Graduated strand of turquoise rondelles 10mm to 5mm diameter
16-inch strand of beautiful blue turquoise with black matrix from the Kingman Mine in Arizone
This famous mine's history stretches into pre-history. Stone tools found there have been dated as early as 600 AD. It has also been very prolific, producing over 80,000 pounds of turquoise in 1973, the year I happened to be working as a silversmith's apprentice in Utah setting Kingman stones in silver rings! I thought the mine had closed, but apparently some turquoise is still coming out.
In speaking to various processors in Tucson this year I learned that all recently.
mined turquoise is stabilized. This is necessary because the explosives used in today's mining processes leave innumerable micro-cracks in the stone. These are filled with a clear liquid resin in which the "rough" is soaked for long periods of time until penetrates, and seals, all the cracks. At that point the stones can be safely cut, drilled for beads, and/or made into jewelry.
These beads are guaranteed to have NO color added to the resin, which means they will never fade as some treated beads do, nor will they become greener over time as untreated turquoise does when exposed to body oils and other substances.
Only one available although I also have a similar on just a little smaller
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