2 TURQUOISE NUGGETS KINGMAN

2 TURQUOISE NUGGETS KINGMAN

2 Turquoise Nuggets Kingman mine Arizona ready for collection or gemstone cutting.  Natural, rough stones.  These are unstabilised, solid and hard.  Great colour.

Location:
Kingman mine, Arizona, USA.

Dimensions:
2.6cm x 1.9cm x 1.4cm, 9.343g.  That would be 46ct.
2.6cm x 2.1cm x 1.5cm, 9.650g.  That would be 48ct.

TURQUOISE
Cu(Al,Fe3+)6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O.

Turquoise is a valuable mineral and is possibly the most valuable, non-transparent mineral in the jewelry trade. Turquoise has been mined since at least 6000 BC, by early Egyptians. Its history also includes beautiful ornamental creations by Native Americans and Persians. Its popularity is still strong today, although crystals of any size are rare.  Some small crystals have been found in Virginia. Most specimens are cryptocrystalline, meaning that the crystals could only be seen by a microscope.

The finest turquoise comes from Iran but is challenged by some southwestern United States specimens. Turquoise is often imitated by “fakes”, such as the mineral chrysocolla.  Poorer turquoise specimens are often dyed or colour stabilized with coatings of various resins.  Howlite is often dyed and used as fake turquoise.  The name comes from a French word which means stone of Turkey.  This is where Persian material passed on its way to Europe.

Turquoise – The colour of Tiffany.

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