Jewelry dealers generally refer to turquoise by the name of the mine from which it originated, as turquoise from each place can be recognized by distinctive colors and veining patterns. The so-called Turquoise Trail, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, once held many turquoise deposits. Unfortunately, many of the historic turquoise mines of the Southwest have been depleted, although the Kingman mine has reopened and is one of the best sources of American turquoise today. If you want a piece pulled from one of the other well-known historical mines of the Southwest—Orvil Jack, Cerrillos, or Sleeping Beauty, for example—you'll have to buy an antique, or have the old turquoise reworked into a new piece. Many native jewelry makers rely on personal stashes of turquoise collected from antique pieces, or they may use turquoise imported from overseas.
Today there are five grades of turquoise on the market: natural, stabilized, treated, reconstituted, and imitation. Turquoise is inherently fragile, and most pieces have been treated with clear or colored epoxy to harden them. Natural turquoise that needs only be polished and set into a necklace represents a miniscule percentage of the pieces on today's market. In fact, natural, untreated turquoise is even rarer than diamonds.
Shopping for turquoise jewelry across New Mexico and Arizona can be overwhelming for the sheer volume and selection. Beautiful contemporary creations incorporate other minerals, stones, and gems from coral to pearls. If you choose a traditional Native American design, make sure you buy something authentic. Authenticity is a major issue not only for turquoise jewelry but all Native American crafts, since cheap knockoffs and fakes sold across the Southwest take millions of dollars of revenue from native artisans. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act can make it a felony to sell imitations billed as "authentic" Native American. The term "Indian handmade" means that a work has been created entirely by hand by a Native American artisan. "Indian crafted" means that Native American craftspeople have been involved in producing the item, but not necessarily in designing it.
Just as you would when buying diamonds and other precious gems, stick to a reputable dealer who will provide details about the artisan and grade of turquoise in writing. Tribal co-ops, like the Navajo Arts & Crafts Enterprise, with a handful of locations in New Mexico and Arizona, are an excellent bet for finding authentic pieces. The Santa Fe Indian Market, which takes place each August, is one of the best opportunities to interact with some of the region's most skilled masters of this enchanting blue mineral so synonymous with the American Southwest.
