Buyer's Guide to Spotting Real & Fake Turquoise. 

Rendy Moondust .......I’ve been collecting TurquoiseJewelry for over65 years... I’ve been selling Native American Indian Jewelry for over 50 yrs... I’ve been making (I’m a silversmith) gemstone jewelry for almost that long. I have always loved my TURQUOISE pieces the most. Older pieces very often came from copper mines in theSW.. Now those mines are closed! The specks of pyrite is more common in newer mined Turquoise -- You will find dark veining that is copper scattered thru these pieces..dark maroon or black veining ( called matrix ) you will find the turquoise color that sometimes is not consistent especially thru larger pieces. This variation is subtle but its there. Gem quality is noticeably heavier that the “lookalikes.” If you’re looking at a beaded necklace the weight is telling! Older Turquoise was often rubbed with bear grease that would deepen the color... it was made before stabilizing became popular. I own a beautiful necklace with multiple separate pieces all natural... From my constant fingering I changed the color from just the oil in my fingers. It became noticeable and I stopped touching it every time I wore it. It’s a signed piece and the maker comes from a well known family of silversmiths. 75% of all the jewelry made in the SW by Natives is now stabilized. 75%is also dyed .This allows them to use a lesser grade of stone and because “gem quality turquoise “ is sold like diamonds “ by the carat weight the PRICE is your biggest indicator.Basically Sterling is marked 925 and that means 92.5% is pure silver. Older SW jewelry is often made from old silver coins.Coin silver is 90% pure. I own some fabulous Indian coin silver pieces.Now it’s all stamped and signed.(unless it’s from China and they’re the biggest liars in the world ... they stamp it 925 and its Copper and then CHROMED like a car bumper) If you love this very American Artistic jewelry ( they learned the art from our neighbors -Mexican plateros-silversmiths- ) I suggest you spend some time in the local library looking at books and reading... there are 3 styles you will see right away -- Lots of beautiful silver work and design with big stones... that’s Navajo , then there is a more intricate style consisting of clusters of small stones in different designs that’s Zuni And then there is Hopi Silver jewelry... the carved look in silver , the stone is an accent if there is one -the design tells a story .. it’s mystical and spiritual, completely different than their brothers ... if the “team” are a mixed marriage both smith will sign and they might even have a registered sign you’ll find in a book of Native hallmarks..Newly made Indian jewelry , signed -showing off beautiful gem grade stones is Expensive and it should be..Because it’s totally original and will only become more valuable with time. Ps - it’s very difficult to find knowledgeable people who specialize in Native Jewelry -if you’re luck enough to visit out west any Indian Museum can point you to someone locally who can appraise and give you good info about the piece or pieces you own.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

@@ritaduray3732 You sure seem to know a lot about Turquoise, but with all those years of experience I can see why. I even suspect you are even correct, because you are not even advertising, your just offering free information. I will save this information for the future. Thanks for the video.

Ditto

Yup me too.

Me, too.

My mom likes turquoise, so maybe I'll get to whip this tidbit of knowledge out, haha.

I concur

Pyrite’s my favorite metal. It’s made of iron, which can be very very useful. Unfortunately, I don’t think you can melt it down to turn into jewelry or anything and still have that golden color, which ig is why it’s considered useless for jewelry unless it’s used inlaid in other metals as a single piece of jewelry.

Even a fool has its use.

@@partysuvius I think it's gorgeous in its own right. And maybe having to use it the way it has formed is what can make it really unique for jewelry? Like just having a pair of earrings that are just two solid nuggets of pyrite, perfectly mismatched, kwim?

@@partysuvius and sometimes the unusual cube-like ores.

@@amypanddirtytoo1926 that sounds like a cool idea but i am afraid the nuggets would be too heavy

Glad I could help! :) I was also amused to see that the algorithm decided to show one of my older videos

I missed the Recommendation surge 3 weeks ago; might be another one today.

ayy, same pfp!

Yes your correct about the pyrite being on other stones such as lapis. That's what gives lapis it's golden luster.

M P , I see an opportunity for you to make the video about resin

Are other gemstones with pyrite similar enough in color to turquoise to be confusing? I'd expect lapis lazuli would be easy to distinguish from turquoise.

@@blueberry464 It is very easy to distinguish for anyone who knows anything about either stone. What people often confuse are Lapis and Sodalite.

@@Namron9797 yeah lapis and sodalite can be very hard to distinguish for an untrained eye, I might be wrong but Lapis has golden spots and Sodalite has white spots.

How do you find a reputable seller? I don't know anyone personally that has ever bought turquoise, so don't have any referrals to be advised about. I am looking to buyna simple necklace, not anything too elaborate.

@@suzannelawson9215 I’m looking for a reputable dealer also.. maybe I should try a gem show? Anyone?

You actually do not have to notify of turquoise treatments because most of it in market is treated in some way to stabilize it. If the practice is common then it is considered general knowledge and therefore does not need to be disclosed. I tell people ASSUME it is treated unless it is stated otherwise. The only exception is if it is treated and you say it isn't, then it's illegal.

@@Namron9797 thanks for the clarification. So, if it’s a generally used treatment or enhancement, it doesn’t have to be disclosed? Such as heat treating citrine or quartz?

@@shakeme3290 I’d say go online and spend an hour or so searching for a dedicated turquoise community or something, there must be at least several forums dedicated to the stuff. Once you find one, hunt around for reputable sellers, they’re probably pretty well known and you’ll find them quickly. Probably. Just my take on it

Eww! My general rule is that if somone tells me to lick something, I approach the offer with the same scepticism as I did when my brother told me to lick a chocolate powder sample. Don't lick it don't touch it. I know taste is a valid way to test some minerals but all the same I'll pass.

The pearls test IS real though. I won't do it personally cause...ick...but it does work and is accurate.

@@Namron9797 Oh I know it's real (I don't work there anymore, I'm sure the game has changed now!). I just can't imagine someone not thinking about the person 5 minutes ago who scraped them across their teeth. We like to think people have the same hygiene as we do but it's not always so.

Lol

@@Namron9797 how do you do it?

Glad I could help :)

Persian turquoise is exquisite. Lucky you!

So you have an easily faked blue rock...that's just got to be the highlight of your life!

@@johncampbell829 , lol! Since it was a gift to my mom from my dad back when he worked in Iran it has a lot of value, to me. I hesitate to say I'd buy one myself for just the reason you've stated.

The turquoise from that area is the highest grade turquoise in the world.

@@almclester true. Iran, Khorasan has the best turquoise in the world and because Iraq was part of Iran they have it too. They way Iraqis keep them as rings is interesting.

That’s a common practice and one I always question--it’s called reconstituted and it should always be disclosed ... if the seller says they “don’t know “...walk away...reliable sources will mark turquoise with D/S (dyed & stabilized) ASBL (assembled) IMIT (imitation)Quality natural stones are heavy and sold by carat weight.Sleeping Beauty is a mine still producing beautiful Turquoise. We also have quality stones coming from Thailand.

@@ritaduray3732 Yeah...no they are not. Most turquoise in the market is stabilized/treated in some way just like most gemstones are. It is so common that it does not have to be legally disclosed unless asked. I have never in my life seen "marked" turquoise jewelry. I always tell people 2 things. 1. Assume everything is treated in some way unless stated otherwise. 2. If it is pretty, does it really matter? Most treatments done to stones are done to make them more durable and protect it. It also allows "the common man" financial access to nice things instead of garbage or nothing at all.

I have bought turquoise stones to make my own jewelry at The Turquoise Chick. It's all real and they will buy the turquoise back if you don't like it. They have all kinds from the different mines. Sleeping Beauty mine was closed due to overmining.

Yup turquoise is not cheap

Also, I haven’t in my work seen quite as many other gemstones we as universally sold as fakes (other than pearls)

I also made a similar mistake early on in my mineral collection. A stone I bought for $14 was in fact dyed howlite

​@GeologyHub please make a video on how to recognise a stablized turquoise

Oscar...If the Larimar was a nice shade of Blue it’s a very Valuable stone and is only found in the Caribbean Islands. So you probably got a good deal !

@@ritaduray3732 I thought Larimar was found in Dominican Republic only. And yes, the bluer it is, the more valuable it is.

@heart snob Larimar is a trade name for pectolite, a common mineral found in many places around the world.

Larimar looks nothing like Turquoise. I love Larimar. I have multiple jewelery items. The best turquoise is Sleeping Beauty. Which wasn't named in this video. It's a brighter more blue turquoise with no veins.

@@canadiangemstones7636 Larimar is a rare, sky-blue colored gemstone. It is a variety of the mineral pectolite. While pectolite is usually gray, blue Larimar gets its color from copper impurities. ... To date, blue Larimar has only been found in one location in the world: the Dominican Republic, and some other parts of the Caribbean. Oct 2, 2017 pinkkarma.com › blog › why... Why is Larimar Jewelry so Special? | PK Gal Blog - Pink Karma

I think his intention was to promote authentic sellers, rather than items that have changed hands a lot. If the item is of quality, that info will be available.

@@danamichelle1290 LMAO. No it won't! There are SOME types of turquoise that is distinct enough for a highly knowledgeable seller to know where it came from, but most of it....no. And due to the new Chinese mines, it makes even that difficult!

@@Namron9797 Reread. And it's *are. The types ARE distinct.

Petrichor i agree totally

Exactly! How many older pieces out there???? I say most won't have this information.

So really random and you prob don't care but citrine tastes different from other rocks

@@AA-vr8ve is it safe?? to lick?????

@@papercranes9500 oh heck naw lapis lazuli is toxic af

So toxic u can start to hallucinate. I like to put small pieces in my lip, like chew. 🥴

@@AA-vr8ve oh damn 😳

It depends. If it’s unstabilized it could. It depends on the amount of clay in the rock it was found. I’ve had turquoise as hard as quartz, and also had turquoise fall apart in my fingers.

Depends on if you are using your pretty blue rock to chop firewood or just cut butter...

I believe he left that out, due to the price of Lapis. Jewellery grade Lapis is worth quite a lot, but will not look as good as Turquoise in the same carat range, and will not sell for the money the Turquoise would, which would lose you money on the actual worth of the Lapis. No person is going to try and pass Lapis off as Turquoise, and if someone did, and you bought it, their is a chance you've ripped them off, more then they have ripped you off. The stones they try to pass off as Turquoise are ones that have little to no value alone.

@@oddvoid oh yeah I agree I just meant from his discription blue stone with pyrite. That someone not very educated in stones etc might get that mixed up but it's highly unlikely because like you said totally different blue. That's what I meant I knew no sealer would sale that as turquoise because you're right it's an expensive stone. Now I've heard of sodalite being called poor man's lapis. I like learning about all the stones very interesting. I have a huge collection myself been collecting for years.

@@jjbentley9 I was in a rock shop one time when a dealer from Afghanistan came in with a briefcase with some of the most STUNNING specimens of lapiz I'd ever seen! DEEP blue, not a lot of inclusions, chunks the size of my fist.

@@AhNee wow that's really cool experience. Yea lapis is a very ancient used Stone. Sure it being so vivid blue unlike most other things. It must of seemed magical. It's very interesting I think malachite was used slot in time's past too because of its color. In those ancient time's we didn't have slot of are dies we now have. So man used things like that or flowers etc berry's for color.

Alicia.. The Zuni People love their Clean Stones.. ( no matrix copper or pyrite ) Their designs need them.. they’re referred to as pear point and petti point like in needle work..Cluster work is very time consuming and lovely.

Who did you order from?

Opal is HORRIBLE for fakery. I see a LOT of fakes being sold as "genuine", or not being labeled as "lab created"! I have argued with people trying to pass opalite (opalized glass) off as "genuine opal". It's my birth stone, I knows mah opals!