Turquoise Nugget
Mid-20th Century Venezuelan Modernist Brooches
Ruby, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Victorian Beaded Necklaces
Topaz, Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Vermeil
21st Century and Contemporary American Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise Matrix, Vermeil, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise
Mid-20th Century American Native American Choker Necklaces
Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, 14k Gold
2010s American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Carnelian, Turquoise Matrix, Turquoise, 24k Gold
2010s American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Turquoise Matrix, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Silver, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Vermeil, Mixed Metal, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise Matrix, Turquoise, Silver, Mixed Metal
Late 20th Century North American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Artisan Wrist Watches
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise Matrix, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal
Mid-20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Modernist Hoop Earrings
Turquoise
Vintage 1960s Mexican Modernist Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Late Victorian Drop Necklaces
Turquoise
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American More Rings
Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Artist Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Turquoise, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Citrine, Cultured Pearl, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American More Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American More Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Artisan Dome Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Native American More Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise
Vintage 1960s American More Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Drop Necklaces
2010s German Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Silver
Vintage 1970s Unknown Brooches
Turquoise, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Modernist Multi-Strand Necklaces
1990s French Brooches
Turquoise
21st Century and Contemporary American Artist Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal
Antique Early 1900s Art Nouveau Chain Necklaces
Turquoise Matrix
Late 20th Century American Native American Vanity Items
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s Victorian Link Necklaces
Diamond, Tanzanite, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Carnelian, Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Artist Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Turquoise, Amethyst, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1950s American Wall-mounted Sculptures
2010s Australian Modern Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Turquoise Matrix, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Ster...
Late 20th Century American Collectible Jewelry
Vintage 1960s American Chain Necklaces
Turquoise, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s British Multi-Strand Necklaces
Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century North American Native American Beaded Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1960s Belts
Late 20th Century Navajo Native American Objects
Coral, Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
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Turquoise Nugget For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Turquoise Nugget?
The Legacy of Turquoise in Jewelry Design
The thought of vintage and antique turquoise jewelry often conjures up images of striking Navajo bracelets and necklaces worn with a denim shirt and cowboy boots. This all-American look has been celebrated by fashion designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger on their runways and in ad campaigns. In the October 2016 issue of Vogue magazine, Tom Ford said he only wears turquoise jewelry at his Santa Fe ranch. So what is it about this gorgeous blue-green stone that makes us wish that we were born in December?
It’s not surprising that turquoise is abundant in New Mexico and Arizona because, according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), it needs to be in “dry and barren regions where acidic, copper-rich groundwater seeps downward and reacts with minerals that contain phosphorus and aluminum.
Turquoise is not found in a single crystal but is a combination of microcrystals. Its appearance, waxy and opaque, is attributed to its structure and composition. “It’s an aggregate of microscopic crystals that form a solid mass. If the crystals are packed closely together, the material is less porous, so it has a finer texture. Fine-textured turquoise has an attractive, waxy luster when it’s polished. Turquoise with a less-dense crystal structure has higher porosity and coarser texture, resulting in a dull luster when it’s polished,” notes the GIA. Since no one wants to set a dull piece of turquoise, porous turquoise is often treated to make the stone more attractive.
In the United States, there have been discoveries of turquoise from 200 B.C. It is not just loose turquoise stones that have been found, but entire suites of jewelry from prehistoric times. In the late 19th-century, the Navajo Indians, who learned silversmithing from the Spanish, started to make beads out of turquoise and eventually combined it with silver around the 1880s. Initially this jewelry was for ceremonial purposes, but it became fashionable once the tourism in the Southwest picked up in the beginning of the 20th century.
Find antique and vintage turquoise rings, necklaces, bracelets and other accessories on 1stDibs.







