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 such treatment may have been applied to that particular gemstone.
'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 and 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 has by now been abused and this
term is now used by some to describe any of the older 'treatments' given to
turquoise.
The word "treated" and "enhanced" can now mean anything. The "Zachery Process"
is patented and this term should only be used for turquoise that has been
'treated' or 'enhanced' with the "Zachery Process".


NATURAL Turquoise
Ithica Peak Mine - Kingman, Arizona - USA
 |
16 Inch strands
Natural - Kingman's Ithica Peak, Arizona
6 - 7 mm (average
width)
Blue
SMOOTH NUGGETS
|


Zachery Processed Turquoise
Ithica Peak Mine, Kingman Arizona - USA
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Kingman Ithica Peak, Arizona
Graduating 8 to 18 - 20 mm
Top Grade Nugget Necklace
(2 Strands Shown)
|

 |
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
4 X 6 mm
(average size)
Long Drilled
Smooth Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
6 X 8 mm
(average size)
Long Drilled
Smooth Nuggets
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
6 X 9 mm
(average size)
Long Drilled
Smooth Nuggets
(3 Strands Shown)
|
 |
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
8 to
10-11 mm
(average size)
Nugget Necklace
(2 Necklaces Shown)
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Graduating
9 to 12 mm
Top Drilled Nugget Necklace
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Graduating
8 to 15 mm
Smooth Long Nugget Necklace
|

 |
19 Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Graduating 10 to 20 mm
(average)
Flat Nugget Necklace
(2 Strands Shown)
|

 |
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
Slightly Graduated
Top Grade
9 mm Smooth Nuggets
|
 |
20
Inch strands
Zachery Process
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
Graduating
9 to 13 mm
(average)
Top Grade
Smooth Nuggets
(2 Strands Shown)
|


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


STABILIZED Turquoise
- USA
Kingman Mine - Arizona
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - Kingman, Arizona
9 mm
Olive Green TRI CUTS
w/ Brown Matrix
|


 |
22 Inch strands
Stabilized -
Kingman, Arizona
3.3 mm
Blue/Green HESHI
|


Zachery Processed Turquoise
White Water Mine - Mexico
 |
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
|


NATURAL Turquoise
- China
 |
16 Inch strands
Natural - China
6 mm (average
width)
Blue
SPIDER WEB NUGGETS w/ Dark Matrix
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Natural - China
2 - 2.5 mm (average
width)
Blue
& Green HESHI
|

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


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. 7
GREEN
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 strand -
China
- One Only -
Graduating
15 to 30 mm
Pond Green
Teardrop Nugget Necklace
|

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

 |
 |
Stabilized
- 16 Inch strands -
China
Graduating 5
to 12
mm (varies)
TURQUOISE w/ some Matrix
FLAT NUGGET Necklace
(2 Necklaces shown)
|
Stabilized
- 16 Inch strands - China
Graduating 5
to 15
mm (varies)
BLUE-GREEN TURQUOISE
FLAT NUGGET Necklace
(2 Necklaces shown)
|

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

 |
Stabilized
China - 16
Inch strands
10 to 12 mm (size varies)
Green
Aquamarine Turquoise
BIG NUGGETS w/ Matrix
|

 |
Stabilized
China - 16
Inch strands
10 to 13 mm (size varies)
Sea
Green
MEDIUM NUGGETS w/ Matrix
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
5 mm
Blue RONDELLES w/ Dark Matrix
|
 |
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 Blue/Green RONDELLES
w/ Little Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Blue/Green RONDELLES
w/ Brown Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Green/Blue RONDELLES
w/ Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Green RONDELLES
w/ Some Brown Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Green RONDELLES
w/Brown Matrix
|
 |
16 Inch strands -
Stabilized - China
8 mm Very Green RONDELLES
w/ Some 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
4 mm
Blue/Green
HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
4 mm
Light
Green HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
5 to 6 mm (width
varies)
Green HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
5 mm (average
width)
Light
Green HESHI
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
2.5 mm
Blue
HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
3 mm
Blue
HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
3 mm
Light Green
HESHI
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
2 mm
Turquoise Blue HESHI
|


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

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized -China
4 mm Blue/Green
SQUARE PILLOWS
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
4 mm
Turquoise Blue
BUTTONS
|


 |
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
|

 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
4 mm
Green ROUNDS
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
4 mm
Turquoise Green ROUNDS
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
4 mm
Blue/Green ROUNDS
|
 |
16 Inch strands
Stabilized - China
4 mm
Turquoise Blue ROUNDS
|


Stabilized - 16 Inch strands |
4 - 4.5
mm
BLUE CHINESE ROUNDS
with some matrix
|