Natural vs Treated Turquoise

Treatment of turquoise is important for the trade, especially commercial jewelry, because over 80% of all turquoise mined requires some form of treatment to increase hardness and/or maintain its color. In this video we see examples of both treated and natural turquoise from the same mine. Can you tell the difference? #turquoise #number8 #stabilizedturquoise #treatedturquoise

[@BlessedBaubles]

I guess i have a long way to go because I thought those 2 larger pieces were the most beautiful. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤔

[@amitisart]

Some signs that I used are: 1. A very uniform colour: Stabilised turquoise usually looks too perfect or even in colour. 2. Lack of matrix: Stabilised turquoise usually has less matrix than natural turquoise. 3. Smooth texture: Stabilisation can make turquoise smoother and more polished, while natural turquoise may have a more textured surface. 4. Durability: Stabilised turquoise is more damage-resistant and doesn't scratch easily.

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Good points

[@MohammadAdhami-xz3gh]

سلام استاد. واقعا سپاس ازت‌ چون بینهایت استفاده کردم و از دانش تو لذت بردم

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@elizabethkjewelryandart]

Thanks for your videos. Honestly, it's very hard to see that two of those stones are stabilized over the screen. Do you have any practical tips on identifying stabilized and/or block turquoise by sight?

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

It is often challenging to discern treated stone by sight. It is even more so from a photo. Also the quality of treatment may vary greatly. As I said in the video discernment is often more a sense that comes after seeing lots of natural turquoise, a feeling, an ability to know the energy, frequency and vibration of natural turquoise. One practical way is price. Since over 80% of all turquoise must be treated in some manner most jewelry will contain treated turquoise. Price is another determinant. If the jewelry is inexpensive one major reason will be treated turquoise. The only true way to ascertain treated stone is to have it tested and this adds cost and, in the case of enhanced turquoise using the Zachery process of growing silica in the stone, often undetectable. Much of the jewelry on the shopping networks contains enhanced turquoise because the GIA, the Gemological Institute of America, considers enhanced turquoise as natural. Most who really know turquoise do not.

[@elizabethkjewelryandart]

​@@turquoiseinamerica3164 Thank you for responding! I did not know that about the GIA. Interesting. I fully expect shopping channel turquoise to be enhanced as I do most of the beads on the market. I do get a feeling about whether turquoise jewelry from out in the wild is enhanced, but it's hard to put my finger on exactly what it is. I'll have to look at the Zachery process. I didn't know about that type of treatment.

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

@@elizabethkjewelryandart Jim Zachery, a member of the Zachery turquoise family, was an electrical engineer working in the computer chip industry. Much as computer chips are made by creating silicon, he devised a method to grow silica crystals within turquoise. I believe it important to use a standard terminology when discussing treatment. Stabilized means injecting plastic, either epoxy or acrylic, into the turquoise while enhanced refers to the Zachery process. Imitation turquoise refers to plastic, compressed block or another stone, such as howlite, dyed blue.

[@elizabethkjewelryandart]

@@turquoiseinamerica3164 I am keeping this for future reference. Thanks so much for your help!

[@nevadaminer5977]

Mike, any future videos on new turquoise deposits/mines?

[@seiko9361]

Hi make a video on how to know if your natural clean blue turquoise will turn green or not . I dont like green turquoise whereas the stabilized ones dont change colour . How can one determine that the stone he is going to buy will stay blue rather than going green ?!

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Generally with natural turquoise the higher the grade the harder the stone and less chance of absorption of oil and color change. As you note treated turquoise will fill the porous natural with plastic or other material

[@ericbabcock846]

Everyone needs to learn about the QUARTZ or silica content of GEM quality turquoise. It is shiny and translucent from its hardness EB

[@parvizirany]

🎉🎉🎉

[@jamesburke6078]

I found a nugget... solid yellow with buck teeth and eyes.... it's a gold nugget from McDonald's 😂😂😂... but I saw where one sold for 100$!😮

[@vimsyvrajan2387]

Does real turquoise beads feel cold on touch?

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Not that I know. For me treated turquoise has a different vibrational frequency coming from the plastic.

[@jzak5723]

Seems I read somewhere that Kingman uses a special process to stabilize their turquoise, I don't know if it is a unique process only to them, maybe you can comment on that for me. Thanks, glad I found your videos as I am just starting to accumulate some American turquoise for the love of it, and for investment.

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

The top treatments are by those with years of experience developing their process, including Kingman Turquoise.

[@pamelacarothers1373]

Thank you

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

You're welcome

[@Jshankarpatel532]

Thank you so much Sir nice video 👍👌👍👌👍👌👍👌🙏🇮🇳🙂India

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Most welcome

[@twokois7032]

I'm wanting to buy Natural turquoise. And my seller was explaining how I can not simply drill to make beads strait from the mine. It will need to be stabilized or even enchanted. However my teacher showed me otherwise + this video... I'm so confused! I'd love to understand how I can simply purchase some Natural Turquoise please))

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

There is a small but active market in natural turquoise. You will need to search for the dealers. Currently in Santa Fe several dealers in natural turquoise are available. Be prepared to pay a significant premium over stabilized stone but know you are getting good value.

[@arttrip1313]

Hi Mike, we really enjoy your videos and your dedication to turquoise. You state that "there is only one commercial application for turquoise, and that is as jewelry". Actually, there is another: as material for native american carvings, also known as fetishes. I have several really beautiful Zuni carvings made from turquoise. The majority is probably stabilized, but there are some really great fetishes made from natural turquoise. They can be hard to tell apart, and I would appreciate more practical ways to discern whether the stone is treated or not. If needed, I could post images of several carvings of really beautiful turquoise, and find out your opinion of its origin. There is another application for turquoise, and it's worth exploring. Thank you again.

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Thank you for pointing out that turquoise carvings are another application. Since turquoise is relatively soft and carving requires hard stone for detailed work we may indeed assume that most fetishes, especially more recent ones are carved from stabilized stone. Also the price of natural high grade turquoise with hardness suitable for carving is prohibitive. Determining treated stone by sight is difficult. Poorly treated material has discernible flaws but well treated stone may appear natural. The only true way is from testing. For many the difference is felt. Plastic resonates at a different frequency than natural stone but this faculty requires development. If you have a fetish carved prior to about 1960, when chemical treatment entered the market, it was carved from natural turquoise.

[@arttrip1313]

@@turquoiseinamerica3164 Thank you for the information. I have several carvings which feature beautiful turquoise, whether treated or untreated is always the question. However, the quality of the fetish is the key, and the material used is only the source. Zuni carvers like to marry the animal featured with the natural quality discerned within the stone. As a result, there are some outstanding examples of beautiful turquoise and creative carving. Thank you again for the quick response and the great videos. I am ordering your book as a result.

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Thanks for your support. I have a beautiful tiny bear carved by Leekya Deyuse that is certainly carved from natural turquoise. It is a treasure.

[@ericbabcock846]

I think he meant adornment culturally throughout the world Duh..fetish are applied decoration almost pre jewelry .. You're trying to hard EB

[@mannysaabedra4342]

I made the mistake in cleaning my silver turquoise cuff in boiling water it turned whitish blue can I get the darker blue green color back thanx!!

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

Better ask a jeweler, not a turquoise historian.

[@ericbabcock846]

Show examples up close please limit pieces in comparison teach about quartz content & silica seeping into magnasite so they all learn magnasite controversy of being colorless quartz less " chalk"EB

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

I look forward to seeing your examples of geology of turquoise.

[@edwins2595]

The sound is terrible.

[@user-jx8py5ly6z]

No difference at All

[@turquoiseinamerica3164]

When you alter the chemical formula of any mineral by injecting plastic into it there is certainly a difference from the untreated stone. You may not see a difference, or care,but many do and are willing to pay much higher price for the natural turquoise.