Turquoise Nugget
Antique 1880s Victorian Link Necklaces
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s American Artisan Solitaire Rings
Turquoise, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Modernist Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Gold
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Link Necklaces
Turquoise, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Hematite, Turquoise, 14k Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Stone, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s American Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Collectible Jewelry
Mother-of-Pearl
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern Link Bracelets
Diamond, Turquoise, Yellow Gold
2010s American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Turquoise Matrix, Silver Plate
2010s American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s French Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Vermeil
Mid-20th Century Link Bracelets
Cultured Pearl, Turquoise, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s American Artisan Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Byzantine Chain Necklaces
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold
Mid-20th Century American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Agate, Onyx, Sterling Silver
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Freshwater Pearl, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American More Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Fashion Rings
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Vanity Items
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Collectible Jewelry
Silver
Early 2000s American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Silver
Late 20th Century Unknown Artisan Charm Bracelets
Amethyst, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Beaded Necklaces
Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s German Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Silver
Vintage 1970s American Native American Fashion Rings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Unknown Modern Beaded Necklaces
2010s American Egyptian Revival Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, 22k Gold, 24k Gold
2010s American Egyptian Revival Drop Necklaces
Agate, Coral, Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American More Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Gold, 10k Gold, 22k Gold, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Vanity Items
Coral, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Antique Early 19th Century American Georgian Beaded Bracelets
Agate, Moonstone, Turquoise, Gold Plate, Pinchbeck
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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.