Beads Stabilized Turquoise
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010Beads Stabilized Turquoise
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 101 STRANDS GLASS SHELL GEMSTONE BEADS 20 PKG BONUS  US $89.95
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 15 10mm Round Green Turquoise Gemstone Beads 40 SALE US $2.67
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 15 10mm Rondell Green Turquoise Gemstone Beads SALE US $2.94
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 15 12mm Rondell Green Turquoise Gemstone Beads SALE US $3.77
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 15 15mm Drum Green Turquoise Gemstone Beads SALE US $3.15
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 15 12mm Drum Blue Turquoise Gemstone Beads SALE US $2.97
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 15 12mm Rectangle Blue Turquoise Gemstone Beads SALE US $2.67
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 16 18mm Tile Beads GREEN MOSAIC FLOWER TURQUOISE US $4.99
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 15 16mm Coin Blue Turquoise Gemstone Beads 25 SALE US $2.69
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 15 14mm Coin Blue Turquoise Gemstone Beads SALE US $2.60
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 15 30mm Coin Blue Turquoise Gemstone Beads 12 SALE US $5.50
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 15 25mm Coin Blue Turquoise Gemstone Beads 15 SALE US $4.07
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 Strand Approx 30 TURQUOISE 12 16mm Nuggets LtBlue US $15.98
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 8mm Round Beads COPPER MOSAIC FLOWER TURQUOISE US $2.99
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 Bead magnesite stabilized 18x13x6mm flat oval US $6.98
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 8mm Round Beads EMERALD GREEN MOSAIC FLOWER TURQUOISE US $2.99
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 15 Gemstone Beads BLUE TURQUOISE CHIP 7 8mm US $1.99
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 Teardrop Beads GREEN MOSAIC FLOWER TURQUOISE 15 US $2.99
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 8mm Round Beads BRIGHT GREEN MOSAIC FLOWER TURQUOISE US $2.99
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 15 8mm Round Gemstone Beads IMPERIAL TURQUOISE US $4.99
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 Focal pendant bead magnesite blue 30x25mm rectangle US $8.99
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 15 XL Rondelle Beads LAVENDER MOSAIC TURQUOISE 8x12mm US $3.99
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 16 Rectangle Tile Beads STABILIZED TURQUOISE 15x20mm US $6.99
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 15 XL Rondelle Beads RED MOSAIC TURQUOISE 8x12mm US $6.99
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 Bead turquoise stabilized blue 8x6mm cylinder tube 15in US $5.99
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 36 Lime Green Chalk Turquoise Chip Beads 5 9mm US $4.99
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 BLUE CHALK TURQUOISE FOCAL COMPONENT GO GO 48mm US $2.99
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 Strand Approx 20TURQUOISE15x20mm Smooth Nuggets LtBlu US $15.98
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 1 STRAND 145 15MM TURQUOISE ROUND STONE BEADS A270 DNG US $9.99
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 Turquoise Natural Graduated Irregular Disc Beads 16 US $98.75
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 Beads Fuchsia Chalk Turquoise 6mm Round X 16 NEW US $2.80
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 Bead magnesite turquoise blue large nuggets US $6.61
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 Beads Turquoise Chip Beads 4 8mm X 33 NEW US $4.80
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 Beads Chalk Turquoise Pebble Stretch Bracelet NEW US $6.00
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 15 Rich Blue Chalk Turquoise Chip Beads US $6.99
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 1 STRAND 13 145MM TURQUOISE ROUND STONE BEADS A36 DNG US $15.50
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 16 Strand BLUE CHALK TURQUOISE 16x12mm BARREL Beads US $7.58
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 15 Strand BLUE GREEN CHALK TURQUOISE 12mm BARREL Beads US $6.28
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 15 Strand BLUE GREEN CHALK TURQUOISE 12mm OVAL Beads US $6.28
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 16 Strand BLUE CHALK TURQUOISE 15x11x5mm OVAL Beads US $6.88
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 15 Strand BLUE CHALK TURQUOISE 8x3mm Disc CIRCLE Beads US $5.88
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 16 Strand BLUE CHALK TURQUOISE 10x4mm CIRCLE Beads US $5.98
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 GEMSTONE BEADS MAGNESITE LOOSE STONE BEADS FLAT OVAL US $3.39
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 20 Beads turquoise blue 10mm round coin US $5.99
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 Strand Apx21 TURQUOISE 15x20mm Smooth Nuggets GrBlue US $16.98
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 Turquoise Pear 35x45mm Pendant 15mm Hole US $5.00
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 20 X BLUE CHALK TURQUOISE ROUND BEADS 8mm US $1.99
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 GEMSTONE BEADS MAGNESITE LOOSE STONE BEADS F OVAL 10 CT US $3.29
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 9 STRAND 20 27MM TURQUOISE NUGGET STONE BEADS B32 DNG US $6.75
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 Beads Fuchsia Chalk Turquoise 4mm Round X 16 NEW US $1.80
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A Note on Stabilizing Turquoise
Turquoise is a mix of copper and aluminum compounds. These compounds are usually in the form of hydrous phosphates of these two elements, along with other secondary compounds. Though the quantities of the secondary compounds are usually quite small, they can have a significant impact on the overall properties of the turquoise specimen. Look at your silver turquoise pendants, and in most cases, you will see that the stone has a deep sky blue color. This color is due to the presence of copper. If the specimen contains trace amounts of iron, the color would gain a greenish tinge. On the rare occasion when zinc enters the matrix, the color tends to be yellow. In the vast majority of cases, natural turquoise is quite soft, light, and porous. This makes it very difficult to cut and polish the stone. Even after the jewelry has been made, the turquoise tends to absorb moisture and oils from the skin and gradually weakens and deteriorates with time. Less than five percent (less than three percent, by some estimates) of the world’s turquoise is of good enough quality to be directly used in jewelry. Natural turquoise is rare and therefore very costly. This makes it impossible to use natural turquoise in fashion jewelry designs. To overcome this problem some bright gemologists came up with a few different innovative methods to improve the quality of moderate and even low quality turquoise specimens so that this beautiful and popular gemstone could be used in fashion jewelry in a cost effective manner.
- The most basic form of stabilization is to coat the surface of the stone with wax or vegetable oil. This process has some very minor effects on sealing the pores on the surface of the stone, and gives the stone a shine. However, the treatment is very temporary in nature and as such is not effective in improving the overall quality of the stone.
- The most commonly used technique of stabilization is to treat the stone with a clear epoxy resin. The resin is used in liquid form. The stone is kept immersed in the epoxy resin liquid where capillary action sucks the liquid into the pores, or the liquid is infused into the stone by simultaneous application of pressure and vacuum. The resin penetrates the stone and is allowed to harden. This process reduces the pore space within the stone making it less susceptible to absorption of liquids. The stabilized stone is also easier to handle and can be polished to have a shinning finish. An experienced gemologist can under magnification, identify whether or not the stone has been stabilized using this method.
- State-of-the-art in turquoise stabilization is to use vaporized silica. Silica in vapor form is infused into the stone. Similar to epoxy stabilization, this process reduces the porosity of the stone and makes it suitable for jewelry applications. The process is however much more complex that epoxy resin stabilization, and must be carried out under controlled conditions in a laboratory with proper health and safety safeguards in place. When performed effectively, silica stabilization is so good that not even an experienced person can examine the stone and say with confidence whether or not the stone was stabilized.
Turquoise that has been stabilized using resin or silica is suitable for fashion jewelry applications such as turquoise pendants, accessory beads in a cultured pearl necklace, or even sterling silver jewelry where turquoise is the only gemstone. Gemologists and jewelers consider stabilized turquoise to be genuine turquoise, although the ethical sellers will clearly inform you in the turquoise you are buying is natural or stabilized. It is important to note that without the process of stabilization most of the southwestern jewelry on the market today would not have been possible.
About the Author
Dale is a geo-professional in the Southwestern United States, and an avid and amateur gemmologist and a fashion jewelry buff.