If you are looking for a way to add some color to your jewelry collection, turquoise can be a lovely addition. On the other hand, when you venture into the the world of buying turquoise, you need to know a little bit about picking turquoise in order to discern between the various grades of turquoise on the market.
Matrix
You rarely find turquoise that does not have a matrix of inclusions mixed into it. This matrix can add character to the stone, so you don't have to turn down turquoise jewelry simply because it is not a solid blue or green color. Just look for stones that have a spiderwebbed or otherwise distinctive matrix. Remember it is about character rather than purity.
Color
"Turquoise" the color is usually considered to be a baby blue to sea green, but "turquoise" the stone can come in a variety of colors including, dark blue, light blue, blue green, green, and white. Typically, stones in the blue range are more sought after, but that does not mean that white turquoise does not have value. If you want a unique piece of jewelry, then you should at least consider looking for a stone in a white or green color, but if you want a traditional-looking piece, you should stick with the lighter blue stones.
Untreated vs. Reconstituted Turquoise
The biggest factor when determining the value of a piece of turquoise is whether it is a solid, mined stone or a piece of reconstituted turquoise. Not all of the turquoise which is mined is in good enough quality to use for jewelry applications. Harder stones can be carved and polished. Soft turquoise can be ground down and mixed with epoxy to create a stone that is hard enough to work with. While you might think that you can easily tell by the matrix in the stone whether a piece of turquoise is untreated or not, but the methods for making the reconstituted stone are pretty sophisticated. Thus, it typically takes a trained eye to discern the difference.
If you really want high-quality, natural turquoise, you need to find a dealer you can trust. Rather than try to develop an eye for reconstituted stone, look for someone who has an established reputation for selling solid turquoise. On the other hand, if you are happy with the less expensive reconstituted stone, then you should have no problem finding plenty of examples of beautiful and convincing jewelry. For more information, visit jewelry stores like Rodgers Diamonds.
