Natural Turquoise Jewelry: Where to Find Natural Turquoise Jewelry in the U.S.

Back in the Seventies I remember Indian Jewelry being the hottest fashion jewelry around. Everyone had some form of turquoise in their jewelry box, whether earrings, rings, necklaces or bracelets. Local flea markets had cases of turquoise jewelry on display, rings being the most popular. The stones were mounted on all types of settings too, and were always silver. For the average person, any piece was never too expensive unless you went to a jewelers where pieces were kept in showcases under lock and key.

Natural Turquoise is the most expensive and considered the best quality turquoise. This type is most sought after by artists who hand-craft their own jewelry pieces, thus giving the piece a high-end retail price. Natural turquoise comes in nugget form which is extremely soft and almost impossible to work with when creating jewelry. It goes into a process known as stabilizing, which gets mixed with epoxy resin. This resin seeps into the turquoise stone and when it hardens, makes the stone hold up in the drilling and cutting process necessary to make jewelry. This resin does not affect the stone itself, the resin is clear so all you see is the true turquoise color, only sealed. Almost all turquoise is stabilized. Reconstituted turquoise is the process of taking small pieces of turquoise, grinding it down in to powder form, then mixed with epoxy and formed back into stones, which look like natural stones. This process, also known as turcon, makes the turquoise durable enough to withstand a hole drilled thru the center of the stone so that chains can be inserted through them. This process is also used for smaller pieces, for chip-inlay jewelry.

All natural turquoise is not necessary that Indian blue color we all know, some natural turquoise have black web-like threads in the stone, other stones are more green, and some even yellowish in color. But they are all natural stones. So where does this turquoise come from? Right here in the U.S. for one. There are turquoise mines in Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona! In addition to the U.S., high-grade turquoise is also found mostly in China, Tibet and Persia.

Here are some establishments that sell natural turquoise jewelry:

Silver Sun, located on 656 Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico has beautiful natural turquoise jewelry, which come from 12 different mines. Prices range from $100 to over $1,000 depending on size and weight. You can see the craft work of Tommy Jackson jewelry, including rings, buckles and bolo ties. Prices here range from $1800 to $3500. There are also turquoise and leather mixed jewelry, shell and turquoise necklaces and much more with prices to satisfy everyone. Silver Sun has a website where you can see jewelry pieces up close and order on line. Visit www.silversun-sf.com They can also be reached at 1-800-562-2036.

Twin Rocks Trading Post is located at P.O. Box 330, 913 E. Navajo Twins Drive, Bluff, Utah and has a great selection of natural turquoise jewelry. Here there turquoise is named for the mine is comes from. Their stones are beautifully crafted in silver settings and all portray that southwestern look. Color turquoise range from blues to greens and start from the low $100's and climb to over $3.700 per piece. Choose from rings, bracelets necklaces and earrings. Twin Rocks Trading Post as gorgeously crafted jewelry! Please visit their website www.twinrocks.com/index.php?mod=category&id_ctg=224 . This link should take you directly to the turquoise jewelry page. Twin Rocks Trading Post offers a total satisfaction guarantee or they will refund your money or exchange the item.

SkyStone Trading.com is another on-line natural turquoise jewelry store. They have great gifts for under $200, such as the multi-stone and shell Heishe necklace, which sells for $75.00. This is a great gift for any man or lady. A beautiful pair of clip-on earrings made of a turquoise cluster, and also available as pierced earrings, sells for $120.00. There is a very dainty 4" long turquoise dragonfly pin, made and signed by Joe Eby who is a Navajo silversmith in New Mexico. This pin sells for $245.00. Other beautifully crafted turquoise jewelry pieces sell anywhere from $300 on up to over $1,000. Colors range from blue to green turquoise among other stones and colors. This link will take you direct to the turquoise jewelry page. www.skystonetrading.com/items.asp?type=TradJewelry At Skystone, pieces come and go on a regular basis so this site is always being updated. Forms of payment include Visa, Master card, Discover and PayPal.

Tibet Shining.com has fun pieces of turquoise jewelry for under $100, which makes these perfect for gift-giving. There is a wrap ring, one end turquoise, the other coral which sells for $35.99, a ring featuring a wolf sitting on 2 turquoise stones which sells for $49.99, pony earrings with an oval turquoise inlay in the center which retails $43.99 and even turquoise butterfly earrings for $24.99 and much, much more. There are 280 pieces in all featuring natural turquoise stones. There are also belt buckles and other fine jewelry, including gold jewelry with other stones to see. Please visit this site at: http://www.tibetshining.com/listing.asp?categorySearch=Jewelry&keyword=turquoise&priceRange=&stoneSearch=&cateSearch=&ringSize=&color=&stone=&EarringBack=&chainLength=&chainDiameter=&braceletPerimeter=&vendor=&CurrentPage=1&StartOfPage=1&sortBy=LastModifyTime&sortOrder=DESC They accept Visa, Master card, Amex and Discover, PayPal, Checks and money orders.

Desert Winds of Arizona currently has a website where you can see what they have to offer but the only way to contact them is by email address. They do not made any refunds but will issue store credit and will accept paypal as payment. Visit their website at http://www.desertwinds.zoomshare.com/0.html

Southwest Silver Gallery features gorgeous natural turquoise jewelry, many gift sets to pick from as well, such a necklace/earring sets, necklace/bracelet/earring sets and beaded Heishe necklaces, too. Prices range from the low $100's to up over $1000. These are remarkable pieces of jewelry you must see. Southwest Silver Gallery accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex and PayPal for any order you wish to place. Visit this site at: http://southwestsilvergallery.com/asccustompages/products.asp?categoryid=52

All turquoise jewelry is set in sterling silver unless otherwise noted. Because of the delicate stone, it is advised by every website listed, to remove your jewelry when using any type of chemical or washing dishing. They recommend a rubbing cloth made for turquoise for cleaning your piece.