Turquoise Stone
History of Native American Turquoise Jewelry in the Usa
The Beautiful blue and green hues of turquoise have long been prized by the Native American peoples of the southwestern part of the USA. Entire cultures were built on mining turquoise and crafting sacred and special items from the attractive stone in areas which are now part of both New Mexico and Nevada. American Indian peoples were making necklace strands and other turquoise jewelry by hand many centuries before the first European settlers arrived. Because turquoise was so highly prized, it was widely exchanged and circulated among the Native peoples of the Americas, and the each of the tribes developed their own unique names for the striking blue stone. Scientific testing has proven that some ancient beads found in central and South America were originally dug from the Cerrillos turquoise mines near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
When the Europeans brought the technology of working metals like silver with them to the new world, the American Indians who learned the silver smith trade learned eventually began to add turquoise with the silver to develop their own special style of jewelry. A Zuni man by the name of Kineshde is believed to be the first to add turquoise to the hand crafted silver items he was making in the late 1800s.
Turquoise first came into popular high fashion in the US during the early 1890s, but Persian turquoise was the focus of the demand at that time, and only a few deposits of high quality turquoise were known in the US. In the following years, a number of high quality deposits previously worked by Native Americans were “rediscovered”, and shortly after 1900 and Americans began to recognize that American turquoise from the Western US was the equal of any in the world. Interest again began to peak around 1908-1910, and a considerable amount of American turquoise was mined, especially in Nevada. The majority of the Turquoise jewelry produced prior to 1910 was made by well-known jewelry manufacturing companies like Tiffany’s, and was produced in the standard Victorian styles of those times.
None of this was what we would recognize as Indian style turquoise jewelry. There were a few Native Americans making turquoise and silver pieces in what we now see as the traditional style, but they produced very few pieces and their very simple tools increased the man hours each piece needed for completion. That era was essentially the dawn of the traditional styles for silver-turquoise jewelry. America’s fascination with turquoise and genuine Indian Jewelry really began in earnest during the 1920′s when more people from outside the southwest began to see the beauty of this artistic jewelry. At that time, the Harvey House restaurant chain opened a number of facilities across the southwest during the great days of popular rail travel across the US. At first, Indian Jewelry was only sold as curios in the restaurants for the patrons touring the west. Earrings and thin, small bracelets stamped with arrows and bows and containing symmetrically cut small oval pieces of turquoise were the types most in demand. The pieces produced during this time are still termed as having been made in the “Fred Harvey” style. Heavy Indian Jewelry did not become popular until after 1925, when the classic squash-blossom necklaces were first brought to the tourist market. The squash-blossom craze lasted until about 1940, when they were discontinued for the most part by most Indian artisans for requiring too much work and too much turquoise.
In the 1920′s and 1930′s, the concho belt changed from a simple silver belt to a more ornate belt with one to multiple turquoise stones in all the individual sections of the belt. The tourist jewelry of that era is highly collectable today. It began to be noticed that sales of Native American jewelry had significant potential to provide a reliable income source to tribal members across Arizona and New Mexico. During those years, schools and classes were established at several reservations to train young men in the trade of making Native American style Sterling and turquoise jewelry. In the following decades, many very talented artists came out of these schools. During the years following WWII, many Americans traveled across the country, and on their trips through the Arizona-New Mexico area, discovered that local traders had rooms full of this Native American jewelry, which the traders called pawn pieces. Most of these were jewelry pieces the Indian people made for themselves and pawned for one of two reasons: either they needed money, or it was considered a safe storage place. As a result of the popularity of these pawn pieces, a host of trading posts sprang up in the Southwest and knowledge of this unique style of jewelry became much more widespread. New jewelry was also created to meet the growing tourist demand. Those who appreciated the beautiful American turquoise began to recognize the general differences in matrix patterns and color, etc. between the different mine sources. During this time, which extended to the early 1950′s, turquoise began to be named, for sales purposes, after the mine in which it was found, such as Lone Mountain, Royston, Blue Gem, and others.
An increasing number of American Indians continued to handcraft silver jewelry in the 1950s and early 1960′s in the traditional way. Up to that time their work was generally popular only in the southwest region of the US, but the increasing amount of material available began to enable a larger audience to see and appreciate this beautiful style of jewelry art. Even so, it did not become widely popular across the entire US until the late 1960′s and early 1970′s. At that time the simple and natural beauty of turquoise jewelry became the rage of the American fashion scene. The prices of the old pawn jewelry rocketed upward, and a craze for Indian turquoise jewelry swelled and boosted demand (and prices) for turquoise to previously undreamed levels.
The increased prices and demand caused the re-opening of many mines and the import of Indian “style” jewelry made by manufacturers in Mexico, Taiwan, and the Philippines. In time, the market became glutted, the consumer was confused by overpriced synthetic, stabilized and plastic imitation materials and by 1981 the supply was high but the demand was gone. The market collapsed and most of the American turquoise mines were shut down and have remained closed since that time. Turquoise demand hit a low water mark in the early 1980s, but has been slowly and steadily increasing in popularity since that time. Most American mines have remained closed, and in recent years high demand for natural American turquoise has caused once again significant increases in prices.
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Turquoise Stone Inspired Nail Art
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3A-18 Total Length 15.75″ Natural Turquoise Stone Necklace Jewelry A1128 $2.99 |
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Red Howlite Turquoise Gem Bead Stretchy Bracelet 8x22mm $3.99 |
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*SIGNED* VINTAGE STERLING SILVER NAVAJO TURQUOISE FIVE-STONE CUFF BRACELET $79.99 |
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4pcs TURQUOISE STONE Pendant（style of combination） $0.99 |
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10x14mm Pink Turquoise Nugget Beads 16.5″ $4.99 |
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18x13mm Purple Zebra Turquoise Oblong Loose Beads G2996 $8.99 |
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22X13X5,43X22X11MM 4 PCS MANMADE TURQUOISE BEADS $0.99 |
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16″ rare color Howlite Turquoise //FREE S/H(w4.0) $4.27 |
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16″ rare color turquoise howlite stone //13mm x 17mm(w4.0) $3.95 |
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9 carved Howlite TURQUOISE beads//30mm x 40mm(w3.0) $3.45 |
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16 1/2″ BEAUTIFUL BLUE TURQUOISE RECTANGLE SHAPE BEADS $0.99 |
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15 yellow /green howlite stone(w3.0) $3.45 |
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1pcs Round TURQUOISE STONE Pendant Round Size 37mm $0.99 |
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DOLPHIN Lovers Fetish Animal Earrings * Your choice of Stone / Color $8.98 |
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Turquoise Stones Long 2.50″ Chandelier Blue Briolette Earrings Gold Tone $15.75 |
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26X21MM AMAZING BLUE TURQUOISE RECTANGLE BEADS 16 1/2″ $0.99 |
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8MM Veins White Howlite Turquoise Round Loose Beads Strand 16″L $4.59 |
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TOP QUALITY 18K GOLD GP OVERLAY FIL BRASS TURQUOISE DANGLE 1.38″ STONE EARRING $11.99 |
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16″ BLUE TURQUOISE TUBE SHAPE BEADS 15X10MM $0.99 |
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18mm Blue Man-made Turquoise Coin Beads 15.5″ $8.99 |
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1pcs TURQUOISE STONE Heart Pendant size 55mm $0.99 |
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14x18mm Carved Yellow Turquoise Pumpkin Beads 15.5″ $6.99 |
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12mm Blue Turquoise Round Beads 16″ $7.99 |
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12mm Green Howlite Turquoise Shell Button Coin Beads $2.99 |
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8mm Round Howlite Turquoise Loose Beads Gemstone 16″ C $4.49 |
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13X18MM Howlite Turquoise Oval Loose Beads Gemstone Strand 16″L $4.99 |
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Turquoise Green Necklace 1MM Smooth Cylinder (14 Inch) $14.99 |
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6x14mm Blue Turquoise Wheel Beads 34pcs $5.99 |
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5mm Green Turquoise Round Beads 15.5″ $3.99 |
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8mm Yellow Turquoise Round Beads 16″ $5.99 |
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14mm BC 2800 COPPER TURQUOISE Square Beads Gemstone 16″ MEB10041 $11.99 |
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Exquisite Ethnic jewelry Turquoise & Tiger eye stone women’s Pendants necklace $22.89 |
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4MM – 12X12X6MM 15PCS TURQUOISE PIETERSITE GEMSTONE BEAD $0.99 |
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4mm Faceted White Turquoise Round Beads 16″ $4.99 |
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Navajo Turquoise Lapis Multi Stone Ring Size 10 1/2 SKU#222310 $131.00 |
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Wood Ring with Turquoise Stone $115 This wood ring with turquoise stone is more than just another statement piece. The large turquoise stone is offset by 14k gold vermeil. The pendant sits on a beautifully handcrafted wood band that complements the gold and luxurious stone. |
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Turquoise $76.47 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Turquoise is an opaque, bluetogreen mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)84H2O. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue. In recent times turquoise, like most other opaque gems, has been devalued by the introduction of treatments, imitations, and synthetics onto the market. The substance has been known by many names, but the word turquoise was derived around the 16th century from the French language turquie, for Iranian material which was early imported through Turkey. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Timpledon, Miriam T./ Marseken, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 122 Publication Date: 2010/06/14 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.28 inches |
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Ashley Cooper Turquoise Stone Necklace $25 One row stone necklace in turquoise off silver chain. |
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Morbid Metals Turquoise Stone Plugs 2 Pack $18 These turquoise acrylic plugs feature a replicated stone appearance. |
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Ashley Cooper Turquoise Stone Stretch Bracelet $10 One row stone stretch bracelet in turquoise. |
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Ashley Cooper Turquoise Stone Accent Necklace $20 Turquoise stone accent stone necklace from silver chain with tassel. |
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Turquoise Stone Money Clip $22 Handcrafted money clip – a stylish way to carry cash!. Handsome turquoise stone detail. Framed with sterling silver leafwork. Traditional money clip styling. Native American handmade jewelry, each piece is unique. Proudly made in the U.S.A.. Nickel money clip features genuine turquoise stone accents. Fancy sterling scroll and leafwork setting. Money clip is approximately 2″ long. |
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Turquoise stone ring $71.99 The finishing touch for the well-dressed man. Eye-catching genuine turquoise stone inset. Handcrafted with attention to detail. Sterling silver leafwork. Native American handmade jewelry, each piece is unique. Handcrafted ring features genuine turquoise stone inset. Sterling silver leafwork accents. Stone & setting measures approximately 3/4" x 1". Proudly made in the U.S.A. Genuine stone size and color may vary. This is a handcrafted piece of jewelry, and no two are exactly alike. Any variance in color or design is part of the uniqueness of this jewelry. |
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Faux Turquoise Stone Bolo $20 Nothing dresses a cowboy up like a bolo tie! . Crafted of zinc with beautiful silver-plated finish. Black leatherette braided cord. Silver-tone tips. Injection mold process with sprayed and baked on lacquer finish. A western bolo tie with beautiful turquoise-tone details! A silver-plated oval bolo with antique silver-tone and turquoise colored stone details on a classic black bolo cord. Mens bolo tie measures approximately 2″ x 12″ x 1″. Base metal is zinc. Imported. |
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Faux Turquoise Stone Stretch Bracelet $15.99 Faux Turquoise Stone Stretch Bracelet Make a striking statement with this designer inspired stretch bracelet. Faux turquoise stones add a touch of fashion flair to this comfortable stretch bangle. Specifications: One Size Fits Most, Stretchable |
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Large Turquoise Center Stone Stretch Ring $9.99 Large turquoise center stone with multi turquoise accents on silver oval stretch ring. |
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Ashley Cooper Square Turquoise Centered Stone Ring $9.99 Square turquoise centered stone set in silver antique stretched ring. |
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Ashley Cooper Two Row Turquoise Stone Necklace $20 Two row stone necklace in turquoise off silver chain. |
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Ashley Cooper Turquoise Stone Cluster Earrings $10 Turquoise stone cluster bead drop earrings on silver fishwire. |
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Ashley Cooper Turquoise Stone Flower Earrings $10 Inlay Turquoise stone flower earrings off Silver ox fishwire. |
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Ashley Cooper Button Post Earrings/Turquoise Stone $10 Button post earrings with turquoise center stone in circle of Silverox. |
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Unisex Turquoise Stone Scalloped Ring $40 Handcrafted, Southwest style turquoise jewelry. Scalloped sterling silver band. Turquoise chip inlay. Proudly made in the U.S.A.. Handcrafted jewelry, each piece is unique. Unisex sizing – order by ring size. The allure of turquoise jewelry is enhanced with our scalloped design turquoise ring. Quality sterling silver ring. Authentic turquoise chip inlays. Turquoise ring measures 3/16" wide. Genuine stone size and color may vary. This is a handcrafted ring, and no two are exactly alike. Any variance in color or design is part of the uniqueness of this jewelry. |
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Scalloped Turquoise Stone Buckle $48.99 Distinct design at an equally impressive price. Genuine turquoise center stone. Scalloped design etched in nickel silver. Native American handmade jewelry, each piece is unique . Elevate your ensemble with an intricately crafted nickle silver buckle! Or give as an extra special gift. Black enamel ground. Buckle measures approximately 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" and fits belts up to 1 1/2" wide. Proudly made in the U.S.A. Genuine stone size and color may vary. This is a handcrafted piece of jewelry, and no two are exactly alike. Any variance in color or design is part of the uniqueness of this jewelry. |
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00 Gauge Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug $10.99 00 Gauge Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug 10mm stone ear plug. Natural stone turquoise plug body jewelry. Natural stone jewelry will vary slightly in color and size. This stone concave plug is sold individually. Specifications: 00 Gauge (10mm), Natural Stone, Concave, Sold Individually |
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0 Gauge Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug $9.99 0 Gauge Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug 8mm stone ear plug. Natural stone turquoise plug body jewelry. Natural stone jewelry will vary slightly in color and size. This stone concave plug is sold individually. Specifications: 0 Gauge (8mm), Natural Stone, Concave, Sold Individually |
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1/2 Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug $11.99 1/2″ Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug 12mm stone ear plug. Natural stone turquoise plug body jewelry. Natural stone jewelry will vary slightly in color and size. This stone concave plug is sold individually. Specifications: 1/2″ (12mm), Natural Stone, Concave, Sold Individually |
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1 Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug $12.99 1″ Concave Pear Turquoise Stone Plug 25mm stone ear plug. Natural stone turquoise plug body jewelry. Natural stone jewelry will vary slightly in color and size. This stone concave plug is sold individually. Specifications: 1″ (25mm), Natural Stone, Concave, Sold Individually |