The Stone: Spiderweb Turquoise natural unstabilized The Weight: 12.36 carats The Origin: Nevada The Cut: Oval Cabochon Cut stone measurements: 19mm x 10mm x 6mm The Color: Light Greenish Blue with Black matrix Additional Notes: "Lander Blue" and "New Lander" are sensitive, variety specific terms that must be proven with pedigree and provenance. While we can only make an educated about this particular piece, what we know for certain is that we cut the rough from a bag with mixed material marked "Nevada" put away between 30 and 40 years ago. The material is not dyed, nor is it stabilized. About Turquoise: What once was regarded a common byproduct of copper mining is now realized to be a rather scarce gem. Typically found in or near copper mines around the world, turquoise from each locality differs in color, quality, character, and rarity. Certain mines are known for producing highly valuable material in very limited quantity. Inclusions of other copper-bearing minerals such as azurite, malachite, and chrysocolla are not uncommon. Turquoise ranks 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Because this is often not suitable for everyday wear, most turquoise on the market is hardened (or "stabilized") with electricity and/or polymer. Stabilization is viewed as an accepted, regular practice in the lapidary industry and is not to be confused with "dying" material. Dyed (or artificially colored) material is not viewed as favorably among dealers and collectors. It is very important to be careful when cleaning your turquoise jewelry. Turquoise is a porous stone that can absorb any harsh chemical used. Avoid putting your turquoise jewelry in chemical jewelry cleaners, and be sure to focus only on cleaning the metal around your stone.
