Stone Beads — Turquoise, Chrysocolla

There is much mystique on the topic of Turquoise. It is timeless in it's beauty, never going out of style. New fashion trends may highlight it, or pass it by, but it never, truly, goes out of style. Consequently, as with any other highly desirable natural resource, mines have been mined until the deposits are significantly reduced. Seller will offer stones that were once rejected as poor quality. Ways have been found to enhance it, upgrade it, turn poor quality deposits into more beautiful, more durable, more desirable stones. And, yes, even to imitate it completely.

We disclose everything we know about a stone. Turquoise is inherently soft, and much of it has been stabilized (with quartz or silica) to make it hard enough to withstand the rough and tumble of everyday use. Some has been colour-enhanced - this process permanently enriches the colour and makes it more uniform. Some turquoise is "reconstituted" - small pieces and left overs from cuttings are ground and bonded together into blocks and carved.

Turquoise goes well combined with ornate silver beads, and, surprisingly, is fabulous when combined with Coral or ruby-red beads.

We try to choose consistent stock, but the nature of natural stones is that there will be inconsistency between strands and between individual beads.