Turquoise Jewelry
1950s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold
1990s Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1970s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1990s European Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Unknown Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Turquoise, 14k Gold
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Agate, Turquoise, 14k Gold
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Mexican Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1960s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
1980s American Artisan Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1930s Victorian Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise
Late 20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century English Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Artisan Turquoise Jewelry
Ruby, Turquoise
Mid-20th Century American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
20th Century Mexican Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1990s American Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, White Diamond, Diamond, Enamel, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Mid-20th Century American Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1950s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1980s American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Emerald, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Art Deco Turquoise Jewelry
Iolite, Topaz, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1950s Italian Modernist Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Art Deco Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Moonstone, Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Turquoise, Gold, Platinum, Enamel
20th Century Unknown Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Sapphire, Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
1950s Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
White Diamond, Turquoise, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
1990s Dutch Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Turquoise Jewelry
Coral, Turquoise, Silver
1970s European Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Ruby, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Byzantine Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold
Late 20th Century Central American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise
20th Century Unknown Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Turquoise, Gold
1970s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1980s Italian Artisan Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Cultured Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, Agate, Yellow Gold, W...
1960s Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Silver
Mid-20th Century American Modern Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Silver
1960s American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1960s Contemporary Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
20th Century Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Silver
1950s American Native American Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Silver
Late 20th Century American Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1960s Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
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.