Turquoise has graced the halls and tombs of Aztec kings and Egyptian pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, whose golden funeral mask is inlaid with turquoise. Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found right here in the American Southwest. But the future of the blue beauty is unclear.
On our recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth-generation turquoise traders who...read more
Turquoise has graced the halls and tombs of Aztec kings and Egyptian pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, whose golden funeral mask is inlaid with turquoise. Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found right here in the American Southwest. But the future of the blue beauty is unclear.
On our recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth-generation turquoise traders who explained that less than 5% of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about 20 mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.
We found a limited supply of turquoise from Arizona and snatched it up for our Arizona Kingman Turquoise Necklace. Inspired by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase this exceptional blue stone, each stabilized vibrant cabochon features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix surrounded in Bali metalwork.
