A few tricks I’ve learned may help others. Real turquoise is cold to touch because it is stone. If it’s resin impregnated or dyed plastic it won’t usually be cold to the touch or as dense as a real stone. If the matrix has a repeating pattern or you don’t feel a subtle seam or unevenness between colored parts and the matrix, that’s a red flag. If you have turquoise at home you want to test, there’s a couple easy tricks. Acetone on a q-tip rubbed vigorously on the stone will sometimes leach the dye out of a stone like a dyed howlite. If you get black or grey that can just be dirt or matrix material, but if any blue or green shows up, you’re looking at a dyed stone. The other test is a hot needle test. Heat up the end of a needle or thin metal tool in a flame and touch it to an inconspicuous spot on the stone, preferably the back if possible (unless it has a backing attached!). A natural stone will have no reaction or color change or smell. A resin impregnated or plastic piece will melt, discolor and smell bad.
I've never heard your tips but as a turquoise fan, find them very helpful. Thank you! I would add to look at the setting-if it's cheap metal (not marked as silver in any way), then you'll have a good idea of what you're looking at. The design of a piece can be a giveaway too and it's helpful to educate oneself on different designers. It's always been one of my faves and I have a mix of uber expensive with costume grade. Love it with onyx and amber too.
@@goesfarfliesnear1447 Yes, excellent point about examining settings/hallmarks, absolutely! If the setting is cheap, chances are the “turquoise” is fake too! I also love turquoise with amber or carnelian, and even amethyst!
I found a very thick turquoise bangle bracelet at a thrift store for 2.00. It's heavy & very cold to the touch. It's become my favourite piece of jewellery. 💗
Turquoise buyers beware! Many gem shops or online sellers are selling dyed howlite or dyed magnesite which has the web pattern similar to turquoise, a good test to see if you have a fake piece is put acetone on a cotton swab and rub it on the stone if color comes off that's a dead giveaway that it's not real. Also "African turquoise" is another stone people sell as turquoise but it is just jasper. Do some extensive research on genuine turquoise before buying any, hope this helps!
Back in the 70's when turquoise was such a rage, it seemed everyone was on the bandwagon to sell.The lady I bought all my turquoise from told me the best thing to do if somebody is trying to sell you the stone is to "flick your bic" and ask if you can touch the stone with the fire from the lighter.She said if it was the real deal, it wouldn't hurt the stone and such but if the seller denied you or had a fit then pass it up as it was most likely fake and/or plastic. Worked for me!
So the way to identify real turquoise is by relying on the seller telling you it's real? I don't think so. This video doesn't do what it says it will do.
Judi Hume Nooo..there are sellers U can´t trust..BUT..there are better videos onRU-vid..I did find a neckless..I don´t know IF it is real..BUT..the stones feels cold (like stones do) Sooo..I might have found a real turquoise neckless..for only..20kr..must be..around 2american$..the stones don´t mind beeing recycled..I did try a fireTest..2 see IF IT WAS PLASTIC..no..it didn´t melt..OR got black (as plastic might from fire?)
This video doesn't talk about spotting dyed gemstones made to look like turquoise. Most inexpensive turquoise found is dyed howlite or magnesite, two white, porous stones with dark veining. You can find examples online
@@PokemonDallas the fake stuff is plastic or dyed white rock. rubbing dyed stone with acetone will remove the blue color. The real stuff is an actual stone thats been sanded and polished. It can be tricky becuz well polished stones seem fake sometimes.( Cabachons)
@@-jamesbond thank you! it does seem like maybe it isn’t hard to tell if you have a real piece but identifying which mine and where it came from is definitely the almost impossible part, if you do not know the history of the piece in question. So even though it seemed like this man didn’t answer the question, the question itself is very complex. There are some great videos here on RU-vid that dive a bit deeper. Cheers!
I have been researching it a bit. This video was very vague in regards to telling natural turquoise from imitation turquoise. Less than 12% of natural turquoise does not need stabilizing Natural Turquoise is stabilized by soaking it or pressurizing resins or acrylic compounds into the pores of the stone, resulting in affordable, higher quality stones and finished jewelry. 90% of the Turquoise on the market is actually dyed Howlite? Howlite is an absorbent white mineral that can be dyed in almost any color The hardness for Howlite is 3.5 whereas the hardness for most turquoise is 5-6. this is kind of a difficult test, so basically if your stones scratch easily then they are more than likely dyed Howlite. If your Turquoise is dyed the acetone qtip method might damage your stone so do it on a part that does not show. If blue comes off on the qtip- and the stone has a lighter or white spot-it is probably howlite that has been dyed.(the inside of the stone will still be white) Rainy days are not good for this scenario, for it can lighten your turquoise. The Price is usually the best way to tell if your turquoise is natural or has been dyed . If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. a strand of perfectly matching amazing blue Turquoise beads In nature would be very difficult to find a bunch of Turquoise beads that have exactly the same color. Find someone you trust, find out where the stones came from and do the above tests. (fire will ruin imitation turquoise so I would use the acetone method instead)
I knew if I looked in the comments someone would actually help all of us angry frustrated people. Love you EqualRights, & even more after I saw your name. Xxx
Well thank you, I really appreciate this lesson. So much good information you have shared. This white man being interviewed by this other white man is only talking about prices and it's coming off like exploitation. So I appreciate your detailed summary on how to tell real from fake and how to do a test that's the important part. There are people up here and the Northwest that are selling so-called turquoise, some of them even claim to be native blood but most of us can tell that they're not native blood these are the $5 Indian white people running around with no culture and no connection to who they are, they're just the basic white person who doesn't want to be white.
The price might not be the best way if someone is a con, putting a high price so the naive buyer will think it must be the real deal (unless it's a reputable jewelry store)
As a jewelery designer and gemstone polisher. I work with said materials frequently. Without extensive testing and knowledge anyone could be fooled if buying care lessly. On the other hand when I buy from one of my suppliers, I know his reputation and his business manners. I have cut everything including very expensive material as well as dimestore quality material. Honestly, if it is worked well and set in proper settings, it all can make some very stunning jewlery. Best advise if it seems like too good of a deal to be true, then it is. There are no screaming bargains or giveaways in the business! No such thing as " investment jewelery" ! I thought he did a good job explaining in the very short time he had.
I have picked up a couple of "dead pawn" Navajo pieces from consignment shops where the owner didn't know what they had. I checked the jewelers' marks on both at the time and verified with experts later. I got great pieces for way less than they should be worth. I'm not planning to sell, anyway.
John Smith I was thinking the same thing.... I think sometimes people don't really want to reveal their secrets or what they know, so they give you a bullshit answer
The guy is telling you to ask for documentation on the turquoise you're buying and that the mining location, which will be listed on the documentation, determines the value of the turquoise. It takes a very trained eye to be able to just look at the stone and determine where it came from. And if it's straight plastic you'll know. It'll be lighter and sound like plastic when tapped against other beads. Whereas stone sounds more like glass. If you're not all that interested in the value of the turquoise you probably won't be buying it from serious sellers who have proof of where their turquoise came from. He also talks about how lower grade turquoise is made through filling processes and reconstitution methods. Every time I've bought semi precious beads at craft stores the label states when it's reconstituted. Filling and reconstituted gemstone beads are still in fact made with natural stone it's just not a high grade so it's put through processes that make it presentable for jewelry making. Either you're super picky about having good quality gemstones that you'll pay thousands of dollars for or you're not and satisfied with it just being the real thing. Does this help?
Beautiful exposition of materials and gem stones ! Unfortunately we leave this video as we were at its beginning, confused, without knowing how to differentiate between custom turqoise and gem stones.. :((
I have been researching it a bit. This video was very vague in regards to telling natural turquoise from imitation turquoise. Less than 12% of natural turquoise does not need stabilizing Natural Turquoise is stabilized by soaking it or pressurizing resins or acrylic compounds into the pores of the stone, resulting in affordable, higher quality stones and finished jewelry. 90% of the Turquoise on the market is actually dyed Howlite? Howlite is an absorbent white mineral that can be dyed in almost any color The hardness for Howlite is 3.5 whereas the hardness for most turquoise is 5-6. this is kind of a difficult test, so basically if your stones scratch easily then they are more than likely dyed Howlite. If your Turquoise is dyed the acetone qtip method might damage your stone so do it on a part that does not show. If blue comes off on the qtip- and the stone has a lighter or white spot-it is probably howlite that has been dyed.(the inside of the stone will still be white) Rainy days are not good for this scenario, for it can lighten your turquoise. The Price is usually the best way to tell if your turquoise is natural or has been dyed . If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. a strand of perfectly matching amazing blue Turquoise beads In nature would be very difficult to find a bunch of Turquoise beads that have exactly the same color. Find someone you trust, find out where the stones came from and do the above tests. (fire will ruin imitation turquoise so I would use the acetone method instead)
He did not answer the question.... "How do you know what is fake and what is not fake.." He was talking about "Natural" etc... what and how the shop sells it... that still does NOT tell us how WE can tell what is REAL and What is FAKE...
Because unless you have the set up to ID stones, it is a guessing game. Buoyancy, weight, color are all part of stone identification. Unless you travel with a mini lab set up, it is a guess.
My metalsmithing professor worked for a company in the 1970’s and 80’s that sold fake Navajo and Hopi jewelry ( made in Los Angeles) to shops in Arizona and New Mexico. Most Navajo jewelry is fake and most Navajos don’t know shit about Indian jewelry.
I was not believing anyone so i by myself visited Iran from Pakistan and mined/Dug 2 stones for my self. It is Neshapuri Turquoise natural. One i am wearing in ring and one is for sell.
NO..he didn´t..BUT..I can try ;) Stone are NOT sensitive 2 FIRE..it migt crack if U put a hot stone in cold water tough..PLASTIC are sensitive 2 fire..put a hot metallic needel/nail on the stone (warm it on the fire in a lighter) FIRST ASK THE OWNER (seller)..if the needel will melt down into the "stone"=THEN IT SURE IS PLASIC..U will probably get a hole..from the hot needle (my native lainga is not english..but..did I make sense?) If it is genuine stone=no hole..U need a drill 2 do that
I DID FIND a fake one (the price was telling me that) NOW I BELIVE IT´S BETTER.."just 2 trow the turqouise-stone in a fire"..IF it will NOT melt=REAL TURQUOISE (yes..I burnt my fingers on the hot needel..eventough I used gloves ;)
j Isaac Pleace DON´T TROW A TURQUOISE IN A FIRE..I was just angry for burning my fingers on the hot needle AND I did find this info about the stone haveing water in it..WILL CRACK IF TROWN IN FIRE..not melt..BUT CRACK..see video "Turquoise Destruction Test with Fire" (MagpieGemstone.com onRU-vid) I also found a turquoise neckless at a seconghandstore (it looks real..feel cold as stone does..doesn´t melt..I did try abit with fire on1stone ;)
This article said nothing how to spot real from fake...hot needle test, if it's fake, it will melt. Can also do the acetone test with a q-tip, if the color rubs off its fake.
Actually it said everything about it. The only way to know for sure is to buy it from a highly reputable source that can provide documents backing the stones mining source.
@@sandybeach368 - Don't listen to comments, listen to the video again. Their is plenty of 'fake' turquoise that passes both those tests. As well, if it gives off color to an acid it means it is 'dyed' not fake, and if it has melt-like qualities it may still have a fair amount of turquoise in it. It is a complicated process to identify some stones, it's not an easy one line answer. The only test that is acceptable professionally is a chemical test where they grind a sample into powder and expose it to different controls to determine the exact molecular constitution of the rock. This constitution along with the crystalline structure is how gemstones are classified and named and therefore identified.... But guess what, Ms. Becky, nobody selling you a stone is going to let you poke it with hot needles or rub it with acid.
Actually, Sleeping Beauty Turquoise from the now closed Arizona mine is of equal value in its AAA form (having no matrix in it.) Quite lovely with a color comparable to its Persian cousin.
THOSE ARE DESTRUCTIVE TESTS NOT USED IN GEM IDENTIFICATION AND CAN ONLY IDENTIFY ONE FAKE FROM ANOTHER FAKE OR TREATED STONE...PS REAL TURQUOISE DOES NOT BURN! IT GATHERS SOOT ON ITS SURFACE LOL ...JUST LIKE ALL POLISHED STONES...A MORE ACCURATE "INDICATOR" WOULD BE THE COLDNESS OF A STONE, AT ROOM TEMP. A NAT. STONE FELLS COLDER THAN A TREATED STONE AGAINST THE SKIN...PRETTY SIMILAR TO THE TOUCHING OF MARBLE IN ROOM TEMP. STILL FEELS "COLD TO THE TOUCH" WHILE A FAKE WOULD FEEL ROOM TEMP...SEE MY EXPLAINATION ON HOW TO TELL THE REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 2 ABOVE.
I nearly didn't watch this due to the negative comments....I'm Thinking that you don't understand English that well because this was very very informative he answered all the questions or maybe there are to many trolls!
$17,000 for a quarter size piece? I've talked to so many people and never heard them say that a rare piece can cost in the thousands. I know I can't afford a strand of any US mine and they're in the hundreds, let alone a already made product. I do believe in grades, colors and where mined come into cost, but YIKES, where in tarnation are these pieces, in a museum? Besides all that, he never did an actual test to determine the difference.
Great interview. I understand quite a bit more than I did. Basically the stone comes from one of the top 5 mines. Must be certified natural. Darker or richer in color equals increased cost. If you want a natural stone avoid the small bits that have been bonded and sold as "natural". Some disreputable dealers will not mention these stones are not natural. They can also take a stone and dye it and sell it as real but natural is the key word. A certified natural stone from one of the mines is what you want to acquire.
it was obviously too RUSHED of an interview to answer all questions well - Natural means how the rock came out of the mine. FAKE is related to: a different stone that is made to look like turquoise= for example Howlite is a NATURAL NOT FAKE stone BUT if it is colored/dyed to look like turquoise and sold as turquoise (which is pricier) then it can be called FAKE. ALSo, whenever they process turquoise and add dyes, or plastic, waxes and oil the is NO LONGER all NATURAL !!-- Some imitations and processed Turquoises are TOO GOOD to spot with the naked eye or for someone who is not a real conocetour on the business of crystals, gems or fossils... I'd say your best bet is to ask for a certificate or check with your local gemologist. (I look for color stability - 90% of what is in the market nowadays is dye Howlite )
so, how do you KNOW if its FAKE when your buying an older piece of jewelry and the certificate is no longer WITH the piece because it was bought 50 years ago and passed down. We want to know how to IDENTIFY natural vs manmade. DERP
Not only a waste of time, it does nothing to help a buyer. Depending on a sellers paperwork to be honest is how many people are "taken" by crooked sellers.
He doesn’t tell exactly what’s the right one….which is the question need to be answered but he just dance, in that’s what is called #BusinessUsual! Sucks !!! Now we don’t need to buy real one …simply because, you don’t even know if it real or not!!! There’s no such…or don’t buy both!!!
So, the expert doesn’t know how to identify real from fake?? And another thing, how about quality of the stone? How can you say this stone has more value because of where it’s mined...that’s bs, you can still get a shit stone from that particular mine whereas you might a nicer better quality from a small mine or mined yourself 🙄🤯🤯🤯👎🏼
So..... the answer issssss??????? Ugh honestly what ttttttt ffffff. It’s simple. U scratch it, wipe it If it is white it’s fake. Ugh honestly. If u like u buy it u bought it cos u like it.... hell no. I fkn bought it cos it’s a precious gem.
Not enough detail given in my book, just a quick overview basically. He should have gotten more into the manufacturing process and compared side by side the differences by feel, look, hardness etc....
People in comments suggesting we only buy from reputable trusted sellers & that we insist on seeing the documentation proving where the stones originated from... what about folks like myself who inherited pieces from deceased relatives, or received jewelry as a gift? I can't contact the person who sold these pieces to grandma 40 years ago, and I also can't afford proper testing by a gemologist...
It shouldn't be mined. If you are using it for spiritual use then you are doing it wrong when buying it from a mined source. If you are buying it for use as decoration you are doing it wrong. If you are applying monetary value to it you are doing it wrong.
Not a word from the white man in white, about the huge importance that turquoise has to the First Nations, and indeed the Tibetans ;....its significance , its powers both physical and spiritual and how it was worn as adornment dating back to thousands of years.
A fake is not a real gemstone it is art!. No ifs or butts!!. Makes the miner/cutter/Jewellery their value time an labor not worth nothing and consumer will not appreciate the real beauty!.
What did I just watch? He told us nothing... guys dyed howellite is often sold as turquoise but it doesn't shine like what hes showing, it doesn't hold the dark blues as well and dyed magnesite is also sold as fake turquoise but it is legal because it's the same mineral. Know who your buying from and if they can't show u proof of where it came from dont buy it. Because reconstituted Stone looks a lot like it and so does dyed glass!! Be careful ♥️ hope that helped more than this man's tap dance did.
To understand turquoise - you need to study the nature of it and the best to buy from experience seller ...other stuff just pressed shark with color and glue ....on my understanding ....
He said the lighter the turquoise, the less valuable it is. That might be true overall-what about Dry Creek turquoise? Is Dry Creek turquoise cheap and less desired?
Stabilized turquoise is still turquoise. It HAS to have a resin in it to harden it up so that it can be cut. Most people can't afford gem grade turquoise, and you're likely never to see it unless you mine it and/or work with it yourself. It's expensive because it is scarce. Most of the turquoise on the market (if it is real) is stabilized. The majority on the turquoise on the display in the video above are stabilized.
This video some 9 years old. There was no mention of the word “stabilized,” something he may have mentioned, but didn’t use the word. “Stabilized” is what I heard about in other YT videos that most of the turquoise being sold these days is. The way way I heard it explained in other YT videos is, basically, that it is is a process by which pieces of real turquoise are pressed or fused? together, then filled with a resin of some sort to make the desired size and shape of stone.
part of the problem is this guy is so knowledgeable and ethical that's the only way he knows how to answer the questions and in 5 minutes, really? however the turquoise expert would make a great politician he is able to fill up time without much applicable content
Lol, people are so funny.... He is trying to tell you that 'fake' and 'real' isn't the question to be asking. The question is, "natural' or 'treated'/ 'enhanced'. Every person has unique perspective and what they want in a stone and what the word 'fake' means....e.g. It is turquoise but it has been dyed. Maybe you can do a test to check if it has been dyed but you can't do a test to see if it's turquoise because you will get a positive but that won't tell you if it's dyed, if that is what you are worried about. Or likewise, doing a stone test won't help you, and that also will rule out telling you if it's howlite. Further, he tells you that you have to learn to recognize the patterns. The only turquoise that is really 'fake' is plastic which you should be able to figure out from the plastic side. Otherwise they are all turquoises which have been enhanced in some way and there will be a different test for each type of enhancement or treatment. No magic wands for turquoise, but this vid is a good start to knowing what you need to know. Obviously 165 people on this page know nothing. Sorry that not everything in life can be understood in 1 easy to follow sentence, lol...… people
Easy to fake. How can you tell before you buy? I want real no matter how beautiful. Not all will be honest enough to tell you. So I've learned nothing about real here.
I bought a necklace made of torquiose stones from pakistan. if the stones are left alone for quiet a long time, the color is bluish green but when the stones are rubbed by the hands, the color gradually changes to blue and the "veins" are showing boldly.
So many people here bitching because he doesn't actually say how to id. But as he said, it's very complicated and for the ordinary person the best strategy is to make the retailer describe the stone on the receipt. That way they have evidence if they discover later that they were misrepresented. There are so many treatments and simulants it would take a lot longer than the time he was given to explain how to separate them all.
About 90% of turquoise on the market these days that is not plastic is actually dyed howlite, how lite stone has been used to imitate other stones for quite a while now, it is usually white and can be dyed easily, some howlite ''turquoise'' is really well made and they even imitate the stone matrix in it. Still made of stone but not turquoise. If you have howlite jewelry, what will happen is if the stone is in contact with your skin and sweat, the color will gradually fade. When I see a piece of turquoise that is in fact howlite, I can tell right away, even from a photo if it's not all blurry. But most people buy howlite jewelry and have no clue.
This guys not stupid, he really didn't want to tell you how to distinguish a real stone from a fake but he's on there to promote his book. Just go to a library or do you research on the net
Here goes my two cents, and not worth a penny more because I'm NOT a gemologist. This news report is old but it did give some hints into "natural" turquoise which you would consider the real deal! I buy Turquoise but not "natural" because of the expense. Turquoise in its natural state, as nature made it, once cut and polished by a professional can cost in the thousands. Natural turquoise maybe worked or cut into cabochons, or whatever. The price is up there with expensive gems and sad to say I can't afford. So I buy "real" turquoise from a dealer - it comes with a certificate indicating the mine it originated from. REAL Turquoise is made from NATURAL turquoise -- this is treated and processed by some of the methods described in the video, to form nuggets, rounds, cabochons, this turquoise is no longer in its natural state, but it is still considered turquoise. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, this "real" turquoise is still expensive, I pay $70 dollars for a strand of small nuggets. I purchase real turquoise at a gem and mineral show I attend in San Jose, CA - gemologists with a microscope are on hand to examine. They encouraged me to always seek their advice since they eject corrupt sellers who make false claims, such as howlite being turquoise. So only a gemologist with her/his equipment can identify if plastic, synthetic, real, or natural. Some artificial turquoise can look very good but if the price is too good to be true then it is. Some of the comments below add interesting ways to tell if the turquoise is fake. The only thing I would never do is stick my gem in the fire to see if it melts only because I've heard some gems can explode. That being said, I do not know if this applies to turquoise, but I hate to test this theory on a good piece. Artificial turquoise is also made from other minerals that will not melt.
