Millimeter dimensions listed are usually width X length
through the hole.


"Treated" Turquoise Strands
Note: There is very little hard, "natural" gem quality
turquoise on the market. Hence, in most cases, some sort of hardening treatment
of this ancient, relatively soft mineral is needed ... especially for strung
beads to help prevent
breakage during the drilling and tumble polishing processes.
'Stabilized'
refers to an old method of pressure baking hot resin into the stone
to improve it's hardness and depth of color. Stabilized turquoise leaves a
slightly waxy surface. There are many formulas and techniques for stabilizing,
many of them considered a trade secret of individual processors.
In most cases, tints or dyes are routinely added to the stabilizing resin to
enrich the color of the lower grades of turquoise. Since many of these color
treatments are difficult or impractical to prove definitively, the approach that
should be taken is, unless otherwise indicated, to assume that a dye may have been applied to that particular stone.
'Zachery Process' The late 1980's brought
about a new stabilizing treatment known as the "Zachery Process." It was
invented by an electrical engineer and lifetime turquoise dealer named James E.
Zachery. This treatment can improve the color/appearance of some types of
turquoise, reduce it's porosity and to date shows no sign of discoloring with
age. The treatment is virtually impossible to detect with standard gemological
tools.
This process involves a bath of minerals identical to those found in natural
turquoise along with a charge of electrical current. Our cousin, Sterling Foutz,
now owns the exclusive patent for this new process.
Read: Gems & Gemology magazine. Spring 1999 - The quarterly journal of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Click:
http://www.gia.edu/gemsandgemology/wd_18578ar_2070aris_585_back_issue_article_detail.cfm
'Enhanced' This term was at first
used to describe the Zachery Process (above) but the term "Enhanced" been abused and is used
now by some to describe any of the older 'treatments' given to
turquoise.
The word "treated" and "enhanced" now can mean anything.
The "Zachery Process"
is patented, exclusive to Sterling Foutz's production, and this term should only be used for turquoise that has been
'treated' or 'enhanced' with the "Zachery Process".


NATURAL Turquoise
Sleeping Beauty Mine - Globe, Arizona - USA
 |
12-1/4 Inch strands
Natural Sleeping Beauty - Globe, Arizona
7 mm
FACETED RONDELLES
|


NATURAL Turquoise
- USA
Fox Mine - Nevada
 |
19
Inch strands
Natural - Fox Mine, Nevada
Graduating 5 to 9 mm (varies)
NUGGET NECKLACE
|


NATURAL Turquoise
- USA
Carico Lake - Nevada
 |
19 Inch strands
Natural
Carico Lake, Nevada
5 mm
SMALL
SMOOTH
BLUE/GREEN
NUGGETS
|
 |
19 Inch strands
Natural
Carico Lake, Nevada
6 mm
TOP GRADE
BLUE/GREEN
NUGGETS
|
 |
19 Inch strands
Natural
Carico Lake, Nevada
6 mm
SMOOTH
BLUE/GREEN
NUGGETS
|
 |
19 Inch strands
Natural
Carico Lake, Nevada
6 mm
SMOOTH
GREEN
NUGGETS
|
 |
19 Inch strands
Natural
Carico Lake, Nevada
5-6 mm
GREEN
CHUNKY
NUGGETS
|
 |
19 Inch strands
Natural
Carico Lake, Nevada
6-7 mm
BLUE & GREEN
CHUNKY
NUGGETS
|

Zachery Processed Turquoise
Ithica Peak Mine, Kingman Arizona - USA
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Kingman Ithica Peak, Arizona
7 mm Mixed Nuggets
(2 Strands Shown)
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Kingman Ithica Peak, Arizona
8 mm Mixed Nuggets
(2 Strands Shown)
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Kingman Ithica Peak, Arizona
10 mm Mixed Nuggets
(2 Strands Shown)
|


Zachery Processed Turquoise
Sleeping Beauty Mine - Arizona - USA
 |
20
Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Turquoise Blue Rounds |

 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
5 mm
Smooth Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
5.5 mm
Smooth Nuggets w/ little matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
6 mm
Smooth Nuggets
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
7 X 10 mm
(average size)
Long Drilled
Smooth Nuggets
(2 Strands Shown)
|

 |
16
Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Graduating
7 to 8 mm
(average)
Pre Strung on heavy cable
Top Grade
Small Smooth Nuggets
(3 Strands Shown)
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Graduating
9 to 12 mm
Top Drilled Nugget Necklace
|

 |
18 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Slightly Graduated
Top Grade
6 mm Nuggets
|
 |
20 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
6 X 7 mm
(with a few odd exceptions)
Smooth Nuggets
|
 |
20 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Slightly Graduated
Top Grade
9 mm Smooth Nuggets
|


Zachery Processed Turquoise
Blue Bird Mine - Nevada - USA
 |
18
Inch strands
Zachery Process
Blue Bird Mine, Nevada
7 - 8 mm Nuggets
w/ iron pyrite
matrix
|
 |
18
Inch strands
Zachery Process
Blue Bird Mine, Nevada
8 - 9 mm Nuggets
w/ some iron pyrite
matrix
|



STABILIZED Turquoise
- USA
Sleeping Beauty Mine - Arizona
 |
19 Inch
strands - very clean!
Stabilized - Sleeping Beauty, Arizona
Graduating 5 to 7 mm
RONDELLE NECKLACE
|


STABILIZED Turquoise
- USA
Carico Lake Mine - Nevada
 |
19 Inch strands
Stabilized
BLUE & GREEN
Carico Lake, Nevada
Graduating 5 to 10 mm
FLAT CUT NUGGET NECKLACE
|


STABILIZED Turquoise
- USA
Fox Mine - Nevada
 |
15 Inch strands
Stabilized - Fox, Nevada
6 mm
FOX CHIPS
|


STABILIZED Turquoise
- USA
Kingman Mine - Arizona
 |
Stabilized
- 16 Inch strands -
Kingman, Arizona
Graduating 10
to 20
mm
FLAT COIN Necklace
(2 Necklaces shown)
|


Zachery Processed Turquoise - Mexico
White Water Mine
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
White Water Mine, Mexico
5 to 6 mm
Small
Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
White Water Mine, Mexico
6 mm
Nugget Necklace
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
White Water Mine, Mexico
Graduating 10 to 12 mm
(average)
Nugget Necklace
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
White Water Mine, Mexico
Graduating 12 to 14 mm
(average)
Nugget Necklace
(2 Strands Shown)
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
White Water Mine, Mexico
Graduating 15 to 20 mm
(average)
Nugget Necklace
|


Zachery Processed Turquoise
Blue Compitos - Mexico
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Blue Compitos - Mexico
11 to 12 mm
(size varies)
Flat Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Blue Compitos - Mexico
9 to 10 mm
(size varies)
Nuggets with Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Blue Compitos - Mexico
10 to 11 mm
(size varies)
Nuggets with Matrix
|


NATURAL Turquoise
- China
 |
16 Inch strands
Graduating 6 to 20 mm
Natural
Emerald Valley, China
Flat Nugget Necklace
|

Zachery Processed Turquoise
- China
Emerald Valley Mine
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Emerald Valley - China
4 to 5 mm
(size varies)
Small Pebbles
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Emerald Valley - China
5 to 6 mm
(size varies)
Small Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Emerald Valley - China
7 to 8 mm
(size varies)
Flat Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Emerald Valley - China
12 to 15 mm
(size varies)
Large Flat Nuggets
|


STABILIZED Turquoise
- China
"Ear Ring" in Navajo is "Jacko".
Traditionally turquoise Jacklos were single strands of tapered turquoise
who's ends are gathered
into a loop then worn as ear rings or doubled for a dangle below a
turquoise, shell or coral necklace.
Wedge shaped 'corns' are placed at the bottoms of these loops to make
the transitional break.
I recently had the opportunity to spend an afternoon color matching into
Lots a huge shipment of
miniature Jacklo sets that had been custom cut for a
friend in the turquoise business.
- John |

These miniature Jacklos are about 2" long over all when held by
their ends. The beads taper from
3 mm at their tops down to 4.5 mm. The turquoise or spiney oyster shell
'corns are about 3/8" tall.
Note: Illustrations are random samples from each carefully matched Lot.
Individual sets will vary slightly. |
|
Tip: A slightly
flattened 1/2"x 6mm sterling cone
SS-CNE-506 will cap these mini jacklo strands nicely. |
 |
LOT No. 6
GREEN/BLUE TURQUOISE
Stabilized
Chinese Turquoise
Mini Jacklos with Turquoise Corns
|
 |
LOT No. 8
BLUE/GREEN
w/ Matrix Stabilized
Chinese Turquoise
Mini Jacklos with Turquoise Corns
|

 |
Stabilized
- 16 Inch strands -
China
Graduating 5
to 13
mm (varies)
DARK TURQUOISE GREEN
SLAB NUGGET Necklace
(2 Necklaces shown)
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
4 mm
Deep Turquoise Blue
RONDELLES w/ Dark Matrix
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
12 X 15 mm (size varies)
Sea Green CUT OVALS
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
16 X 20 mm (size varies)
Sea Green CUT OVALS
|

 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Blue/Green RONDELLES
w/ Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Green RONDELLES
w/ Some Brown Matrix
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
7 X 10 mm
Green
FACETED TEARDROPS w/ Brown Matrix
|


 |
16 Inch
strands
Stabilized - China
2 mm
Blue/Green HESHI
with Brown Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch
strands
Stabilized - China
2-2.5 mm
Blue &Green Mix HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
3.5 mm
Khaki Green
HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch
strands
Stabilized -China
3 mm
Blue/Green
HESHI
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
2.5 mm
Blue
HESHI
|


 |
Stabilized - 16 Inch strands
2.5 - 3 mm (on average)
China
Small Blue/Green
Turquoise Nuggets
|

 |
Stabilized - 16 Inch strands
4-5 mm (on average)
Emerald Valley,
China
Mixed Blue & Green Smooth Nuggets
|
 |
Stabilized - 16 Inch strands
6 mm (on average)
Emerald Valley,
China
Mixed Blue & Green
Nuggets
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
4 X 6 mm
Blue to Green
RICE
|


 |
Stabilized - 16 Inch strands
2
mm (average width)
Turquoise Green
Chinese Rounds
|
 |
Stabilized - 16 Inch strands
2
mm (average width)
Turquoise Blue
Chinese Rounds
|

 |
Stabilized -
16 Inch strands
2.25
mm (average)
"CHINA BLUE"
ROUND BEADS
|


Stabilized - 16 Inch strands |
3
mm
BLUE CHINESE ROUNDS
with BROWN MATRIX
|



Stabilized - 16 Inch strands |
5
mm DARK GREEN
CHINESE ROUNDS
with a little matrix
|


 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized
11
mm (average width)
Blue Chinese Rounds
Reduced Price!
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized
12
mm (average width)
Blue Chinese Rounds
Reduced Price!
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized
14
mm (average width)
Blue/Green Chinese Rounds
Reduced Price!
|
