Turquoise Jewelry
1980s Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Tsavorite, Turquoise, 14k Gold, White Gold, Enamel
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Onyx, Turquoise, Platinum
1990s European Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, Platinum
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1980s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Ruby, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, Platinum
20th Century Asian Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Cultured Pearl, Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century North American Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Agate, Pearl, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1980s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 14k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Onyx, Topaz, Turquoise, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Onyx, Topaz, Turquoise, Platinum
Late 20th Century Unknown Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Turquoise, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, Turquoise, Agate, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, ...
1950s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Agate, Carnelian, Onyx, Tourmaline, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, Platinum
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 14k Gold, White Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Turquoise, Platinum
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Spinel, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1950s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1970s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise
1990s European Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1950s Dutch Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
1640s Unknown Retro Antique Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Yellow Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Topaz, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Turkish Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
Mid-20th Century Unknown Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, Enamel
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Onyx, Turquoise, Platinum
1980s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 9k Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s French Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century North American Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s American Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Jade, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1970s European Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold
1960s French Retro Vintage Turquoise Jewelry
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow 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.