Coronavirus Update, Monday, April 6:
We’re shipping from our new warehouse! However, most shipments are delayed: To keep a safe working distance, our warehouse staff has been reduced to a minimum, and we’re still unpacking a few final items from our recent move. We are not currently processing returns, as Customer Service is working remotely. Our Showroom is closed, but curbside pre-paid Showroom pickup is available... (more info)
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Turquoise Beads

Find a vivid assortment of genuine turquoise beads, African "turquoise" and (occasionally) yellow "turquoise" beads.

Most of the semiprecious turquoise beads here are made from genuine turquoise that has been stabilized to make the naturally soft stone more durable. Our Chinese turquoise beads are mined and processed mostly in the Hubei and Anhui Provinces of China.

Turquoise has been revered for thousands of years! Its name means "Turkish stone" in French, a reference to where Persian material passed on its way to Europe. Turquoise is considerably softer than quartz, and is usually treated for stability. The gemstone occurs naturally in shades ranging from sky blue to grey-green, usually in locations where the soil contains high concentrations of copper.

See below for link to colorful Magnesite (sometimes sold as "chalk turquoise").

Chinese Turquoise Beads and Pendants

African Turquoise Beads

Our Mexican turquoise beads (not always available) usually come from the Pino Chueco ("Crooked Pine") and Campitos mines in Sonora, Mexico. We occasionally carry AA-grade natural (unenhanced) turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe Arizona (not always available).

A few stones are frequently called "Yellow Turquoise." We sometimes stock "yellow turquoise" but would like to make it clear that nothing on the market is truly yellow turquoise, or purple turquoise. Both are simply descriptive names common in the gemstone industry.

Yellow Turquoise beads from Rings & Things are usually a jasper or serpentine, and are not dyed or enhanced. This is a hard yellow stone with brown-to-black (and occasionally red or green) matrix. The black matrix in yellow turquoise is often attracted by a magnet, and is probably hematite.

Another variety of yellow turquoise is "soft yellow turquoise", which is theoretically a pale natural turquoise from China's Hubei province, dyed a deep yellow. However, we suspect it is actually dyed magnesite, dolomite, calcite or even limestone. When we stock this form of yellow turquoise, we are careful to mark it dyed or enhanced, so you know to take extra care when cleaning and storing it. Purple turquoise is generally the same thing. (Turquoise does not naturally occur in shades of purple.)

See Also:

All Gemstone Beads

Magnesite Beads

Jewelry Chain

Turquoise Beads

Chinese Turquoise Beads and Pendants

African Turquoise Beads

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