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Turquoise

Azure sky, robin’s egg blue: Vivid shades of turquoise define the color that’s named after this gem.

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Figure 1. From left: Jacob Lowry, Sean Hyrons, Matthew Wernz, and Kenneth Van Wey engage in a panel discussion titled “Laws: Liabilities and Protections.” Photo courtesy of the Turquoise Museum.

Turquoise United Conference 2023

Alex Goodsuhm and Aaron Palke, November 3, 2023

A recap of the second annual Turquoise United Conference.

An 84.90 ct sphere of Armenian turquoise measuring 23.70 × 23.88 × 23.91 mm displays a striking resemblance to planet Earth. Left: Diffuse fiber-optic lighting allows the face of the stone to be seen in full. Right: Pinpoint fiber-optic lighting creates an appearance of day and night cast onto Earth. Gifted to GIA’s colored stone reference collection by Gemfab CJSC. Photos by Britni LeCroy.

Turquoise Planet Earth

Britni LeCroy, November 3, 2023

A sphere of Armenian turquoise with natural brown matrix material mimics planet Earth.

Figure 1. A look inside Adamas Jewelers in San Dimas, California, operated by Chi Huynh and his brother Kiet. The store carries Galatea’s jewelry and is decorated with Huynh’s wood carvings and paintings, including the boat-style showcases inspired by the family’s journey from Vietnam. Photo by Tao Hsu.

Never Stop Innovating: Gem Artist Chi Huynh

Tao Hsu, Artitaya Homkrajae, and Kevin Schumacher, January 25, 2023

Profiles a groundbreaking gem artist on a quest to bring new concepts, techniques, and products to the industry.

Figure 1. The appearance of natural high-quality turquoise and porcelain-treated turquoise. Left: Natural high-quality turquoise with various colors (the rightmost bead has a diameter of 10.0 mm). Right: Porcelain-treated turquoise with appearance and colors similar to those of natural high-quality turquoise (the smallest bead measures 6.0 × 5.0 mm). Photos by Liying Huang.

Composition and Spectral Characteristics of Porcelain-Treated Turquoise

Liying Huang, Quanli Chen, Yan Li, Zuowei Yin, Fengshun Xu, Xinxin Gao, and Yang Du, January 25, 2023

Characterizes turquoise treated with an inorganic additive that dramatically improves the luster and color of low- and medium-quality material.

Rough turquoise produced in Hubei Province, China.

Gemological Characteristics of Low-Temperature “Gel-Filled” Turquoise

Quanli Chen, Andi Zhao, Yan Li, Yanhan Wu, and Tianchang Liu, November 11, 2022

A report on the examination of “gel-filled” turquoise produced in Zhushan County in Hubai Province, China.

The “Miner’s Fantasy Mine” gem pocket replica highlights various gems and minerals mined in San Diego County.

Hidden Gems at the San Diego Natural History Museum

Erica Zaidman, November 11, 2022

Each level of the vertical Hidden Gems exhibit offers a different theme at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Inaugural Turquoise United Conference

Tao Hsu and Aaron Palke, November 11, 2022

A report on the first-ever Turquoise United conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Cross section of one bead showed barite, minor calcite, and a black filling.

Barite-Calcite Composite as Imitation “Wulanhua” Turquoise from Hubei Province, China

Shu-Hong Lin, Yu-Ho Li, and Huei-Fen Chen, May 13, 2022

“Wulanhua” turquoise bracelet identified as composite material made of barite, calcite, and blue dye.

Persian Turquoise: The Ancient Treasure of Neyshabur

Bahareh Shirdam, Andy H. Shen, Mingxing Yang, Zahra Mokhtari, and Hamed Fazliani, November 10, 2021

Reports on the geology, background, and current state of mining and production at Iran’s largest turquoise mine.

Massive blue turquoise from the mine in Hubei Province

Unique Raindrop Pattern of Turquoise from Hubei, China

Ling Liu, Mingxing Yang, and Yan Li, January 22, 2021

Presents spectroscopic and chemical analysis of a new variety of turquoise with a rare raindrop pattern with saturated colors.

This Month's

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Found in lava, meteorites, and deep in the earth’s mantle, yellow-green peridot is the extreme gem.

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Diamond

Diamonds are among nature’s most precious and beautiful creations.

Emerald

Emerald is the bluish green to green variety of beryl, a mineral species that includes aquamarine.

Citrine

Citrine is the transparent, pale yellow to brownish orange variety of quartz.

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Turquoise

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Turquoise

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Peridot

Fancy Color Diamond

Diamond

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