Turquoise has been admired for its beauty and uniqueness for thousands of years. Turquoise, once adorned by ancient pharaohs and Aztec kings, continues to hold deep spiritual significance for Native American tribes who have cherished it for over 2,000 years. Known as the stone of life, good fortune, and wealth, turquoise remains one of the world's most beloved and sought-after gems.

If you're drawn to the beauty of turquoise jewelry or considering starting a collection of natural turquoise, understanding the different types available will help you make informed choices. Each type of turquoise tells its own unique story, from the pristine robin's egg blue of Arizona's desert mines to the rare lime-green treasures hidden beneath Nevada's rugged landscape.

What Makes Turquoise So Special?

Before we explore the fascinating varieties of turquoise, it's helpful to understand what creates this gemstone's mesmerizing beauty. Turquoise forms through an incredible geological process that unfolds over hundreds of thousands of years. When water carrying copper and aluminum flows through rock formations, it creates thin veins of this precious mineral.

The heavy metals present in the ground determine turquoise's final color:

• Blue turquoise develops when copper is abundant in the surrounding rock. This is why Arizona's copper mining regions produce those gorgeous blue color stones that have made the Southwest famous.
• Green turquoise forms where iron is present in the earth. Most northern Nevada turquoise displays beautiful green hues for this very reason.

The stunning matrix patterns you see threading through turquoise stones are the natural host rock that remains embedded in the gem. A matrix can be composed of different materials, such as pyrite, quartz, or manganese oxide. When you see spiderweb turquoise with its delicate web-like patterns, you're looking at one of nature's most artistic creations. 

Arizona's Crown Jewels: The Blue Gems of the Desert

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

The Sleeping Beauty mine, nestled near Globe, Arizona, produced some of the world's most recognizable and coveted turquoise. Named after the nearby Sleeping Beauty Mountain, this legendary mine became famous for its exceptionally pure blue color and remarkable lack of matrix.

What made Sleeping Beauty turquoise so extraordinary was its clean, bright robin's egg blue that seemed to capture the essence of Arizona's endless skies. Unlike many turquoise stones, Sleeping Beauty turquoise was often naturally hard enough to use directly in jewelry, a testament to its exceptional quality.

The beauty of turquoise from this mine became the gold standard for blue gems in Native American jewelry. Sadly, the mine permanently closed in 2012, making authentic Sleeping Beauty turquoise increasingly rare and valuable. If you're fortunate enough to own a piece featuring this turquoise stone, you possess a true treasure.

Kingman Turquoise

When you think of authentic American turquoise, Kingman turquoise should come to mind. Located near Kingman, Arizona, this remarkable mine holds the distinction of being the last major turquoise operation still producing in the United States.  Kingman turquoise is renowned for its beautiful sky blue color enhanced by fascinating matrix patterns. The most prized pieces feature deep blue stones with pyrite inclusions and distinctive water web matrix designs.

Nevada's Rainbow: Where Nature Paints in Every Hue

Northern Nevada is home to some of the world's most unusual and collectible turquoise varieties. The geological diversity of this region has created an amazing palette of colors and patterns that you won't find anywhere else.

Royston Turquoise

Royston turquoise comes from a historic mining district near Tonopah, Nevada, encompassing several claims, including the famous Royal Blue, Oscar Wehrend, and Bunker Hill mines. What makes Royston captivating is its incredible range of colors, from deep sky blue to dark greens, often appearing in the same stone. You'll often find Royston stones displaying multiple colors with stunning golden brown mottled or webbed matrix, which creates breathtaking natural artwork.

Carico Lake Turquoise

If you've never seen Carico Lake turquoise, prepare to be amazed. This extraordinary variety is unlike anything else in the turquoise world. Named after the dried-up lake bed in Nevada where this unique material is mined, Carico Lake is famous for producing the most intense apple green material you'll ever encounter, thanks to its high zinc content. While this mine produces a wide variety of turquoise ranging in color from dark blues to light greens, it's those incredible apple green stones that steal the show. 

Dry Creek Turquoise

Perhaps no turquoise type is more mystical than Dry Creek turquoise, also known as white buffalo turquoise. Discovered in the early 1990s by the Shoshone Indian tribe, this extraordinary variety features a characteristic white or very pale blue color with brown flecks, unlike anything else in nature.

What makes Dry Creek so incredibly rare is its formation process. This natural turquoise develops where there are few heavy metals present, which turns out to be a very rare occurrence. The result is a stone that's not treated or color-enhanced, completely natural and utterly unique. Located in Lander County outside of Austin, NV, this source has produced stones that are as rare as the sacred white buffalo itself.

Pilot Mountain Turquoise

Located in Western Nevada, the Pilot Mountain turquoise mine produces bright, richly hued stones with blue to green gradation within single stones. The mine is famous for its spider web patterns with red, brown, and black veining, and distinctive dendrite patterning caused by manganese fossilization that creates tree-like formations resembling miniature landscapes. This combination makes Pilot Mountain turquoise among the most sought-after material worldwide, with each stone being truly one of a kind.

The Artistry of Native American Tribes: Honoring Traditional Craftsmanship

Native American artisans have been incorporating different types of turquoise into their religion, art, trade, treaty negotiations, and jewelry since 200 B.C. Each tribe developed distinctive techniques that showcase the unique qualities of various turquoise stones.

Zuni Mastery: Precision and Spiritual Significance

The Zuni people are renowned for their centuries of exceptional lapidary work and silversmithing. Their artists create nature-inspired masterpieces where birds take flight, butterflies soar, and rams stand proud, each piece carrying deep spiritual meaning.

At Southwest Silver Gallery, we're honored to feature exceptional Zuni artists who work with various turquoise types:

• Alice Quam: creates stunning cluster jewelry that showcases multiple turquoise stones in harmonious arrangements
• Beverly Etsate: specializes in raised inlay designs that highlight turquoise's natural beauty
• Arnie & Duran Gasper: craft magnificent lightning bolt bracelets and intricate inlay work
• Alex Sanchez: an award-winning artist celebrated for his distinctive petroglyph designs

Santo Domingo Excellence: The Masters of Heishi

Santo Domingo Pueblo artists have perfected the art of creating heishi beads, the Santo Domingo word for shell. These incredibly tiny, perfectly round beads made from turquoise create flowing necklaces that seem to capture liquid sunlight.

Our featured Santo Domingo artists include:

• Ronald Chavez: specializes in turquoise and sponge coral slab earrings, turquoise heishi necklaces
• Daniel Coriz: creates exquisite hand-cut inlay and heishi since 1989
• Frank & Charlene Reano: collaborate on stunning traditional Santo Domingo mosaic inlay jewelry

Navajo Innovation: Where Silver Meets Stone

Navajo artists have a unique approach to working with turquoise. They often let the stone itself guide the design. This philosophy works beautifully with all types of turquoise, whether showcasing brilliant blue turquoise or rare green turquoise varieties.

Our celebrated Navajo artists include:

• Linda and Kathy Yazzie: design each piece of jewelry around the individual characteristics of each turquoise stone
• Tommy Singer: became well known for his chip-inlay style of jewelry
• Lucy Jake: creates elegant fine sterling silver and turquoise jewelry

Caring for Your Turquoise Treasures

Your turquoise jewelry deserves special care to maintain its beauty for generations:

• Store turquoise pieces away from harsh chemicals, perfumes, and lotions
• Clean gently with a soft cloth after wearing
• Keep pieces in protective pouches to prevent scratching
• Avoid exposing turquoise to extreme temperature changes

Why Authenticity Matters: Supporting Native American Heritage

When you choose authentic Native American jewelry, you're not just purchasing beautiful accessories, you're supporting living artists and preserving cultural traditions that span thousands of years. Each turquoise ring, pendant, or bracelet represents countless hours of skilled craftsmanship and carries the spirit of its creator.

At Southwest Silver Gallery, we work directly with Native American artists and provide certificates of authenticity with every piece. This ensures you receive genuine turquoise stones set in authentic silverwork while supporting the artists and communities who create these treasures.

Discover Your Perfect Turquoise Piece Today

From the pristine beauty of Sleeping Beauty turquoise to the mystical allure of white buffalo turquoise, each variety offers something unique for collectors and jewelry lovers. Whether you're drawn to classic blue gem varieties from Arizona or the rare apple-green treasures of Nevada's Carico Lake, understanding these differences helps you appreciate the remarkable diversity of this ancient gemstone.

The next time you admire a piece of turquoise jewelry, you'll understand the incredible journey each stone has taken, from its formation deep within the earth over millions of years to the skilled hands of Native American artisans who transform raw turquoise into wearable art. This knowledge makes every turquoise ring, pendant, or bracelet even more meaningful to own and treasure.

Begin your turquoise journey with confidence. At Southwest Silver Gallery, our authentic Native American turquoise jewelry is more than adornment, it’s a connection to heritage, craftsmanship, and culture. Explore our collection today and take home a piece backed by our authenticity guarantee and rooted in tradition.