Turquoise Jewelry
Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 15k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Turquoise Jewelry
White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, Rose Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Amethyst, Chalcedony, Chrysophrase, Citrine, Tourmaline, Turquoise, Aqua...
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Turquoise Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Russian Art Nouveau Turquoise Jewelry
Garnet
Early 20th Century Russian Art Nouveau Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond
1950s Italian Artisan Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Onyx, Yellow Gold, Silver, 14k Gold
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, Silver, Ye...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Onyx, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
1860s British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 15k Gold
1840s British Early Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Turquoise, 15k Gold
Early 19th Century English George IV Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1830s British George IV Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Turquoise, 15k Gold
Late 19th Century French Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Early 19th Century British Georgian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Mid-19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Rock Crystal, Turquoise, 15k Gold
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Ruby, Turquoise, 15k Gold
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Early 19th Century French Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
Vintage and Antique Turquoise Jewelry
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.