How to Find Genuine Turquoise Jewelry

Turquoise jewelry is a very popular piece of jewelry. It has maintained the test of time and trends; continually re-inventing itself. You can find turquoise necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings. It's one of the most recognized semiprecious gemstones. The name turquoise comes from French Pierre turquoise, meaning "Turkish stone." The stone is softer than quartz, so it's usually treated to make it stronger. Colors range from sky blue shades to grayish-green.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Look for the words "genuine" or "authentic" when considering turquoise jewelry.
2. Find a jeweler who specializes in genuine turquoise jewelry. It may be someone who offers Native American jewelry and beads.
3. Read up on turquoise. It is usually given a grade. AA- means it's a high grade natural turquoise which comes from Arizona. A-B- turquoise comes from mines in China, Mexico or the United States. There are so many different types of turquoise, the variation in color and appearance can be remarkable.
4. Go online and search for turquoise jewelry.You'll find some shops that make handcrafted jewelry from natural turquoise.
5. Know that some popular brands are Carico Lake, Number 8, Kingman, Fox, Crescent Valley, Pinto Valley and Tonopah Turquoise.
6. Purchase from a reputable source and make sure there's a refund policy. If it's authentic turquoise, there's no reason the store wouldn't back its product.

Tips & Warnings

• Beware that several stones can be dyed to look like turquoise. This includes dolomite and magnesite. Plastic, glass and ceramic can also resemble true turquoise.