stabilized turquoise is harder and is unlikely to break or crack. The stone is no longer porous, so it doesn't absorb liquids or oils and the color is "locked" - unlike natural turquoise where the color can change, or deepen, over time. The cheapest forms of "turquoise" are block and imitation.

What is purple Kingman turquoise?

Purple Mohave Turquoise is only available in the Kingman Mine in Arizona. This unique stone showcases bright crimsons, blues, pinks, purples, and violets with striking metallic matrices. See more.

Is Mohave turquoise rare?

While Purple Mohave Turquoise is an assembled gemstone, the complexity and uniqueness of its crafting process, combined with the sole source, makes it extremely rare, especially in calibrated sizes for jewelry collections.

Is Oyster turquoise real?

The oyster turquoise is made with real shell from the spiny oyster, which is combined with turquoise to create the beautiful unique patterns. Andean people used spondylus shell as complete shells in rituals, cut into pieces and used as inlay in jewelry, and ground into powder and used as architectural decoration.

How much is African Turquoise worth?

The price of turquoise stones normally range from $1 to $10 per carat but can range from $0.05 to $1000 per carat depending on the quality.

What is another name for African Turquoise?

African turquoise gemstone beads are a turquoise blue color with a black matrix (black lines and dots). This stone is mined in Africa and is actually a type of spotted teal jasper often used as imitation turquoise in jewelry.

What is jasper turquoise?

African Turquoise Jasper Gemstone Beads - Commonly known as African Turquoise, this blue-green stone is actually a natural form of Jasper. The stone was given this name for its strong resemblance to turquoise.