Turquoise jewelry in Las Vegas is worth all the hype. It is distinguished by its radiant blue-green color, although some have different hues from sky blue to yellow-green. Some stones will even have beautiful streaks of gold, gray, or even both. It is significant in many cultures and has been recorded in books, told in oral traditions, discovered in tombs, used in ceremonies, and is deemed sacred.
Turquoise jewelry has been worn by various cultures all throughout history. They were made into bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and even hair accessories. Native Americans use turquoise for various reasons, including wearing them as jewelry. Turquoise is carved and shaped into various styles of jewelry, such as fetishes for the Zuni, squash blossom for the Navajo, and much more.
High-quality turquoise is mined in 20 mines located all over the American Southwest, and the majority of them are in Nevada. However, mines are also throughout Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. And the oldest turquoise mine in the United States is the Cerrillos mine in New Mexico.
Presently, there is only five percent of mined turquoise worldwide, with attributes that can be cut and sent into jewelry. Due to over mining, a lot of Southwest mines are now closed. The government also imposed restrictions, which caused higher costs of mining. And today, the majority of the turquoise retrieved is just a byproduct of copper mining.
Now, 75% of turquoise used in jewelry is imported from China. However, the turquoise from China has been processed and filled with epoxy to stabilize or intensify its color and luster. Therefore, importing turquoise is a major factor in the increasing cost of making turquoise jewelry.
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