Turquoise Jewelry

There’s a lot of turquoise going on! Turquoise jewelry is really popular in the western United States and elsewhere, too. Turquoise ranges in color from sky blue to yellow green and all the shades between.

You can find the necklace and the ring on my website. The chunky turquoise bead necklace makes a real statement without being overwhelming and the woven silver ring with carved flowers is a feminine accent that’s great for almost any occasion.

Turquoise is an opaque mineral – a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum. It is typically found in arid climates—major regions include Iran (Persia), northwest China, the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt and the American Southwest. The word turquoise is derived from an Old French word for “Turkish”. The stone was found in vessels and ornaments in the tombs of Aztec kings and Egyptian pharaohs. Tutankhamun’s funeral mask is inlaid with turquoise.  

Currently there are several mines in the Southwest that supply gem-quality turquoise, but much of the turquoise available is coming from China.

To the Navajo, the importance of turquoise as a gem lies far beyond its name (Doo tl’ izh ii in Navajo) and characteristics in the culture. Turquoise is a central element in Navajo religious observances.

The necklaces shown below are some new ideas for Fall and Winter. The beads reflect a number of different turquoise shades – they’ll go with lots of clothing colors and styles.