Turquoise Jewelry
20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1970s Modern Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Amazonite, Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Rhodocrosite, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Turquoise, Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, 14k Gold
1990s Italian Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
1930s American Baroque Revival Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold, Brass, Gilt Metal
1980s Thai Art Deco Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century English Modernist Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Silver
1920s Art Deco Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
19th Century Unknown Egyptian Revival Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1970s American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
Early 2000s American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Topaz, Turquoise, Blue Topaz, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Ruby, Turquoise, Silver
Late 20th Century Swiss Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century British Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Kunzite, Turquoise, Vermeil
20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century French Turquoise Jewelry
Citrine, White Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold
1880s English Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, Enamel
1980s French Modern Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Turquoise Jewelry
Emerald, Turquoise
1890s Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Vermeil, Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Victorian Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modernist Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Egyptian Revival Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s French Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century North American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling 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.