There could be a lot more of the outstanding Mongolian Turquoise to come out of Mongolia. Rio Tinto Mining and the Mongolian government recently closed a deal to actively produce the Turquoise Hill Mine in Mongolia.  For all of us in the Turquoise world, we hope that this will mean more of the gorgeous water web blue Mongolian Turquoise!  If you have never seen Mongolian Turquoise you probably do not know that it is some of the most beautiful natural Turquoise in the world.   This Turquoise has been coming out of the mines in a beautiful blue with water web matrix or spider web matrix.  Mongolian Turquoise is relatively new to the western market, but has a long history in Asia.

Mongolian Government and Rio Tinto make a deal on Mongolian Turquoise Hill Mine

KHANBOGD-SOUTH GOBI DESERT, MONGOLIA – OCTOBER 8: Mongolian herders live near the OyuTolgoi mine October 8, 2012 in the south Gobi desert, Khanbogd region, Mongolia. The Oyu Tolgoi (Mongolian for Turquoise Hill) copper and gold mine is a combined open pit and underground mining project. The site, discovered in 2001, is located approximately 550 km south of the Mongolian capital, Ulan-Batar in the South Gobi Desert. Turquoise Hill Resources (Formerly Ivanhoe Mines) and Rio Tinto signed a long-term comprehensive investment agreement with the Government of Mongolia in 2009 with the deal awarding Turquoise Hill Resources, whose majority shareholder is Rio Tinto, with a controlling 66 percent interest and The Mongolian Government with a 34 percent interest in the project. Rio Tinto provided a comprehensive financing package and assumed direct management of the project under an agreement with Ivanhoe Mines. Initial production from open pit mining is currently underway and commercial production is planned to start in first half of 2013. An 85million USD investment was earmarked for education and training projects, with Mongolians expected to constitute 90 percent of the work force when production begins in 2013. When Oyu Tolgoi starts fully operating Mongolia will be set to become one of the world’s top copper and gold producers with production estimates of 450,000 tons of copper and 330,000 ounces of gold annually. Mongolia is currently the world’s fastest growing economy with its GDP increasing by more than 17 percent last year and an estimated $1.3 trillion in untapped mineral resources. Oyu Tolgoi (the Turquoise Hill Mine) is Mongolia’s largest foreign investment project and the country’s biggest economic undertaking to date, which is projected to add one-third of future value to the country’s GDP by 2020.

Mongolian Turquoise

Mongolian Turquoise has undoubtable been sold over the years as many other brands of Turquoise.  Many people mistake it for Tibetan Turquoise or Chinese Turquoise.  Mongolian Turquoise has also been falsly sold as Morenci Turquoise, Kingman Turquoise and Turquoise from various spiderweb Turquoise mines in Nevada.  This is sad, Mongolian Turquoise is far to fine to be sold as anything else.  Anyone should be proud to own Mongolian Turquoise or Mongolian Turquoise Jewelry.  Hopefully the opening of the Turquoise Hill mine will lead to large discoveries of fabulous natural Turquoise and will raise awareness of this gorgeous Turquoise.

Thank you for reading this great news on Mongolian Turquoise.

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For several years in the 2000′s Turquoise has been the color of the year according to Pantone.

Here are the trending colors from the past decade:

2000: Cerulean
2001: Fuchsia Rose
2002: True Red
2003: Aqua Sky
2004: Tigerlilly
2005: Blue Turquoise
2006: Sand Dollar
2007: Chili Pepper
2008: Blue Iris
2009: Mimosa

Turquoise is a Re-occuring Color Trend

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If leading color guide Pantone is to be believed, 15-5519 Turquoise’s “serene qualities of blue” and “invigorating aspects of green” will be defining next year’s mood.  Turquoise has always been popular in Native Bands.

 The Turquoise Ring is priceless and has been considered high fashion since the time of the Pharoahs.  Today the version of the Turquoise ring that is popular is the large dinner ring.  Many famous people including Movie Stars, Musicians, and others are wearing large sterling silver dinner rings or large 14k gold Turquoise rings.  During the times of the Pharoahs, most Turquoise Rings were made from yellow gold.  During the early years of the popularity of the Turquoise Ring most of the rings were made with light blue or “Robin’s Egg” blue Turquoise.  This color of Turquoise, with not matrix or patterning was considered to be the highest grade. Today Turquoise Rings are made with all types of Turquoise from lime green to deep blue Turquoise as used in Bisbee Turquoise Rings.

About Turquoise Rings

Whether you prefer a gold Turquoise Ring or a silver Turquoise Ring it is sure that you can agree that when you wear your Turquoise rings they make you feel happy and bright.  Turquoise rings make people feel cheerful and positive and have been said by many cultures to be good luck as well as protective objects.  Every Tibetan has at least on piece of Turquoise and most have a Turquoise Ring. Most Native American peoples have at least one piece of Turquoise and most of them have many pieces include several Turquoise Rings.  This is true also, for some people of all cultural backgrounds.  Many people start with one cheap Turquoise ring or piece of jewelry and end up collecting many highend Turquoise Rings and other Turquoise Jewelry.  Turquoise Jewelry and especially Turquoise Rings are very addictive and fun to collect.

Turquoise rings come in all shapes and sizes.  Many people thing a Turquoise Ring made from sterling silver looks much better then a Turquoise ring made with yellow gold.  That is simple a matter of opinion.  Most jewelers like all colors of Turquoise in all colors of metal.   Many Turquoise rings have been made out of silver, gold and copper.  Some cheap Turquoise rings have been made from pot metal and brass, and usually feature synthetic Turquoise or Turquoise that has been stabilized or colored.

  If you are looking for a high quality Turquoise ring we suggest you visit Durango Silver Company.  You can find a high quality Turquoise ring with natural Turquoise at www.durangosilver.com .  All of the Turquoise rings on the Durango Silver Company website are handmade and feature natural American Turquoise or natural Tibetan Turquoise.  Durango Silver Company specializes in American Turquoise rings and carries Turquoise rings with Bisbee Turquoise, Blue Gem Turquoise, Blue Wind Turquoise, Cerrillos Turquoise, Kingman Turquoise, Manassa Turquoise, Pilot Mountain, Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, Morenci Turquoise, Lone Mountain Turquoise, Tortoise Turquoise, Damele Turquoise, Tibetan Turquoise and many more varieties.  A couple of their most popular Turquoise Rings are the Royston Turquoise Ring, the Blue Gem Turquoise Ring, the Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Ring, the Bisbee Turquoise ring, the Pilot Mountain Turquoise Ring and the Tortoise Turquoise ring.  Make sure you check out all the Turquoise rings for that special one.

We hope you learned a little about Turquoise Rings 

Thank you for reading and learning about Turquoise Rings, we hope this will help you with the purchase of your next Turquoise ring.

In the past Turquoise from the Blue Moon Turquoise mine has been rare and hard to come by.  The Blue Moon Turquoise Mine is located in Esmerelda County, Nevada. For the last two months the Blue Dream Mining Company has been working this old mine. The turquoise produced has the most Beautiful High Grade and Gem Grade Black Spider-Webbed patterned, Dark Blue Turquoise that has been seen in a very long time. The Blue Moon mine is producing a light to medium blue Turquoise also with a nice spider webbing, has a black chert, with brown as host rock. The Beautiful High Grades and Gem Grades are to die fore! It was just a real pleasure to see such nice High Grade and Gem Grade Turquoise being produced. I’m sure this will be destined to be another sought after American Turquoise by Jewelry’s and Collectors alike.

The Blue Moon Turquoise mine was recently re-opened in the fall of 2011.

 In the past this material has not been seen much and therefore is considered very rare and hard to come by.  This will now change, not that the value will change much because most of this material will go to elite jewelers and collectors!

Blue Moon Turquoise Mine Has New Owners

The Blue Moon Turquoise mine is now owned and operated by Blue Dream mining company, aka the Ottesons.  The Blue Moon Turquoise mine is owned by Dean and Donna Otteson of Tonopah, Nevada.  The Otteson own several Turquoise mines including the Blue Moon Turquoise mine, the Royston Turquoise mine, the White Buffalo Turquoise mine, and many more!  The Otteson’s have been mining Turquoise in Nevada for several generations and are considered to be some of the last real Turquoise miners in America.  The Blue Moon Turquoise mine is their newest Turquoise mine the Ottesons have aquired.  The Blue Moon Turquoise mine will now be properly mined and we will all benefit!

Blue Moon Turquoise Mine Turquoise Looks

 The Blue Moon Turquoise mine produces several looks of Turquoise.  The mine mainly produces a light blue colored Turquoise.  The Blue Moon Turquoise mine has always been known for black spider web Turquoise.  Today the Blue Moon Turquoise mine is producing both black spider web Turquoise and a clear blue Turquoise.  The Blue Moon Turquoise mine also produces on occasion water web or birdseye Turquoise.   Most of the Blue Moon Turquoise coming out today is a light Robin’s Egg Blue to a medium blue.  It is rare to get a deep blue Turquoise.  It is extra rare to get a deep blue black spider web Turquoise from the Blue Moon Turquoise mine.  The high grade Blue Moon Turquoise is hard and between a 5 – 6 on the Mohs scale.

View Blue Moon Turquoise Jewelry

Thank you for reading our brief informational page about the Blue Moon Turquoise mine.

Native American Turquoise Jewelry is an American heritage that began around 1865 when a Navajo Blacksmith by the name of Atsidi Sani learned how to work with Silver from the Spaniards. It is believed that Atsidi Sani incorporated Turquoise into his Silver Jewelry around 1870 as Turquoise Jewelry was already being made into adornments by the Santo Domingo Indians and traded to the Navajos and it was very important to the Navajo.

Durango Silver Company has just completed two great new informational page on Native American Turquoise Jewelry that you are certain to appreciate, check them out!

Native American Turquoise Jewelry has developed substantially in the last 150 years as the Native American Indians of the Southwest have been very prolific in creating Native American Turquoise Jewelry and the market for their Jewelry has been nothing short of remarkable.

Quality Native American Turquoise Jewelry

The quality of Native American Turquoise Jewelry has never been better than it is today. Native American Silver and Goldsmiths have made unbelievable progress in the development of their trade due to modern tools, demand for quality by the buyers and their own desires to be the best in their trade.

Native American Turquoise Jewelry – The Turquoise

The Turquoise in Native American Turquoise Jewelry is an important discussion! There were absolutely high times for the production of quality Turquoise which was approximately 1930 – 1980. Native American Turquoise Jewelry had become a major market which encouraged individuals to hunt for new Turquoise deposits in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, they did and they found many wonderful Turquoise deposits. The Native American Turquoise Jewelry market grew exponentially from 1930 to date but many changes have come, the biggest was the Chinese Turquoise entering into the marketplace. This has had a major impact as most of the Native American Turquoise Jewelry you see today has Chinese Turquoise in it. The other fact is that the quality of Chinese Turquoise has seriously taken a dive for the worst and now they are even making Turquoise from cement! At the 2011 Tucson Gem Show the word from the Chinese Turquoise dealers was that the Chinese government had put a 3-5 year moratorium on the mining of Turquoise.

In addition, due to the tough mining policies of the U.S. government, Turquoise mining in the U.S. has fallen to an all time low. The once stock piles of authentic Turquoise are diminishing quickly. Quality Native American Turquoise Jewelry depends on high quality authentic Turquoise and we can see trouble coming soon.

There is no question that high quality Native American Turquoise Jewelry with high quality natural authentic Turquoise is about to become very valuable and highly collectible by the wealthy. Silver and Gold have sky rocketed, Turquoise is sky rocketing unbelievably and the desire for handmade products and quality American made products is on the rise.

There are very few Native American Turquoise Jewelry dealers that focus on authentic American Turquoise as most are trying to compete with the China syndrome. Check out Durango Silver Company as well as their Turquoise Jewelry Learning Center, they are totally dedicated to quality and authenticity as well as being a family owned business located in the heart of Turquoise Country – Durango, Colorado USA and specifically deal in quality Native American Turquoise Jewelry.

When you come to go to buy Turquoise wherever you go, you need to know how to buy real Turquoise.  It does not matter if you go to the Santa Fe Indian Market or buy Turquoise in a gallery or on the internet, be sure and ask the seller about the type of turquoise you are purchasing. You need to know if you are indeed going to buy real Turquoise. When you want to know whether you are going to buy real Turquoise or not, you need to seem educated, even if you are not.  To become educated you can visit www.durangosilver.com and go to their jewelry learning center.

The basic questions a novice should ask to buy real Turquoise:

If you know how to buy real Turquoise, you know you need to ask a few novice or basic questions. 

1.) You need to first ask is this authentic, REAL Turquoise?

2.) You should ask has this Turquoise been stabilized? (This is acceptible and is the second most valuable Turquoise to natural Turquoise (no processes except polishing the rock have been done.))

3.) You should ask then, has this Turquoise been dyed?

4.) Is this Turquoise reconstituted (crushed and put back together)?

5.) Is this stone really howlite or magnasite that is dyed and is being sold as Turquoise?

6.) Where did the Turquoise come from?

7.) Did you cut the Turquoise, who did?

These are all good questions, however if the merchant is simply buying and selling merchandise from artists, then they will not know much about the stones, other then what the jeweler or wholesale dealer told them. Many dealers do not know how to buy real Turquoise.

If you can it would be preferable to buy real turquoise mine direct, artist direct, or from a trusted dealer such as Durango Silver Company, Waddell Trading Company, Garland’s, Winfield Trading Co. or the like. These dealers have been in business for many generations and specialize in real Turquoise, and know how to buy real Turquoise.

Important knowledge when knowing how to buy Real Turquoise

In addition, there are various types of Turquoise and turquoise-like materials that may all look alike to the casual buyer but are very, very different in value:

Best – Natural turquoise is a stone just like it came from the mine. It may be cut or polished, but no materials are added to it. Natural turquoise can be somewhat porous and it may change color over time (usually becoming more green)

Next Best – Stabilized turquoise will also be a natural stone but mineral is added to it to make the stone harder and safer for wear in jewelry. The jeweler uses a substance, usually a natural mineral. It is infused right into the surface of the stone. Stabilized turquoise won’t change color over time.

Artificially Colored Turquoise – Enhanced or color treated turquoise is also infused but with the goal to change the color of the stone. Dye is mixed with the stabilizing material. Most good jewelry makers will not used turquoise with artificial color. Besides, there are so many beautiful colors of turquoise stone. Why would you want to do this?

Reconstituted Turquoise – In order to make a stone, turquoise dust and small pieces are mixed with resins and pressed into a stone-like form. This type of stone will retain the turquoise color but is not really a stone.

Fake Turquoise – People can make turquoise color beads and stones for jewelry with plastic and other materials. The inexpensive tourist shop jewelry may well be fake. Steer clear unless you are buying a necklace for your 5 year old grand-daughter, perhaps!

A good trader or jewelry maker will tell you about the stone. If you don’t ask, you may not find out if the stone is natural or not. The best way to start this conversation is to ask, “Is this stone natural turquoise?” As far as what to buy… a natural stone or stabilized stone is the best. All the others are not “real turquoise stones” in my opinion!

Don’t forget these are just some of the tricks and products available.  Your best bet in to buy real Turquoise is to buy it from a reputible dealer.  You want to buy real Turquoise for many reasons, including collectiblity, healing, and more.

Thank you for reading our article about how to buy real Turquoise.

 Durango Silver Co reveals a new collection of Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons

Durango Silver Co is widely known for being the best source for authentic Bisbee Turquoise cabochons and Bisbee Turquoise jewelry. Since the late 1960′s Durango Silver Co. has been using highgrade natural Bisbee Turquoise cabochon in their handmade sterling silver and gold Bisbee Turquoise jewelry. The Hartmans have always prefered to use high grade natural Turquoise and other gemstones in their jewelry, and Bisbee Turquoise is one of the highest grades of natural American Turquoise to ever come out of the ground. Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons are hard to find today since the Bisbee Turquoise mine has been closed for over 40 years.  Most of the ” Bisbee Turquoise cabs “ or Bisbee Turquoise cabochons on the market today are either cut from collections of old rough Bisbee Turquoise or are vintage Bisbee Turquoise cabochons from when the mine was producing.

Durango Silver Co.’s Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons

Durango Silver Company has bought several large collections of Bisbee Turquoise over the past 10 years, including the Mickelson/Matthews collection. These Bisbee Turquoise collections have included rough Bisbee Turquoise, Bisbee Turquoise jewelry and Bisbee Turquoise cabochons.  Today, DSC cuts modern cut cabochons from old stock Bisbee Turquoise rough.  These new Bisbee Turquoise cabochons are in some ways better then the vintage cut Bisbee Turquoise cabochons.  These new Bisbee Turquoise cabs have a higher polish and a smoother cut due to advances in stone cutting technology.  Dillon and John Hartman cut Bisbee Turquoise cabochons in every shape and color including high dome cabochons. These new Bisbee Turquoise cabochons are also being matched for row bracelets, cluster jewelry, earrings, and more.  You must take a look at the Durangosilver.com website for these rare and gorgeous American Turquoise cabochons.

 Thank you for reading our Turquoise News about Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons. 

Bisbee Turquoise is some of the rarest and finest Turquoise to ever be mined.  Bisbee Turquoise cabochons can be found in the finest Turquoise Jewelry in the world and Bisbee Turquoise cabochons are sought after by every fine jeweler and collector world wide.  Bisbee Turquoise cabochons are cut out of Turquoise rough that was mined in the “Lavendar pit” in the Copper Queen mine in Bisbee, Arizona USA.  Rough Bisbee Turquoise is almost impossible to come by and can only be purchased from individuals that have old stashes or collections from when the Bisbee Turquoise mine was in production.  T`he rough Turquoise from the mine is perfect for cutting Bisbee Turquoise cabochons as it is some of the hardest Turquoise in the world.  The color of these Bisbee Turquoise cabochons is a true blue for the most part. Having said that there was material that came from the mine that produced green and aqua blue Bisbee Turquoise cabochons. 

Ever since the openning of the Bisbee Turquoise mine Bisbee Turquoise cabochons have been highly sought after and have always had a high price tag associated with them.  Bisbee Turquoise cabochons retain a higher price tag due to the color, hardness and beauty of the matrix or host rock that Bisbee Turquoise has.  The Bisbee Turquoise mine was one of the only Turquoise mines to produce a majority of gem grade Turquoise, rather than chalk.   Most of the Arizona Turquoise mines produce more Chalk Turquoise than gem grade Turquoise. This is a major reason that Bisbee Turquoise is so desireable, a long with the fact that Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons are some of the only Turquoise cabochons in the world to have a deep blue color naturally.  Most Turquoise has to be stabilized and Enhanced to acheive the deep blue colors that high grade natural Bisbee Turquoise cabochons have.  During the Turquoise boom of the 1950s through the 1980s jewelers could not obtain Bisbee Turquoise cabochons unless they had an in with the miners.  Bisbee Turquoise has always been the cream of the crop and even during the Turquoise boom when other Turquoise brought 50 cents to a dollar a carat, Bisbee Turquoise would bring a dollar a carat to 15 dollars a carat!  Today a quality Bisbee Turquoise cabochon can be purchase for 5 dollars a carat up to 300 dollars a carat! 

Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons By Durango Silver Co.

Durango Silver Company started cutting Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons when John, Dillon and Estell Hartman purchased the Cecil Mickelson / Bob Matthews collection.  This collection included over 300 lbs of Bisbee Turquoise rough, Bisbee Turquoise cabochons as well as lapidary equipment.  Cecil Mickelson was the proprieter of Mickelson Jewelry Co. and the brother-in-law of Bob Matthews who was the only person to ever have the rights to the Bisbee Turquoise that came from the Lavendar pit in the Copper Queen mine in Bisbee, Arizona USA.  Mickelson’s Jewelry Co. specialized in Bisbee Turquoise Jewelry.  Now Durango Silver Co. specializes in Bisbee Turquoise Jewelry and Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons.

Durango Silver Company recently purchased a new old stash collection of natural Bisbee Turquoise that they will be cutting into Bisbee Turquoise cabochons and Bisbee Turquoise Jewelry.  Keep your eyes peeled.

Vintage Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons

Bisbee Turquoise has been mine and cut by modern humans since the 1920s.  There is evidence to believe Bisbee Turquoise cabochons were cut by the Anasazi Indians.  Vintage Bisbee Turquoise do not always look as good due to the style of the times.  Many Turquoise cabochons were cut in the “Nugget cut” where the turquoise nuggets were simply polished off enough to reveal the color.  Also, during the turquoise boom many artists and stone cutters could sell as many Turquoise cabochons, especially Bisbee Turquoise cabochons, and Turquoise jewelry as they could make, therefor, they did not take the time to cut the cabochons as nicely as they do today. There are sure to be many vintage Bisbee Turquoise cabochons out there that could be re-cut into an AAA grade Bisbee Turquoise cabochon. 

Thank you for learning about Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons.

 View Bisbee Turquoise Cabochons for sale and possibly find that Bisbee Turquoise cabochon for you.

Throughout history ear piercings have often represented a life milestone as well as standing in society. Turquoise earrings are among the most memorable forms of jewelry. Through history, earrings have been crafted of numerous materials including bone, shell, and precious metals and gemstones. The Turquoise Earring has been celebrated for the belief they promoted clear thought and improved communication, turquoise earrings have, and remain to be, one of the most popular styles of earring. The most popular Turquoise earrings styles are the hoop, dangle, and post varieties.

Hoop Style Turquoise Earrings

Turquoise hoop earrings come in two varieties: full- and half-hoop. Hoop Turquoise Earring styles stem from these two base styles. Full-hoop earrings are simple, but make a bold fashion statement. Hoop style Turquoise earrings are generally plain wire or tubing fashioned into a ring; wire hoops are often worn as-is, tubing hoops are strong and can support beadwork and dangles. Half-hoop earrings are less bold than their counterparts, but are equally fashionable; what they lack in size, they make up for in usability. Turquoise is beautifully incorporated into half-hoops with inlay and beading techniques. Inlaid turquoise can be placed on the outer rim of the Turquoise hoop earrings for a crisp, clean look. Turquoise dangles or clusters can be attached for a casual, airy style.

Dangle Style Turquoise Earrings

The introduction of ear wires has created a blank canvas for turquoise earring designers. A great number of dangle Turquoise earring designs can be made using them as a base on which to decorate, or as a decoration itself. While some designers have chosen to beautify the wire by attaching turquoise to it, the real attention grabber is the dangle. The dangle Turquoise earring can range from a large chandelier pendant to a simple beaded cluster. Combining the free flowing motion and charm of turquoise, dangle earrings draw even more attention to the face. This style of turquoise earrings adapts well to any outfit and occasion.

Turquoise Post Earrings

Post, or stud, earrings are the most simple but also sophisticated earrings. They can have a dangle turquoise earrings attached to them, but they are traditionally a single stone set on a post. Other turquoise post earring styles incorporate the mounting into the design; the post earrings are designed so the stone is the primary attention grabber. Because turquoise is a soft stone, it can be cut into many shapes and sizes, which makes it a logical and attractive choice for post earrings.

Thank you for reading and learning about Turquoise Earrings.

Zuni Petit Point Jewelry

Zuni Native American jewelry is some of the most famous Native American jewelry worldwide. Zuni Petit Point jewelry or Zuni Petite Point Jewelry is some of the jewelry that made the Zuni Indians famous jewelers. Zuni Indians are known for their intricate work and attention to detail, Zuni Petit Point Jewelry is definately a good example of this.

Indians in the Southwest who are especially known for their jewelry are the Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo peoples. The Zuni are known for their very intricate stonework and almost never do plain silver jewelry. The most traditional Zuni style of jewelry is called petit point, which can be identified by tiny turquoise stones each supported in its own bezel, or metal “sleeve.” It is extremely time-consuming work and is very delicate in appearance. The Zunis are known for using sterling silver and natural turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty Mine. The work is priced by the amount of handiwork, not the weight of the silver or the value of the turquoise.

Antique Zuni Petit Point Jewelry

Zuni Petit point Jewelry began around 1920-1930 and was a unique form of Turquoise Jewelry created by  the Zuni Indians. A Petit Point stone is a tiny round, oval, rectangle, pear or square shaped stone  hand cut by a Zuni Indian Lapidarist. Zuni Petit Point Jewelry is unique  to the Zuni Indian Artisans and not made anywhere else in the world. It is special Jewelry that is  impressive wearable art.  The Zuni’s make Petit Point Rings, Earrings,  Bracelets, Pendants, Necklace Sets and more.

Modern Zuni Petit Point Jewelry

The Zuni Indian reservation is along the western of New Mexico near the border of Arizona . The Zuni Indians and their ancestors have been making jewelry for over 1,000 years. The first Zuni Indian to learn to work with silver was Lanyade around 1872  learning from the Navajo.  Many of the designs of Zuni Indian jewelry have not changed over the years.  Zuni Indians are known for their intricate stone cutting: petit point, needle point, inlay and detailed stone carvings known as fetishes.

Needle point -Turquoise cut in long narrow or elongated stones set in delicate bezels is called needle point. Turquoise jewelry with pear shape cut gems is known as petite point. Gems that have been cut and tightly set and inlaid into silver jewelry is known as “inlay”. This is a skill of intricate small stonework especially with pieces with smaller tightly fitting gems and settings.

Petit point – Turquoise or small stones are cut into egg-shape, oval or pear-shape gems set clusters or rows with stones and settings symmetrical.

Inlay – this technique predates European arrival and is small stones or shell cut and set into channels of silver or mosaic inlaid together and set into jewelry. The inlay can be flat, raised, etched or sculpted.

Today Zuni Needle Point or Zuni Petit Point Jewelry is still very popular and Zuni Petit Point Jewelry really hasn’t changed much. Over the years the other styles of Zuni Jewelry has changed a lot, however Zuni Petit Point Jewelry has stayed classic and true to it’s self.

Thank you for reading our brief Turquoise News about Zuni Petit Point Jewelry.