Journal
The idea of “natural” in the turquoise industry can be a little confusing. We often hear consumers and collectors ask if a piece of turquoise is real, if it is natural, or if it is imitation. What does that even mean? To start, I want to define some common terms. By definition, the term “natural” refers […]
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What is Enhanced Turquoise? Enhanced turquoise means that the stones have been treated to become better than the stone’s raw state. Most raw natural turquoise is a fairly brittle and porous material. The stone’s color can fade or change over time, and the stone itself is subject to cracking. High-grade turquoise stones don’t have many of these […]
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Is Reconstituted Turquoise Real Turquoise? At first glance, this looks like natural turquoise. But in reality this is reconstituted turquoise. It might have some real turquoise mixed in it during the making of it, but it is not considered natural. This type of turquoise is very common in the market, and it is also one of […]
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How is Turquoise Formed? Naturally occurring minerals are separated into two categories: primary and secondary. Turquoise is a secondary mineral. Unlike base elements such as copper or silver, it forms over time. Two natural processes and reactions occur in order to form turquoise. Weathering sets the stage as water passes through rocks and minerals dissolve. Over […]
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Tufa (also called tuff) is a type of volcanic stone. Massive volcanic explosions send millions of tons of ash into the air, which then settles in layers downwind. Over a long time, these ash layers are compressed into tufa, a light and porous volcanic stone. Tufa has been used by humans for centuries as a […]
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