Natural Crystals: Polished Chinese Turquoise Nuggets

Turquoise

Turquoise is a hydrated from of copper and aluminium. It is an opaque gemstone ranging in colour from deep green to sky blue depending on trace elements present as the stone formed. It can display copper inclusions and black to brown marking known as matrix; matrix is decomposed organic matter. Turquoise has been mined for over seven thousand years and is becoming very hard to get as it is close to being mined out both in Tibet and the USA, the worlds major sources. Persian Turquoise is some of the most highly valued for it clean bright consistence ‘dove egg blue’ it is extremely rare and is sold by the carat. In 1970 around 90% of the turquoise on the world market was stabilized. Turquoise is a soft porous stone and dipping it in a resin to seal (protect it) and strengthen it (for cutting & polishing) is a standard treatment. Turquoise is one of the most common stones for people to ‘fake’ dying other stones such as howlite or mimicking it using ceramics. All of our pieces are genuine turquoise.