Turquoise Jewelry
20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Jade, Coral, Turquoise Matrix, Turquoise, Freshwater Pearl, Pearl, Multi...
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Yellow Gold
1980s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Coral, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
1950s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise
1880s Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Amethyst, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Enamel
2010s Indian Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1950s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Thai Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Diamond, Coral, Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 22k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise Matrix, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
White Diamond, Blue Topaz, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Rubelite, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Carnelian, Moonstone, Freshwater Pearl, Turquoise, Vermeil, Sterling Sil...
2010s American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, White Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Turquoise Jewelry
Amethyst, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
Late 20th Century American Modernist Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
1980s American Modernist Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 19th Century Indian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, Garnet, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Tiger's Eye, Turqu...
Mid-20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, Sapphire, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Byzantine Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s Unknown Aesthetic Movement Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
2010s American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Jade, Quartz, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Vermeil
Early 20th Century Edwardian Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum
2010s French Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Turquoise, Silver
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.