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For thousands of years, turquoise has been prized as much for its color as for its breathtakingly beautiful natural state. Turquoise has always been beautiful - both in ancient cultures and now for modern-day jewelry designers. As with all gemstones, there is a range of quality within the turquoise stone family. To understand which pieces of turquoise are of good quality, you need to know about some of the more important criteria.
If you create your own jewelry, you must select the proper type of turquoise for whatever design and strength of the piece you create. This turquoise purchasing guide will help give you confidence by offering valuable tips and instructions on how to select quality stones that meet your artistic goals. By combining the information in this document with curated collections of quality turquoise from reputable sources, such as GemstonesForSale, you can gain insight into the different ranges of quality turquoise and identify the best options for your projects.A Few Simple Steps for Choosing Turquoise
When selecting turquoise for your jewelry, an efficient way to check the quality before purchasing jewelry with turquoise is to assess the turquoise color as a key factor in the purchase, which is often the easiest to identify, followed closely by whether the matrix pattern, surface finish, and overall shape of the turquoise are appropriate for your design needs. Additionally, be sure to determine whether the turquoise selected is natural or has been treated; this factor will affect both the durability/maintenance of the finished jewelry item as well as the overall value of the item.
For example:
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A bright, smooth color is preferable.
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A matrix that looks natural is best suited for the piece.
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A smooth and shiny surface is desirable.
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An appropriate size and shape are critical for the piece.
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Be sure to carefully select multiple pieces of turquoise when designing or creating your jewelry.
Using this guideline, you will have a much better experience when selecting your turquoise stones for your finished jewelry.
Ready to buy genuine turquoise stones online? Explore high-quality turquoise gemstones for sale perfect for rings, pendants, earrings, and custom jewelry.
Examine the Tones and Colors
When buying turquoise jewelry, consider the color first. The color of your stones affects their value and appeal when making jewelry and creating a pleasing final product. Bright turquoise stones have improved colors: Deep sky blue or rich greenish colors make bright turquoise stones look best.
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For jewelry making, you want the color of all sides of the turquoise stone to be evenly distributed to create a balanced and symmetrical piece.
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Do not use turquoise stones that are noticeably pale or chalky in color (due to poor quality or defects).
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It is likely that the cause of the bright colors or abnormal color appearance is due to dye or other types of treatments applied to the stones
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Natural turquoise stones will change color slightly over time, which is a sign that they are real turquoise stones.
Evaluating Matrix Patterns
Turquoise has a matrix, or the matrix of the turquoise is its own natural web-like design. As turquoise forms from the surrounding rock, it creates the characteristic matrix that gives it character and is part of its appearance, especially for jewelry.
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Choose matrix patterns that look natural and flow smoothly across the stone.
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Pick designs that show off the stone's natural beauty instead of hiding its color.
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Stay away from patterns that look too fake or regular.
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Choose based on style: clean stones give a simple look, while "spiderweb" patterns add interest.
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For a finish that looks good, look for a balance between the matrix and the color
Check the Surface and Finish
A polished turquoise should feel and appear evenly polished, as the finish will help determine the quality of the turquoise piece and how long it will last on display.
When you look at the surface:
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Check for cracks or holes that aren't there.
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Look for a polish that is always the same.
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Stay away from finishes that are too shiny and plastic-like.
Many stones are stabilized to strengthen them because turquoise is not very hard. This is a normal and fine process, but it's important to be honest about it. Usually, trustworthy sellers like GemstonesForSale will let you know if a stone is natural or treated. This helps you make a wise choice.
Size, Shape, and Cut Considerations
When looking for a gemstone, you should also keep in mind its shape, size, and cut; all three of these features contribute to the overall worth of the gemstone, whether the gemstone is to be used in the creation of jewelry or the purchase of jewelry.
Turquoise can be found in many different shapes and sizes, but beads and cabochons are the most common. When you see:
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Pick cuts that are in ideal proportion.
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Check for balance and symmetry
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Prefer a thickness that is strong enough to last
If you’re learning how to pick turquoise for jewelry, think about how the stone will sit in its setting. A beautifully cut stone enhances the final design significantly.
Matching Stones for Jewelry Projects
Turquoise stones can be difficult to source because each one is distinct. However, when designing jewelry sets like earrings and necklaces, all stones should coordinate.
When matching turquoise stones:
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Compare the color saturation and tone
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Look for similar matrix styles
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Ensure that size and shape are consistent
To achieve the best matching result, observe your stones together in natural lighting. Most buyers prefer using established gemstone suppliers such as GemstoneForSale, so they do not have to do the work of sourcing pre-matched sets.
Know more - What does the best quality Turquoise look like?
Final Thoughts
It's worth the time spent learning how to properly identify quality turquoise stones through their color, matrix, surface, and technical quality so that you can confidently choose the best stones for yourself.
Take your time, evaluate many options, and deal only with reputable sellers; the experience gained through this process will greatly improve your ability to make good decisions about turquoise over time. Whether you are purchasing a single piece of turquoise or a whole collection, it is important to consider quality indicators to help ensure that you select the best options for yourself and that you will be pleased with beautiful and enduring pieces of turquoise.
FAQ
1. Which turquoise has the highest value?
Most of the time, the most valuable turquoises are the ones with the most even and bright colors. But darker green turquoises can also be very valuable.
2. What is a matrix in reference to turquoise? Is the presence of a matrix good or detrimental?
Neither! The matrix is just a matter of opinion. Many people think that having a beautiful, natural, and well-balanced matrix makes the beauty and originality of a stone even better.
3. How can you tell if the turquoise is real?
If a piece of turquoise looks too perfect and plastic, it is most likely fake. Look for natural color changes and matrix patterns in the stone.
4. What does it mean for turquoise to be stabilized?
Stabilized turquoise is the natural form of turquoise that has been treated to make it more colorful and long-lasting. It's usually okay to buy stabilized turquoise as long as it has been clearly marked as such, since stabilization is usually not very expensive.
5. Is natural turquoise worth more than treated turquoise?
Natural turquoise has usually been found to be much rarer than treated turquoise has historically. As a result, natural turquoise has tended to be more valuable than treated turquoise; however, there may be treated and stabilized turquoise of a higher quality or more durable nature than many natural turquoises.
6. Is it possible to avoid dyed turquoise?
You need to be cautious of stones that have an unnatural bright color and only purchase from reputable sellers such as GemstoneForSale.
7. Does the size of the turquoise stone impact its value?
Size can have an impact on value; however, quality can be much more important than size. In general, you will find that small quality stones are worth more than large, non-quality stones.
8. Who are the best turquoise sellers?
You should buy from reputable sellers such as GemstonesForSale, since they normally sell authentic stones and provide an exceptional amount of information regarding them.
