Turquoise stone is a base hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum that is formed as water trickles through a host stone for about 30 million years, gradually leaving a deposit. If the mix has mostly copper, the turquoise will be within the blue range. If there is more aluminum, it will have more greens and white.
NATURAL-
Means that the composition has not been altered. The stone comes out of the mine and is only cut and polished. Natural Turquoise remains porous and will change color over time.
ENHANCED-
Is stone that is hardened with an electrical current in a water and copper solution. This process does not inject any chemicals and only hardens the stone without altering the color. This is the next best thing to natural and will actually test out as natural.
STABILIZED-
Means that the stone comes out of the mine and is too porous to be cut into beads or cabochons. It is still good stone, but it needs to be hardened using epoxy resin. Using this method will harden the turquoise so it is better to carve fetishes and it will remain the same color throughout time.
COLOR–TREATED, COLOR-ENHANCED, OR COLOR-INFUSED-
All of these types of turquoise are very soft, pale stone and are very low grade. Both dye and epoxy resins are added to the stone to deepen the color of the stone.
RECONSTITUTED-
Very low grade turquoise that is crushed into dust and remade into a solid form using plastic resin. It can resemble natural turquoise, but will not test as natural. If the sample contains 80% turquoise, it can be labeled as genuine turquoise.
IMITATION-
Simulated turquoise is not turquoise at all. It is dyed plastic and should be labeled “turquoise color,” not turquoise. It contains no turquoise stone at all.
All of our Native American Made Turquoise jewelry is either natural or enhanced turquoise. We do carry some reconstituted Turquoise pieces - those would be the Navajo wedding band rings that looks like it has inlaid crushed turquoise and coral.