There probably isnt a jewelry aficionado in the world who is not familiar with the superb sterling silver turquoise pendants made by the skilled artists of various Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States. Often, the mere mention of this mineral conjures up images of beautiful desert vistas of the Southwest! Native Americans have had a long association with this gemstone. They first discovered it in what is now New Mexico some one thousand years ago. They were captivated by its sky blue color and characteristic dendritic patterns. They believed that the blue color was an association with heaven, and included it in their spiritual ceremonies and rites. There are some historical records that show tribes in the New Mexico area were trading turquoise with other tribes in Mexico, some six hundred miles away. Active turquoise mines today are located Arizona, Nevada and Colorado. The first North American miles were located in New Mexico. However, over exploitatio n of the resource in this state has depleted the deposits and only minor commercial mining of turquoise occurs here. The mines in Arizona in the Kingman and Bisbee area continue to produce high quality turquoise for the jewelry industry today.
Although we often associate turquoise with Arizona, New Mexico, and other Southwestern states, it is important to note that North America is a relative new comer in the history of turquoise. This mineral was first discovered in Egypt nearly six thousand years ago. After it was discovered, Egyptian royalty did not allow the spread of this gemstone. They restricted its use to royalty and high priests. They displayed this sky blue gemstone as a symbol of their high status in society, and used it in their jewelry and to decorate their palatial homes. In some cases, turquoise objects and jewelry were buried in their tombs. For example, the solid gold mask of King Tut contains turquoise inlay work. Today, turquoise is found in the Sinai and some other parts of Egypt. However, commercial mining has all but disappeared from this country. Centuries later, turquoise was found in Persia or present day Iran. The Persians allowed greater access to the public which created an increase i n the popularity and demand for this stone. Specimens from Persia were of the highest quality, and could be used in jewelry with little treatment. Today, Iran continues to produce the best gem quality turquoise.
It is important to note that a process called stabilization played an important part in the use of turquoise in fashion jewelry. Most natural turquoise is too soft and porous for use in fashion jewelry. High quality specimens that can be used untreated in jewelry are rare, and not cost feasible for use in say freshwater pearl necklace accents. By infusing a low to moderate quality specimen with epoxy resin or vaporized silicon dioxide, you can increase its hardness and durability, and reduce its porosity. Stabilized turquoise is much cheaper than gem quality stone. This reduction in price has put turquoise within reach of fashion jewelry fans the world over.
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