Turquoise Museum

My Favorite Chapter in the New Book

davonna — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:04:33 +0000

My new book has over 64,000 words! Kind-a crazy. When I ask most people about their favorite part in the book, they tell me…the PICTURES!!! I think my wife did the best photography that has ever been done with turquoise. Her original approach to photographing turquoise concept shots and jewelry and other art in its many forms, makes the reader want to turn to the next page to see what is next.

I guess I will have to coax some of you to actually read some of the words.

As most of you know…I don’t care for the gemstone turquoise. What I am fascinated with is what turquoise represents in history and people: It is the people who mine, grind, use, sell and trade it that I am drawn too. Sometimes when I autograph the book Turquoise Unearthed; I sign it with a little saying… “It’s all about the color of turquoise and the color of the characters who sell it. The only thing more colorful than turquoise itself; is the color of the characters who are selling it.” Everyone has a story and an opinion about turquoise and it is these stories and opinion that I find fascinating.

So, what is my favorite chapter in the new book? Chapter 7 Imitations!

Information and marketing of imitations is some of the most colorful history that ties together all information about turquoise: from its colors, world history, mystical qualities, science, mineralogy, marketing as well as everything else. And just like there is always a new mine on the market there is usually a few new imitations. It takes knowledge, passion and entrepreneurship to create an imitation. Can you create any imitation? I can’t.

Please read chapter 7. It might make you mad, but I guarantee that some of the personal stories will make you smile.

Top 25 Mines

davonna — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:12:14 +0000

Here is the scenario.

50 collectors of turquoise have the opportunity to purchase 25 turquoise cabochons that are equal in size and weight. The cabochons are natural and can be chosen from 100 different mines from around the world. Each cabochon represents the highest grade from each of these mines.

There are many reasons to purchase turquoise and several collectors have unique variables in how they define the rarest and best turquoise. For the sake of this unscientific study these collectors are trying to buy the most rare and valuable cabochons from the 100 mine selection. With a scenario of 50 collectors, we should be able to come up with a general guideline to what the top 25 mines in the world are.

These would be the first 25 stones I would purchase:

Number Eight (black web)
Bisbee
Persian (Clarity)
Lander Blue
Lone Mountain
Indian Mountain
Red Mountain
Godber
Morenci
Tyrone
Kingman
Chinese
Candelaria
Blue Gem
Altar (Clarity)
Sleeping Beauty (Clarity)
Manassa
Super X
Pilot Mountain
Stormy Mountain
Royston
Orvil Jack
Cerrillos
Fox
Carico Lake

Reasons:
An opinion is a wonderful thing until someone disagrees with it. If you disagree with mine, please send me yours. I will publish some of my reasons on the next couple of blogs. I might even have to change a couple of things as others opinions balance my opinion.

Merry Christmas,

Joe Dan

In My Opinion

davonna — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:10:13 +0000

Each of my top 5 mines have produced gem grade turquoise and are recognized throughout the world as some of the most collectible and valuable cabochons.

In my opinion, the gem grade cabochons from the Number Eight and Bisbee mines are the most recognizable and unique looking turquoises produced of these top 5 mines. Gem grade cabochons from these mines are the most, rare, collectible and valuable.

Gem grade Persian turquoise with clarity and gem grade Lander Blue and Lone Mountain turquoise are also rare, famous and recognizable turquoises. The difference between the turquoise produced from these three mines and turquoise from the Number Eight and Bisbee mines is that they do not produce as unique of a color and or matrix as the first two when compared to other turquoise mines in the world.

Gem grade turquoise with clarity can be produced by the Altar mine in Chile, South America as well as a few other locations from around the world. Therefore, Persian turquoise with clarity is the standard but that standard can be produced elsewhere and not just from the Iranian mines.

The Lander Blue turquoise mine is considered the most rare producer of turquoise of the top mines in the world; but there is more gem grade Lander Blue turquoise on the market than there is gem grade Number Eight and/or gem grade Bisbee. Therefore, it is more difficult to find a gem grade turquoise cabochon from my top 2 mines.

The Lone Mountain turquoise mine also produced some of the best turquoise in the world. But there is more gem grade Lone Mountain on the market than there is gem grade Number Eight and\or gem grade Bisbee.

Gem grade turquoise from other mines such as the Indian Mountain, Stenich, Orvil Jack, Red Mountain as well as Chinese turquoise can be similar to and misrepresented as Lander Blue or Lone Mountain turquoise. Therefore, in my opinion, gem grade turquoise from the Number Eight and Bisbee mines are the most unique, most difficult to find and valuable in the world.

I have no doubt that there are many other opinions out there.

How Rare is Natural Turquoise?

davonna — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:13:56 +0000

A man told me several years ago that, “there is no way that turquoise is rare. All anyone has to do is look at all the turquoise Indian jewelry gift shops.” My response was that if we were going to gauge rarity by the number of gift shops; then I was pretty sure that there were at least five diamond jewelry stores to every turquoise store in every mall in the world.

In my opinion, natural turquoise is one of the rarest gemstones in the world, especially when the rarity of the mine source is included. In my studies, the average production of usable natural turquoise from an average mine source is about fifteen percent. Of that fifteen percent, I believe that less than three percent would be classified as the high grade. There are turquoise mines that produce a better percentage and there are turquoise mines that produce a lower percentage. This is why when discussing rarity of turquoise that the mine source is primary to the discussion.

In the next blog, I will rank my top twenty-five turquoise mines and give the reasons why. I hope some of you will do the same and we can compare our lists and reasons.